SRX Racing Series Won’t Compete in 2024
The made-for-TV summer motorsports series, the Superstar Racing Experience, or SRX, has abruptly “postponed” its fourth season. The summer series, founded by racer Tony Stewart and former NASCAR crew chief Ray Evernham, announced that the series would not run the races it had planned in July and August, due to “market factors that have proven too much to overcome.”
SRX began in 2021, providing identical late-model race cars that could compete both on dirt and paved tracks, driven by racing “superstars” from a variety of series. Founder Stewart won the championship in 2021, IndyCar racer Marco Andretti in 2022, and NASCAR driver Ryan Newman in 2023.
Packaged for television, the series ran on CBS, then moved last year to ESPN. On its website, the series had already announced it would be back on ESPN for 2024, and listed five of the six tracks it would compete at from July 11 to August 15. SRX had sold out most of the tracks at which it had raced.
The SRX statement in full:
“It is with deep disappointment that we announce the postponement of SRX’s fourth season. We entered the next phase of our racing series with great anticipation and excitement for what was ahead. Our expectations, however, have been tempered by market factors that have proven too much to overcome.
“Time has run out to put forth the kind of events our fans, partners, drivers and tracks deserve. We’re thankful to each for their commitment, their contributions and their support as we brought a new idea to reality.
“The racing industry continues to evolve and we are actively exploring strategic options for the series’ long-term potential. We made this announcement now to allow our partners the time and flexibility to best serve their interests. We will provide updates on future plans for SRX when they’re available.”
In what may be a strange coincidence, Evernham, who helped design and build the SRX cars but had little involvement in the series after its first season, and Rob Kauffman, an investor, car buff, and former racer, announced four days ago that they had bought the IROC name and planned to race at least once in 2024 under that banner.
IROC, short for the International Race of Champions, was similar to SRX: It featured famous drivers from a variety of series competing in identical cars. IROC was launched in 1973, with Mark Donohue winning the first championship. IROC continued through 2006, after which it folded due to lack of sponsorship.
Dale Earnhardt won the IROC championship four times, A.J. Foyt twice, and Tony Stewart was the final IROC champion in 2006.
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