SCCA Road Racing
The Sports Car Club of America
Sports Car Club of America holds road races throughout the year in tracks ranging from Sears Point in California to Sebring in Florida. The SCCA is a 60,000 member not-for-profit organization featuring the most active membership participation organization in motorsports today, with over 2,000 amateur and professional motor sports events each year.
Fluge’s home track is Portland International Raceway in Portland Oregon. He expects to participate in races held once a month beginning in early March, 2007, and extending into the summer of 2007. The course is just under 2 miles in length and houses left and right hand turns and straight-aways that allow him to achieve a variety of race speeds.
The Cars
His cars, a 2006 Corvette Z06 and a 2006 Panoz GTS race in different classes. The Z06 is an “ITE” or Improved Touring “E” class racing in Group H and the Panoz GTS is a “GT1” or Grand Touring 1 car racing in Group C. The Corvette develops about 550 HP and is 3000 lbs in curb weight. The Panoz GTS generates about 650 HP and is about 2600 lbs in curb weight. The Panoz is often seen in GT2 class, however, Fluge has re-worked the race ‘spec’ 351 Ford engine to develop more horsepower – thus the Group C requirement that it race in GT1 category.
While the cars are capable of even higher top speeds - depending on the configuration of the tracks he drives, Fluge will attain in excess of 170 MPH. Participating as a new driver in 2006 Fluge raced as a Novice and his cars (and Fluge) found their share of trials and tribulations including meetings with concrete walls. With more black flags in hand than checkered flags, his license was still upgraded to ‘regional’ status. He returns in 2007 to drive to competitive and safe finishes.
An Addition to the Team
2007 also brings a new Motorsports Ambassador to the Fluge Team. Todd Harris, top national driver and owner of Pro Drive Racing School will not only manage Fluge’s team and give Fluge his racing advice and wisdom, but he will also pilot the team’s newest arrival and 3rd car, a new “Derhaag Motorsports” GT1 Corvette. The Derhaag Vette is even faster than the Z06 and the Panoz and has pure bred race lines. With Harris at the wheel of the “Derhaag”, there may be no faster GT1 car in SCCA in 2007 in the entire country.
The Rose Cup
The goal is straightforward – Fluge and Harris expect to take home the prestigious Rose Cup Championship race in early June in Portland as owner and driver team-mates. The Rose Cup is the royalty of west coast road racing and has only been won by a handful of drivers since its inception many years ago. Conquering this first mountain in June will set the stage for the final four FGA 2007 Adventures.