IROC series bids farewell with weekend auction
Series ends, mostly due to lack of title sponsor
BY DAN NEWMAN Staff Writer
Ready. Set. Stop. After over 30 years of racing, the International Race of Champions (IROC), the all-star auto racing series, has come to a halt due to economic reasons. As a result, the contents of the auto shop will be auctioned off at IROC's facility in Tinton Falls this Friday and Saturday.

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Above: Among the items up for sale at this weekend's auction at the home site of IROC in Tinton Falls: Race cars that were driven in the series by Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves and NASCAR racers Dale Earnhardt, and his son, Dale Jr., along with numerous parts that were used in the cars. The auction is Friday and Saturday at 45 Park Lane.

Everything from cars to engine parts to memorabilia will up for grabs at 45 Park Lane, where Jay Signore has overseen the facility since 1983.

Racing legend Roger Penske started the series in the 1970s, with the idea being to compile the best drivers to compete in head-to-head races held at different raceways throughout the South. The drivers raced in similar cars so that nobody would have an advantage once the green flag came out.

"Even from the start, I really felt like this was a great program," Signore, IROC's president, said. "You had the best of the best from Indy cars, NASCAR. You really had it all. It really became a fair test to see just who the best driver was. It brought together a multitude of drivers and it was enamoring for all of them to be involved with the IROC series."

In all, there were 21 winners of the IROC series throughout its 30-year history, including Mario Andretti, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt. The final series was won in 2006 by Tony Stewart.

The series gained plenty of popularity with drivers and fans alike, but with a yearly $6 million price tag just to operate the series, things proved to be too difficult for Signore to run.

"For 14 years, True Value hardware was the title sponsor," Signore explained. "Then in 2004, Crown Royal [whiskey] took their place and they didn't want to renew their contract with us at the end of the 2006 racing season. We really did work hard to find another company that wanted to be the title sponsor, but it just didn't work out."

Signore also said that just to build one car for the series, it took about 800 man hours and over $100,000.

"I will be really interested to see what some of these cars will fetch at the auction," Signore said.

Signore spoke to "what felt like about a hundred different companies" when he was looking for a title sponsor. The 2007 series was postponed, and soon thereafter it was decided that the series was over.

Another problem along the way had to do with scheduling.

"Sure, the drivers wanted to race each other and the fans certainly wanted to see it. But with the popularity of NASCAR rising and the amount of time each of the drivers has to give to their own cars for the season, it did become difficult after a while to get everybody on the same page," Signore said. "NASCAR is now a 36-week season, and the Indy cars are out there a whole bunch as well.

When IROC was doing well, the series came to such legendary racetracks as Daytona, Talladega and Indianapolis.

"The traveling was sometimes a grind, but to have been to some of these places, it really was amazing," Signore said.

Besides Penske, Hazlet native Ray Evernham, who now runs Gillett Evernham Motorsports, one of the top NASCAR teams, is another of the big names that have been associated with IROC.

"He stared out as a mechanic here and moved his way up the ranks," Signore said. "It's great to be able to say that one of the biggest names in racing got his start here."

Speaking of big names in the sport, Signore mentioned that the drivers were one of a kind, each one bringing something different to the table.

"Guys like Earnhardt and Andretti from years ago right up to the current drivers such as Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth, they're all just really good people and they all worked very hard to get where they are."

As for the future, Signore says he has no plans to cut back on doing what he loves to do most.

"There's always work for me to do and there's always something happening," Signore said. "It'll just have to play itself out, I guess. One thing I do know for sure is that I am going to miss all of the people that I have met."

The auction is scheduled for 10 a.m. both days, with the advance preview slated for Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on the event, call (800) 563- 9740.