The International Motor Racing Research Center is guided by a Governing Council composed of racing aficionados, library professionals and civic and community leaders from across the United States. The Center has also created a Historians Council, inviting an elite group of motorsports experts to provide advice and support in collection development and programming. While, members of the Center’s Drivers Council provide their advice and support in the motorsports industry and share their racing knowledge and experience as the Center develops its collections.
Historians Council
Don Capps, member of the board of directors of the Society of Automotive Historians and chair of its International Motor Sports History Section. He is a former assistant professor at The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina and faculty member of the Department of Defense Model and Simulation University. He was founder of The Nostalgia Forum and former columnist, Rear View Mirror, on Atlas F1 (now Autosport.com).
William Edgar, who has been associated with motorsport activities for more than 50 years. His father, John Edgar, was a pioneering force in post-World War II sports car racing in America and a professional photographer. William Edgar is a photographer, author and documentary filmmaker. With Michael Lynch and Ron Parravano he co-authored “American Sports Car Racing in the 1950s,” which won the 1998 Dean Batchelor Award from the Motor Press Guild. His website is edgarmotorsport.com.
Karl Ludvigsen, who in addition to his motor industry activities as an executive (with GM, Fiat and Ford) and head of a consulting company, has been active for more than 50 years as an author and historian. As an author, co-author or editor he has some four dozen books about cars and the motor industry to his credit. Watch a video Interview with Karl Ludvigsen on "Porsche: Origin of the Species."
Doug Nye, journalist, historian and author of some 70 books with more than 50 years’ experience in motorsports. A friend of the Center, Nye is a consultant to the Collier Collection and REVS Institute in Naples, FL, and is on the Advisory Council of the British National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. He is Goodwood Motorsport’s founding historian and consultant and also was a founding consultant to the former SpeedVision TV network. Nye is a regular columnist for Motor Sport magazine. Watch Nye describe the engine layout of the iconic Ferrari 250 GTO.
Peter Sachs, whose racing career spanned more than four decades in SCCA, IMSA, USRRC and vintage racing. Today he manages the Klemantaski Collection, one of the world’s largest archives of motorsports photography. He was the recipient of the 2013 Bob Akin Award from the Road Racing Drivers Club.
János Wimpffen, a motorsports historian and author, who specializes in sports car racing. He is best known for his 1999 book “Time and Two Seats,” which won multiple awards. Wimpffen spoke at the Racing Research Center on April 21, 2012.
Bill Green, IMRRC historian serving as liaison to the Historians Council. Green is internationally recognized for his exhaustive knowledge about racing at Watkins Glen and elsewhere and also for his personal collection of racing materials that was launched at the first Watkins Glen race in 1948.
Drivers Council
Mario Andretti, 1978 Formula One World Champion, winner of the 1972 Six Hours at Watkins Glen, 1967 Daytona 500 winner, 1969 Indy 500 winner and four-time USAC-CART Champion. He was inducted into the National Motor Press Association's Hall of Fame in January 2014. View RRDC’s Evening with Mario.
David Donohue, who has spent time in the Touring Cars, Prototypes, NASCAR Stock Car and Craftsman Truck Series. He was an integral part of the Brumos Racing family, driving a Brumos Racing Daytona Prototype in every Rolex Sports Car series race from 2003 through 2010. In 2009 he co-drove to victory in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Donohue shares his thoughts in a Grand Am "In Your Own Words" video.
Chris Dyson, a two-time ALMS champion, having taken the LMP675 Drivers title in 2003 and earning the LMP1 Championship in 2011. He is the Vice President and Sporting Director of Dyson Racing. He has overseen the ongoing growth of the team, most recently with the signing of the multi-year partnership with Bentley.
Hurley Haywood, endurance driving champion, five-time winner of the Rolex 24 in Daytona and three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He is the winningest driver in Watkins Glen’s history. Listen to motorsports journalist Rick Hughey interview Hurley in a production for the IMRRC.
Scott Pruett, multi-series champion who has raced in NASCAR, Grand American, CART, USAC, ALMS, IMSA GTO/GTU/GTP, SCCA Trans Am, IROC and the Professional Karting Association. He holds the record for Rolex 24 at Daytona victories with seven and was Rolex Grand Am champion four times. He is a member of the World Karting Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Judy, have written and published children’s books about racing. Pruett shares his thoughts in a Grand Am "In Your Own Words" video.
Brian Redman, a three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona and US F5000 championships, the 12 Hours of Sebring and numerous other events in the U.S and Europe. He is a former president of the Road Racing Drivers Club and was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2002. See Roads & Rides’ interview with Brian.
Lyn St. James, drove to many victories, including two 24 Hours of Daytona class wins and one class victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. She is the only woman to win an IMSA GT race driving solo, which was for the 1985 Serengeti 500 at Watkins Glen International. She has earned many honors, including Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year in 1992, Sports Illustrated Top 100 Women Athletes of the Century and the 2010 Automotive News Top 100 Women in the Automotive Industry. She is a member of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. St. James shares her thoughts in a Ford Motor Co. "In Their Own Words" video.
Rusty Wallace, when he retired at the end of the 2005 season, had a career that included 55 NASCAR championship event victories, the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup championship, the 1991 IROC Championship and the 1983 American Speed Association Championship. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in February 2013. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on Aug. 6, 2014. View Dateline NBC’s Feature on Rusty Wallace.