What was the IROC series?

International Race of Champions (IROC) was a North American auto racing competition, created by Les Richter, Roger Penske and Mike Phelps, promoted as an equivalent of an American motorsports All-Star Game. Despite its name, the IROC was primarily associated with North American, oval-track racing.

What years did the IROC series run?

See all 20 photos Richard Petty, A.J. Foyt, and Brian Redman battle for position at Riverside during IROC III’s 1976 season. Foyt took home the championship that year. The series ran continuously from 1974 to 1980, then, when the economy took a nosedive, it was suspended for three years and then resumed in 1984.

Who was the last IROC champion?

They include Dale Earnhardt, Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarbrough and Mark Martin, the winningest IROC champ with five titles. The last champion was Stewart in 2006.

When did the IROC series end?

The series ran from 1974 to 2006, and included great racers like Donohue, Foyt, Andretti, Unser, Earnhardt, and Stewart. Sadly, IROC died off in 2007 when Crown Royal withdrew their sponsorship.

What years was IROC z28?

For six years, Chevrolet offered the IROC trim model of the Z/28 (from 1985-1990), which was an acronym for International Race of Champions. The race series had been the brainchild of Roger Penske and was a fixture of ABC’s Wide World of Sports.

Who has won the most IROC races?

*Mark Martin is the all-time leader in IROC race wins (thirteen) and championships (five), winning three in a row and four total in a Firebird.

What year is IROC-Z?

1985
The IROC-Z Camaro was built in 1985 to celebrate the International Race of Champions. It first appeared as alternative to the Mustang SVR, with a V8 iron-block engine, lowered ride height, special decals, and an upgraded suspension from the regular Camaro, plus an altered front nose and fascia.

Which year IROC-Z is best?

Over the Years In 1985, the original IROC-Z featured top notch specs that were a not only performance driven but eye catching as well. It was considered to be a “Rookie of the Year” winner by numerous auto publications and was featured in Car and Drivers “Ten Best List” in 1985.

What years did Chevy make the IROC-Z?

Chevrolet Camaro (third generation)
Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
Overview
Manufacturer Chevrolet (General Motors)
Production October 12, 1981–August 27, 1992

What happened to the IROC series?

The series was not run in 1981, 1982, or 1983 . In 2007, IROC could not find a sponsor and postponed the first two races at Daytona and Texas. IROC went on hiatus in 2007 hoping to return with a sponsor in 2008, which did not happen. In March 2008, IROC auctioned off its tools, equipment, cars, and memorabilia, and went out of business.

When did IROC start on road courses?

From 1992 to 2005, the IROC season was exclusively run on ovals. In 2006, road courses were reintroduced to the IROC series with the cars competing on the road course at Daytona International Speedway. Also, in 2006, two drivers shared one car in an IROC first.

What is the IROC race?

Despite its name, the IROC was primarily associated with North American, oval-racing, NASCAR culture. Drivers raced identically-prepared stock cars set up by a single team of mechanics in an effort to make the race purely a test of driver ability. It was run with a small field of invited drivers (6–12).

How many open wheel drivers have won the IROC?

Although open wheel drivers had numerous successes, as of 2005 , drivers from road racing series had only won two races in the history of IROC. In some years, no sports car drivers competed.