RACE: DC Region announces 2002 MARRS schedule

DC Region announces the 2002 Mid-Atlantic Road Racing Series Schedule

A return to the historic Virginia International Raceway and Watkins Glen, ten races and a late October race highlight the 2002 Mid-Atlantic Road Racing Series (MARRS) season, region officials have announced.

The MARRS championship, which features all SCCA-eligible classes and several DC Region-only classes, will be in its 27th consecutive season in 2002. MARRS is the oldest amateur road racing championship in North America and the second oldest road racing series overall.

The 2002 season kicks off the weekend of April 27-28 at the two-mile Summit Point Raceway. Last year's event saw over 290 drivers compete and filled the paddock to overflowing. The second and third events in the 2002 MARRS take place Mothers' Day Weekend at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in Danville, Virginia. Despite being only in its third year, The Mothers' Day Double at VIR is fast becoming a tradition and is one of the largest regional competitions in the SCCA. Nearly 400 drivers from MARRS and SARRC competed last year.

MARRS returns to Summit Point Raceway for the Racing for Reading event on June 15-16. This event will raise funds for the South Jefferson Public Library and is one of two charity events organized by MARRS.

A patriotic theme will be in evidence as the Firecracker MARRS takes place July 6-7 at Summit Point Raceway. MARRS has not raced on the weekend of the Fourth for several years and the field of competitors making the trek should be large.

In late July, MARRS leaves West Virginia for the scenic and historic Watkins Glen International.

MARRS returns to Summit Point in August. The Toyo Summer Sprints presented by Radial Tire will take place on August 10-11. Two weeks later, the traditional Labor Day Double, the Olympic Auto Parts 600, will take place over Labor Day weekend. The Olympic Auto Parts 600 is the second largest regional competition on the eastern seaboard and, with most championships still undecided, the racing is always close.

The final round of the 2002 MARRS championship will take place among the beautiful West Virginia Autumn foliage on October 12-13. The October date marks the first time in two years that MARRS has raced after Labor Day and was added due to the tremendous car counts experienced in 2001.

For information on MARRS, go to www.wdcr-scca.org.

-dcr/jj-