| By Robin Wayne Click Here for
Photos The IROC Series held its 1st race in 1974. While some of the names might not be familiar to some of today's race fans, then, as now the drivers invited represented the cream of the racing world. 2001 is the 25 anniversary of Iroc. What may surprise many is the headquarters are located not in the heart of the south, but a short distance from the Garden State Parkway in Tinton Falls New Jersey. IROC President Jay Signore strives to make sure that all the cars are as close to identical as humanly possible. Name an area of the car and it has been checked and double-checked to insure each car is an exact match to the other 11 cars. The cars run 350 cubic inch small block v-8 engines. Each engine produces 500 hp at 6800 to help insure the reliability and life of the engine. The chassis frames are created at Mike Laughlin in South Carolina and are shipped to NJ where they are assembled by Signore and his staff of 25 mechanics. The shop is a spacious 20,000 square feet. Rightly so, the IROC shop has the feel of a Winston Cup race shop. There is a large bay for the finished cars, which could easily double for a display room when needed. A much larger adjoining bay is where the cars are assembled and where all of the bodywork is done. It is also where all of the larger spare parts and tires are housed. Nearby are various small rooms where various types of engine work are done. Neatly hung tools of every imaginable type cover each wall and every drawer is labeled. A hallway leads from the engine rooms to the offices and reception area. The walls on the hallway are decorated with framed photos of each year's drivers. The further one walks along the wall, you get the feeling that you are stepping back in time to relive various epic battles that occurred during that year. |