The International Race of Champions (IROC) was a unique and prestigious motorsport competition that ran for several decades (1974-2006), with the aim in bringing together the best drivers from various racing disciplines to compete in identically prepared race cars at some of the world’s most legendary racetracks.
Founded in 1973 by Roger Penske, Les Richter, and Mike Phelps, the idea was to create a championship that featured top drivers from different racing disciplines, such as NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1, and sports car racing. The goal was to determine the “champion of champions” by placing competitors in identically prepared race cars.
The series scheduled four races a year including one road course each season through 1991. All the cars were prepared by NASCAR driver Dave Marcis. They all ran his set up. Twelve of the best drivers in the world ran a race usually for approximately 100 miles, starting positions being decided by a blind draw. The whole series leaned towards NASCAR and tracks that were raced on by NASCAR, but other racing disciplines were included.
Each race was scored giving 21 points for the winner then 17, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3. In addition the driver that leads the most laps in a race got 5 bonuses points, the driver with second most laps led got three and the driver leading the third most laps got two bonus points. The driver with the most points at the end of the year was crowned as the series champion.
Dodge was involved with the International Race of Champions (IROC) from 1990 through 1995, when Dodge sponsored the series and used its vehicles in the competition. Also, Dodge vehicles used in the IROC series inspired cars sales to the general public.
Dodge Daytona
Dodge rebranded the vehicles used in the IROC after a competitor ended its licensing agreement. The Daytonas were rebodied with power provided by Mopar built V-8s that were Dodge 355 cubic inch NASCAR V-8 detuned to 450 horsepower. Their slippery shape helped them achieve faster speeds than their predecessors. The IROC model had a ground effects kit, alloy wheels, and other visual differences from the standard Daytona.
Dodge Avenger
The Dodge Avenger replace the Dodge Daytona in 1994 and was used in the IROC series for the remainder of Dodge’s involvement through 1995.
Dodge Colt
The Dodge Colt was inspired by the IROC series.
IROC Model
Dodge added an IROC model to the Daytona lineup in 1991. The IROC model had a Shelby suspension and performance tuned exhaust.
Dodge’s involvement in the IROC series led them to offer street-going versions of the IROC for sale to the public. The street version of the Daytona IROC was produced in limited numbers. It was available with a 3.0-liter V-6 or 2.5 liter turbocharged engine.
A 1992 Dodge Daytona IROC R/T model was produced in limited numbers (341) which made them extremely rare and valuable. The IROC R/T featured a 2.2 Turbo III engine that was tweaked by Shelby and Lotus.
So, let’s take a look at the IROC races during the years of Dodge’s involvement. In 1990, due to a lack of testing of the cars, the season opener scheduled for Daytona was cancelled leaving only three races to be run in 1990.
On May 5, 1990, the season opened at the 2.66 mile Talladega Superspeedway. Dale Earnhardt, winless in 17 previous IROC events, flashed past Darrell Waltrip on the backstretch with a half lap to go and won the 38-lap event by a car length. He posted an average speed of 188.055 mph in leading Indy-car driver Al Unser, Jr and Mark Martin to the checkers.
On July 7, the second IROC race of the season was held at the Burke Lakefront Airport Road Course and Formula One driver Martin Brundle led 19 of the 30 laps passing Emerson Fittipaldi on lap 12 to take the win in 42 minutes with Al Unser, Jr. again finishing second and Fittipaldi of road racing fame finishing third.
On August 5, at the two-mile Michigan International Speedway Dale Earnhardt won his second IROC race of the season and the season championship as he led all 50 laps to defeat fellow NASCAR drivers Terry Labonte and Mark Martin. Earnhardt posted 60 points for the season with Al Unser, Jr. scoring 44 and Martin Brundle 41.
The 1991 IROC kicked off at Daytona with Road Racer Scott Pruett leading the most laps and winning the race by a car length over NASCAR’s Bill Elliott and IndyCars Al Unser, Sr.
The rest of the season belonged to NASCAR’s Rusty Wallace. First, Wallace won at Talladega in dominating fashion leading 25 of the 38 laps to win over fellow NASCAR drivers Bill Elliott and Mark Martin. Then at Michigan he led 37 of 50 laps to defeat Bill Elliott and Al Unser, Sr. Finally, on the road course at Watkins Glen, he led all 30 laps to win over Mark Martin and Al Unser, Jr. Wallace had 86 points to Bill Elliott’s 64.
1992 saw NASCAR’s Ricky Rudd win the championship with 68.5 points despite not winning any of the four races. Rudd scored two seconds and two thirds in defeating Dale Earnhardt who had 63 points. Earnhardt won at Daytona over NASCAR’s Rudd and Harry Gant. NASCAR’s Davey Allison beat Earnhardt and Rudd at Talladega. Road Racer Geoff Brabham won at Michigan over Wallace and Rudd and Al Unser, Jr claimed a win at Michigan over Rudd and Wallace.
1993 was an interesting and somewhat sad year in IROC. NASCAR’s Davey Allison won the championship posthumously. Bill Elliott won at Daytona over Allison and Unser, Jr. Then Allison defeated Earnhardt and Gant at Darlington. Unser, Jr. beat Jack Baldwin and Earnhardt at Talladega. Tragically, Allison was killed in a helicopter crash at Talladega before the last IROC race of the season at Michigan that saw Terry Labonte as Allison’s replacement driver and earn enough points to give Allison the title. Geoff Brabham won the race over Bill Elliott and Unser, Jr.
1994, saw the switch to the Dodge Avenger with Dale Earnhardt winning at Daytona over Unser, Jr. and NASCAR’s Dale Jarrett. Mark Martin won at Darlington over Rusty Wallace and Jack Baldwin. Talladega saw a first (and popular win) as World of Outlaw Sprint Car Champion Steve Kinser won over Jack Baldwin and Dale Jarrett. Al Unser, Jr. claimed the finale at Michigan over Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace. Mark Martin won the championship with Al Unser, Jr., Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt tying for second.
1995 was the final year of Dodge’s involvement in IROC and Dale Earnhardt claimed his second championship, winning the season opener at Daytona and a wild finish at Talladega. Mark Martin won at Darlington and Al Unser, Jr. at Michigan.
So, what did the drivers think of racing in the IROC series. Here’s Mark Martin’s thoughts. “It was an incredible honor to be invited, to be a part of such an incredible, world-wide group,” recalled Martin. “I got to race with Martin Brundle and Emerson Fittipaldi and all kinds of guys that I never would have got race with. It was a great experience being able to rub elbows with so many great ones. Racers like Steve Kinser of (dirt track spring car racing), drag racers and road racers.”
IROC is remembered as a unique and prestigious series that brought together many of the world’s greatest drivers. The concept of identifying the “champion of champions” remains a memorable aspect of racing history.
In 2024 a new version of IROC made its return to racing at Lime Rock and in 2025, the new version of IROC will be at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca. Whether IROC returns to its former status in racing remains to be seen.
