Grand American Announces Founding Members

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2000) – With its inaugural season now underway, the Grand American Road Racing Association is off to a roaring start. Today, the first-year sanctioning body announced an impressive list of founding members that will ensure its vitality well into the future.

Among the 25 individual investors is a Who's Who in American motor racing: NASCAR President Bill France, International Speedway Corporation President & Chief Operating Officer Jim France, NASCAR Senior Vice President Brian France, International Speedway Corporation Executive Vice President Lesa Kennedy, Penske Chairman and CEO Roger Penske, Penske Auto Group President Greg Penske, Lime Rock Park Owner Skip Barber and Grand-Am President Roger Edmondson.

Yet the list of investors extends far beyond racing and into the respected business community.

"When we announced our series back in September, we said we would name a list of investors that included some of the most respected names in motorsports, and today we have kept that commitment," Edmondson said. "We have a broad-based ownership who all share the same vision of what road racing should be in North America. We have professionals not just from motorsports, but also from banking, legal and other business areas to guide us into the future.

"We are extremely proud of our accomplishments to date, and being able to announce today this strong and committed list of investors is a major step forward for our organization. Their confidence in a first-year series is a testament to the quality of the competitors and our personnel in areas ranging from competition to marketing. We are well on our way to achieving our goal of being the premier road racing organization in North America."

Grand-Am's inaugural race – The Rolex 24 At Daytona – was conducted on the weekend of Feb. 5-6 at Daytona International Speedway. The series continues with Round Two at Phoenix International Raceway, April 20-22.

The complete list of investors follows:

Skip Barber Tom Bledsoe Paul Brooks Bray Cary Gary Crotty Robert Dyson Roger Edmondson Brian France Jim France Bill France Chris Harris Mike Helton Lesa Kennedy Raymond Mason Bruce Mosley Glenn Padgett Greg Penske Roger Penske George Pyne John Saunders Susan Schandel George Silbermann Bob Snodgrass Dave Watson Todd Wilson

Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., home of the legendary Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Grand American Road Racing Association's mission is to become the premier sanctioning body for professional sports car road racing in North America, as well as the rallying point for its tradition, history and lifestyle activities.