Northern New Jersey Region Monthly E-Newsletter

Hold This Date

February 25, 2024

Annual Volunteer Party & Solo Award Presentation

Packanack Lake Country Club

52 Lake Dr W, Wayne, NJ 07470

The NEDiv Championship Road Racing Series enters its eleventh year, providing the best SCCA regional racing series. Each year the series visits seven different tracks in the Northeast Division.

This year the series will be at Palmer, NJMP Lightning, Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, Summit Point, Pitt Race and Thompson Speedway. 

The NEDiv Road Racing Series provides the driver with an alternate path to the SCCA Runoff's. Enter a minimum of four race weekends, be in the top three in your class (top 5 in SM and SRF3) prior to the cutoff date and you earn an automatic invite to the SCCA Runoff's.

To qualify for the Championship, a driver must enter at least four of the Championship weekends. Points are awarded for finishing positions from first thru fifteenth place. Championship points can be counted from a maximum of seven weekends. Series Champions receive a Series Championship trophy awarded at the NEDiv Convention awards dinner. 

Below is the schedule for the 2024 NEDiv Championship Road Racing Series.

Series rules and class eligibility are posted on the NEDiv home page. For any questions, please contact Chris Mosley, Series Chair at 973-723-8069 or chrisracer71@outlook.com.

Thank you to our series sponsors, Hazlitt 1852 Vinyards and ROSMAR.

It was a fight till the last runs between top drivers Evan Schickel and Jon Caserta. According to our rules that we looked over on Sat night, since we only had 6 events this season there would only be 1 event drop which would give the Driver of the Year to Jon Caserta. Congratulations to both drivers. The final points for class trophies will be posted on AutoX4u.com shortly.

Peter S. Fischer – In Appreciation

To those of us who were active in road rallies in the late 1960s to early 1970s, this name should need no introduction. Peter Fischer, the founder and publisher of Long Island Sports Car News (later Sports Car News), the local monthly newsletter of rally, solo and other sports car events in the New York Metro area, past winning CLISCC Long Island rally champion, member of Grumman Antique and Sports Car Club, and eventually famous Golden Globe winning Hollywood writer and producer (Murder She Wrote, McMillian and Wife, Columbo etc.), passed away in California on October 30.

When I was beginning my road rally career, Peter was one of the kings of the hill, so to speak, and with driver, Ted Rehman was always the one to beat on the numerous rallies we had back then here on Long Island and in New Jersey. It was an inspiration to speak with him and to read his words in those early Sports Car News writings.

Peter founded Sports Car News in January of 1968. He sold to Steve Plant in January of 1971. After signing the transaction, they teamed up to run Porsche Clubs Snow*Flake XV, where they finished 8th overall. SCN was essential reading back then, with lengthy reports of all the last month's events (back then, we had at least 2-3 rallies every month on Long Island) and a listing of all the upcoming events with contact information. I, for one, read every issue cover to cover as soon as it arrived in the mailbox.

In 1973, we were all sorry when he packed up and moved to California to pursue his career as a writer, but also immensely proud of the local guy who made good when he became the successful writer/producer he was. One of his episodes of MacMillian and Wife (Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James called "Downshift to Danger", you can see it on YouTube) was focused on a road rally, and many of us guessed that several of the characters were based on local Long Island rally personalities.

His contribution to road rally on Long Island and in the New York Metro area cannot be overstated. He also chaired many a Grumman event, and Sports Car News was essential reading for anyone involved in the sports car seen on Long Island. I owe him a great debt of gratitude for helping a young guy getting interested in road rally start on a 50 + year career in the sport.

May he rest in peace.

His obituary from the New York Times is at: Peter S. Fischer, Who Helped Create Murder, She Wrote Dies at 88 - The New York Times

The upcoming U.S. Majors Tour season is slated to include more than 30 race weekends across the United States at just about as many circuits. Racing is divided into six geographic Conferences: Southeast, Southern, Western, Mid-States, Northern, and Northeast. Racers can compete for points championships in any (or as many) Conferences as they choose.

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Join us on February 10 at the Radisson Lackawanna Station in Scranton, PA for the 2024 NEDiv Convention!

Themed award dinner on Saturday Night!

Since 1944, SCCA has existed to provide a place for auto enthusiasts and motorsports fans to come together and enjoy a shared passion.  “I came for the cars but stayed for the people.”

On Saturday the NEDiv Convention has full day of information about all of SCCA: region management, membership development and program support for your region. On Saturday evening - we will present trophies to our 2023 season NEDiv Road Racing Series champions as well as recognize a number of our outstanding contributors to the division.

HOTEL INFO

Rooms are being held at the Radisson hotel for attendees for Friday and Saturday nights until January 11 at $149.00 per night for SCCA members.

Hotel Reservation Link

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