Radical Cup comes to North America

The 2013 Radical Cup USA schedule was announced on Wednesday. The brand new gentleman-racer series will host 12 events over six weekends, beginning in March at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah and is set to wrap up in September at the Monticello Motor Club in New York.

The 270-hp Radical SR3 and 460-hp Radical SR8 already compete in one-make series’ in Europe, Australia and the Middle East.

The series is open to all Radical SR3 and SR8 owners who have prior racing experience and hold a current license with SCCA, NASA, IMSA, FIA or Grand-Am. A handful of arrive-and-drive options are offered through Radical West, the North American distributor.

“Radical owners at these private clubs and at other racetracks around the country, as well as racers in various prototype series in non-Radicals, are clamoring for a new racing series at the professional level that is affordable, reliable, fair, and performance-driven,” explained Simon Shepard, director for Radical West. “With Radical and the North American Road Racing Association, we now deliver the ultimate race series.”

Friday of every race weekend will be a test day, and a race will be run on both Saturday and Sunday. Each round will be broadcast on the internet, while the final race of the season will be televised.

The competitor with the highest overall points total in both classes will win a chance to test in an LMP2 car with a leading Le Mans team. The SR3 and SR8 champions will get a paid drive at one of the top United Kingdom circuits with the Radical UK factory team in an SR8. Each single-race winner will be awarded a set of Dunlop tires.

The series is sanctioned by the North American Road Racing Association, which currently manages the SRT Viper Cup and the USGT Championship Series. Three of the 12 events will coincide with either SRT or USGT races. The organization was started 19 years ago and specializes in developing, sanctioning and operating race series for car clubs and manufacturers.

“To expand our offering to include yet another high-profile series, and a prototype series at that, shows the direction NARRA is taking. We are serious about sports car racing and creating spectacular events, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that word – prototype --- is mentioned again in the near future,” said Rob Morrison, general manager of the North American Road Racing Association.

To buy a Radical SR3 outright you will have to sign a check for $115,000. The higher-power SR8 costs $175,000. The arrive-and-drive price, which doesn’t include the cost of each event, will set you back $8,000 for the SR3 and $11,500 for the SR8. That includes full track-side support, use of the car, one set of new tires and the use of scrubbed tires for a practice session. The cost also doesn’t include fuel or extra parts. Members of Monticello Motorsports Park or Spring Mountain Motor Resort get discounted prices. Both outfits also offer Radical driving schools, to get you prepped for the season.

Go to www.radicalcupusa.com for more information.

By Jake Lingeman