Innovative Program Protects Entrants From Losses Due To Weather
The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today announced the motorsports industry’s first guarantee to protect competitors from losing their entry fees due to rain. The Entry Protection Program (EPP) applies even if the races are conducted and the protected competitor does not withdraw – provided the official U.S. Weather Bureau-announced precipitation accumulation is at least one inch between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on either Saturday or Sunday.
“We decided to take this step to give owners and drivers a greater sense of control over their own destinies,” said SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella. “We understand a driver doesn’t get the same satisfaction from driving in the rain as he or she does in the dry. For a relatively small fee, the SVRA EPP protects them from losing their entry investment during a rainy weekend even if they do participate.”
Parella came up with idea following the rain-drenched SVRA weekend at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) September 25-27. That event saw persistent rain for three solid days, even creating standing water at some points of the course. Typical of road racing, the races were conducted despite the inclement weather but many drivers withdrew to protect the investment they have made in their vintage racers.
The EPP applies to 13 of the 16 race weekends on SVRA’s 2016 calendar. The EPP option is available at most venues for only $39, including: Sebring, Amelia Island, Auto Club Speedway, Sonoma, Road America, Mid-Ohio, Portland, Coronado, VIR, and NOLA. The EPP is available at Watkins Glen for $49. Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) are $59 for for the EPP option.