IMRRC featured in monthly MG club Magazine – featuring MGs on display at the IMRRC
Dave Stall
Mitch Bishop
Governing Council member Mitch Bishop called into Dave Stall’s radio show, “Racer Radio” on AM 1170 in San Diego, to talk about our new blog, “Stopwatch.”
Roger Penske drives the Zerex Special to victory at Riverside Raceway in 1952 | National Speed Sport News and IMRRC archive photoIf you are interested in motorsports history, you’ll want to read “Stopwatch,” the new blog just launched by the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, New York. In the blog, historians and others share stories, images and video as part of the research center’s mission “to collect, preserve and share the global history of motor racing.”
“We chose to call the blog ‘Stopwatch’ because of the obvious relationship to motor racing, but also because we hope to stop time for a few minutes and let our readers savor the great racing stories from the past,” Mitch Bishop is quoted in the announcement. Bishop is a member of the research center board and son of IMSA founder John Bishop.
“The IMRRC collection has grown exponentially over the last 15 years to include more than 5,000 cubic feet of material,” he added. “The new blog is just a first step towards making it easier for racing fans across the globe to experience the fascinating stories contained in the archive.”
The first blogs have been published on the IMRRC website and include “Road Racing Wars,” the inside story of the fight for control of sports car racing after World War II; “Dream Car,” the story of the Alfa Berlinetta that won the first race through the streets of Watkins Glen in 1948; and “An American in France,” a look at Dan Gurney’s first Formula One victory, in the 1962 French Grand Prix.”
John Saunders is the new chairman of the International Motor Racing Research Center.
He was elected to the position at the Center’s recent council meeting. Saunders is currently President of the International Speedway Corporation. He has been with ISC since 1998. He has served in various roles over his tenure at the company with expertise in strategic direction, marketing, sales, administration and operations. Saunders also served as President of
Watkins Glen International from 1983-1997, leading the track out of bankruptcy to become one of the premier road racing venues in the world. Currently, he is Chariman of the Board of Directors at WGI and holds several other executive positions in the company.
Saunders is taking the reins from long-time IMRRC governing council chair, Bobby Rahal. Rahal was elected to the position in 2014. “I am very pleased to have been selected by the other council members to become the chair of the organization” Saunders said. “Bobby has provided superb leadership in his time as chair and, as such, it’s really been a seamless transition.”
Saunders had served as Vice-Chair of the IMRRC since 2002. Micheal Printup, President of WGI and IMRRC governing council member, spoke of Saunder’s capabilities and the future of the Center. “John was really instrumental in the founding of the IMRRC,” Printup said. “His early leadership with the organization really set the course for the Center’s growth from a small alcove in the local library to a respected research facility known worldwide. As the Center is now bursting at the seems with archival holdings and a reputation as the ‘go to’ place to research racing history, John’s experience in guiding exponential growth at both WGI and ISC will be immensely valuable as the IMRRC expands.”
Saunders has held similar roles for many organizations in the past, including Chairman of the Chemung County (N.Y.) Chamber of Commerce and the Schuyler County (N.Y.) Partnership for Economic Development. He has served on numerous boards of directors, including Grand American Road Racing and the United States Auto Club.
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“70 Years of the Glen” Appearing in SportsCar May 2018 by Jeff Jacobs
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