The Pan Am Club Racing Endowment is off to a great start for 2008.
At the recent Pan Am Awards Banquet, the Club Racing Endowment awarded club racer "Jose Gerardo" the 2007 Pan Am Club Racing Endowment Driver of the Year. Jose was awarded a very nice 24" x 30" Giclee photo on canvas print of his drive at Heartland Park Raceway in Topeka, Kansas for his 5th place National SCCA Runoff's finish. Jose represented the Pan Am Region in a very professional way, and was featured on the Speed Channel with coverage of the race. In addition to the Giclee canvas print he was also awared the 2007 Driver of the Year plaque. He was the first to receive this endowment award which will be handed out for the next 10 years to the respective Club Racing Endowment Driver of the Year. Nominees for the award were also Stan Czacki, and Ben DeWitt.
We have several club racers who will vie for this honor in 2008.
The Pan Am awards banquet was first class, and I want to personally thank all those organizers who made the event possible. It was well organzied, the food was excellent and the overall quality and amount of awards presented was terrific. Luis Moreno, and the BOD has done an outstanding job in rewarding those Pan Am racers, both Solo, Club Racers, Rally Racers, and individuals who made a difference in assisting the Pan Am Region in 2007.
The Pan Am Club Racing Endowment will award Hector Maldonado a check for $150.00 to assist in funding, for his National Club Racing license for 2008. He will race along with Pan Am club racer Richard Dziak at the next Arizona SCCA Regional event on February 16th & 17th, 2008 at Phoenix International Raceway. Hector will be driving a 2000 Van Diemen F2000 Formula race car. Richard Dziak, the current AZ SCCA Regional Points Championship leader in Class FB will try to add additional points driving his 2007 Phoenix F1000 Formula race car. Richard Dziak leads by 9 points for the regional championship. He will race in March at Phoenix International Racway and complete the Arizona 2007-2008 Regional Saquaro Championship Series on May 3rd and 4th, 2008 at Firebird International Raceway to complete the Arizona Region Club Racing season. Richard is trying to bring home his first Regional Championship, and may vie for the Rocky Mountain National Points Championship for 2008 Class FB, in his Phoenix F1000 Formula race car.
In 2008 we welcome A Stock Solo Driver, John Basler to the ranks of Club Racing competition. John Basler will attend the La Junta, Colorado SCCA driving school and his first SCCA Club races in May 2008. He recently acquired a 1993 Van Diemen F2000 Formula Continental race car, and has been testing the car at Arroyo Seco Raceway over the past 5 months. He is ready to secure the SCCA Club Racing regional license, and will most likely be on his way to an SCCA Club Racing National competition license. These licenses take alot of time, money and dedication to get them. The endowment welcomes John and I look forward to assisting him thru Endowment funding for his driving school experience and license.
Pan Am Club Racer Stan Czacki recently acquired a newer race car, a Chevrolet Camaro. Stan was recently out at Arroyo Seco Raceway testing the car. Stan Czacki is one of the most recognized Pan Am Club racers and is a role model for all other Pan Am Club Racers. Stan has won numerous Rocky Mountain Division National Points titles over the years, and is a regular competitor in the SCCA National Runoffs. I wish him well in 2008, and hope he enjoys his Camero club racing car.
As the 2008 Club Racing season matures, I will keep fellow Pan Am Region racing members up to date. We always welcome any driver who wishes to cross over to club racing from the Solo experience. So far the vision for the Pan Am Club Racing Endowment was worked out well, assisting financially and awarding those Pan Am club racers who have worked hard to secure their dreams and desires of club racing. The endowment has been funded thru 2010, and I look forward to contributing additional funds for the years ahead to assist our very own Pan Am Region club racing members. My personal committment to our region will continue to assist fellow racers and build on our club racing program. The Endowment is an exclusive to the Pan Am region and its members.
Richard F Dziak
Executive Director & Founder for the Pan Am Region Club Racing Endowment
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Richard Dziak
Pan Am Region Club Racing Chairman
Rocky Mountain Division SCCA
Arizona Region Member
SoPacDivision SCCA
Phoenix F1K-07 Formula F1000
Las Cruces, New Mexico USA
sonewmexico@fastwave.biz