Since 2020, SCCA® road racers have been clamoring for the Club’s National Championship Runoffs® to return to Road America. Dubbed America’s National Park of Speed, Road America’s challenging 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit played host to the Runoffs from 2009 through 2013, and then once more in 2020. But while the racing in 2020 was incredible, the pandemic certainly put a damper on the event. Luckily, the Runoffs returns to Road America for 2024 and 2025, with the preliminary 2024 Runoffs qualifying and race schedule now unveiled.
The 60th Anniversary Runoffs will take place this year Sept. 27-Oct. 6, with those early days hosting a variety of practice sessions. Qualifying sessions will begin at 8 a.m. CT on Tuesday, Oct. 1, running through the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 3.
In the preliminary Runoffs schedule, several classes will share qualifying sessions. Specifically, Formula 600 will share qualifying track time with Formula F, Touring 4 will share time with Super Touring® Lite, and American Sedan will share time with Touring 1. Meanwhile, F and H Production will be grouped together for qualifying, as will E Production and GT-Lite, Touring 2 and 3, Prototype 1 and 2, Super Touring Under and GT-3, and Formula Atlantic® and Formula Continental®.
All 26 Runoffs classes will feature single-class races taking place Friday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Oct. 6.
“The preliminary Runoffs schedule has 17 qualifying groups, nine of which include two classes,” explained Road Racing VP Eric Prill. “On our qualifying days, we have time for 19 groups, so two of these combined-class groups will be split each day, providing each class with 20 minutes. As has been the case in recent years, we will evaluate entry levels as we get closer to the event, making any adjustments to fill out those additional time slots.”
The complete preliminary Runoffs schedule can be viewed by clicking below.
Preliminary '24 Runoffs Schedule
Invited Classes, Appearance Fund, and Registration Dates
There’s more to the Runoffs than qualifying and racing. For one, it’s important to know which classes are invited, how to qualify for the Runoffs Appearance Fund, and when Runoffs event registration will begin. All of this information will be found in the event’s Supplemental Regulations, which will be released at a later date, but until then, here’s what you need to know.
Invited Classes
Twenty-six classes will be invited to race at this year’s National Championship Runoffs. Those classes are:
- American Sedan
- Touring 1-4
- B-Spec
- Spec Miata
- Spec MX-5
- Super Touring Under and Super Touring Lite
- E, F, and H Production
- GT-1, GT-2, GT-3, GT-Lite,
- Spec Racer® Ford Gen3
- Prototype 1 and 2
- Formula 600, Formula Vee® , Formula Enterprises® 2, Formula F, Formula Continental, Formula Atlantic
Note that five of the 26 invited classes are on probation for the 2024 season. Formula 600, Formula Atlantic, Formula F, GT-1, and GT-3 will be invited to the 2024 Runoffs, but any of those five classes that have fewer than 10 cars competing at the 2024 Runoffs will not crown a National Champion.
Qualifying for the Runoffs
There are a variety of ways to qualify for the 2024 Runoffs, including through the Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour, U.S. Majors Tour, and Divisional races. The Pro Path has been suspended and is no longer a qualification path.
Here are all of the ways you can qualify to attend the 2024 Runoffs.
Appearance Fund
The Runoffs Appearance Fund will be back once more for 2024.
A Runoffs Appearance Fund fee is collected throughout the season for the purpose of incentivizing the most committed drivers during the season to attend the Runoffs. A driver’s payment will be determined using specific criteria, including straight-line mileage to the Runoffs and the average entry count for their class at U.S. Majors Tour events throughout the season.
Appearance Funds will be paid to drivers who finish in a paid position in their class in one of the Majors Conference point standings or the Hoosier Super Tour point standings leading into the Runoffs and participate in the Runoffs itself. Furthermore, only drivers with straight-line mileage of 300 miles or more will be eligible.
More information can be found here.
Runoffs Registration Begins On…
Racers and volunteers will want to mark their calendars for July 10, 2024, at 10 a.m. CT, as that’s the date and time Runoffs driver and volunteer registration will begin.
Other event registration dates and times will be announced in June.
Photo by Rick Corwine
