The Race of Champions is a racing organization which sanctions eight different series on asphalt and dirt surfaces, and promotes an annual marquee racing weekend featuring one of the oldest continuing championship races in the United States.

History The Al Gerber Trophy Race of Champions originated in 1951 as the National Open on the dirt surfaced Langhorne Speedway in Middletown Township, Bucks County, near the borough of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. In order to secure the strongest modified field possible, promoters Al Gerber and Irv Fried guaranteed starting spots in the race to the track champions at many of the top short-tracks in the northeast.

After the 1971 event the speedway was closed, and the race was rebranded the Race of Champions. The event was relocated first to Trenton Speedway in New Jersey, subsequently to Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, and then back to New Jersey at the Flemington Speedway. The process of awarding the guaranteed starting positions in the annual Race of Champions was replaced with the 'Trail of Champions', a touring series of special events held at venues throughout the northeast, and which crowned its own champion.

In 1996, promoters Alex Friesen and Andrew Harpell purchased the rights to the event from Al Gerber's son Joe, and moved the race to the Oswego Speedway in New York. Later that year, Friesen was fatally injured in a snowmobile accident, and Harpell moved forward with plans to expand the business model to sanction races and touring series for other classes of race cars. Going into the 2016 season, Joe Skotnicki, a former Super DIRTcar Series director, left his post with World Racing Group and purchased both the dirt and asphalt programs from Harpell.

Race of Champions Touring Series The Race of Champions Touring Series has grown to a family of stock car racing series on both dirt and asphalt including asphalt modifieds, dirt and asphalt sportsman, late models, super stock and the 4 cylinder dash. It was nominated for and won Best Touring Series on the 51's (which is an annual fan voted awards) for the 2017 season. In the 2019 season a TQ Midget Series was introduced into the Race of Champions Group. Andy Jankowiak became the inaugural series champion at Lake Erie Speedway. Also in 2019 the Race of Champions began experimenting with sim racing via iRacing.com one of the most well-known sim racing services.

Asphalt Modified Series The Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series was first developed by Harpell in 1994 as the New York Modified Series. It was rebranded upon the creation of the Dirt Modified Tour in 2005.

+Asphalt Modified ChampionsYearNameYearName1994Charlie Rudolph2014Chuck Hossfeld1995George Kent2015Matt Hirschman1996George Kent2016Patrick Emerling1997Chuck Hossfeld2017Mike Leaty1998J.R. Kent2018Chuck Hossfeld1999J.R. Kent2019Patrick Emerling2000George Kent2020Patrick Emerling2001George Kent2021Austin Beers2002George Kent2022Mike Leaty2003George Kent2023Zane Zeiner2004Tony Hanbury2024Zane Zeiner2005Matt Hirschman2025Matt Hirschman2006Earl Paules2007Pete Brittain2008Matt Hirschman2009Matt Hirschman2010Matt Hirschman2011Chuck Hossfeld2012Matt Hirschman2013Matt Hirschman +Asphalt Modifieds: All-time wins listDriver WinsDriverWinsMatt Hirschman60Duane Delamarter1Chuck Hossfeld29Charlie Rudolph1George Kent22Tyler Rypkema1Patrick Emerling20Ken Woolley Jr.1Jan Leaty16Wilbur Hebing1Mike Leaty13John Markovic1Andy Jankowiak11Kory Rabenold1Sege Fidanza10Ted Christopher1Zane Zeiner10William Thomas1Eric Beers10Chris Ammon1T.J. Potrzebowski9Bill Woods1J.R. Kent9George Skora III1Pete Brittian6Brian Bowen1Tony Hanbury6Rick Fuller1Lee Sherwood4Tommy Catalano1Tom McGrath3Scott Lesher1Tyler Haydt3Doug Wolcott1Bill Putney3Daren Scherer1Jimmy Zacharias3Kyle Strohl1Erick Rudolph3Donny Lia1Earl Paules3Rick Woods1Kyle Ebersole2Bryan Sherwood1Tony Hirschman2Jimmy Blewett1Tim Mangus2Tim Arre1Rusty Smith2Bobby Holmes1Don Wagner2Tim Connolly1Austin Beers2Jeff Ulrich1Austin Kochenash2Mike Stefanik1Jack Ely2Danny Knoll Jr.1Jack Lutz2Ron Silk1Rick Kirkendall1Dave Pecko1

Dirt Modified Series The Race of Champions Dirt Modified Tour was formed in 2005 as an alternative for dirt modified and sportsman cars. The Dirt 602 Sportsman Modified Series continues on, but the modified portion was disbanded in 2017.

+Dirt Modified ChampionsYearDriverYearRegionDriver2017Mike Bowman2007SouthPat Ward2016Matt SheppardNorthRonnie Johnson2015Stewart FriesenNATIONALPat Ward2014Stewart Friesen2006SouthJimmy Horton2013Stewart FriesenNorthMitch Gibbs2012Danny JohnsonNATIONALAlan Johnson2011Billy Decker2005SouthJeff Strunk2010Stewart FriesenNorthBobby Varin2009Pat WardNATIONALMitch GibbsBobby Varin2008Pat Ward

The Al Gerber Trophy Race of Champions The Al Gerber Trophy Race of Champions is the yearly stock car race using modified race cars and is the direct descendant of the National Open. Although the first 14 open championships were held on a dirt surface, Langhorne Speedway was paved in 1965, and the event has since been held on asphalt surfaces. The tracks hosting the event have ranged from the .375 mile Lake Erie Speedway in Erie, Pennsylvania to the 2.5 mile Pocono Raceway tri-oval.

+Race of Champions: Al Gerber Trophy Winners' listEventYearWinnerCar #TrackEventYearWinnerCar #Track11951Hully BunnXLanghorne1.0 mi(Dirt)461996Jan Leaty25Oswego.626 mi(Paved)21952Jim DeLaney471997Tony Hirschman31953Ted Swaim481998Sege Fidanza7741954Frankie Schneider491999Chuck Hossfeld2251955Pete Corey502000George Kent Sr.61956Dutch Hoag512001George Kent Sr.71957Glenn Guthrie522002Tim Mangus9381958Jim DeLaney532003Sege Fidanza91959Jim DeLaney542004Eric Beers9101960Dutch Hoag552005Chuck Hossfeld22111961Bob Malzahn562006T.J. Potrzebowski72121962Frankie Schneider572007Jan Leaty6131963Dutch Hoag582008Tony Hirschman48141964Freddy Adam592009Billy Putney88151965Bill SlaterLanghorne1.0 mi(Paved)602010Tony Hirschman48161966Will Cagle612011Zane Zeiner171967Dutch Hoag622012Matt Hirschman60181968Dutch Hoag632013Matt Hirschman60191969Ray Hendrick642014Chuck Hossfeld201970Merv Treichler652015Matt Hirschman60Chemung†211971Roger Treichler662016Matt Hirschman60Oswego221972Geoff Bodine99Trenton1.5 mi(Paved)672017Matt Hirschman60Lake Erie.375 mi(Paved)231973Richie Evans61682018Matt Hirschman60241974Fred De Sarro3692019Matt Hirschman60251975Ray Hendrick702020Matt Hirschman60261976Maynard Troyer6712021Andy Jankowiak73271977Maynard Troyer6Pocono2.5 mi(Paved)722022‡Jake Lutz14281978Geoff Bodine173 2023Patrick Emerling07291979Richie Evans61742024Matt Hirschman60301980Richie Evans61752025Matt Hirschman60Thompson•311981George Kent26321982Greg Sacks5331983Jimmy Spencer24341984Brian Ross69351985Brett Bodine12361986George Kent26371987George Brunnhoelzl28381988Reggie Ruggiero44391989Tony Hirschman1401990Mike Stefanik15411991Satch Worley4421992Lenny Boyd55Flemington.625 mi(Paved) 431993Billy Pauch44441994Tony Siscone14451995John Blewett III14

References

External links