[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26935]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR OF THE SPORTS CAR RACING ASSOCIATION OF THE MONTEREY PENINSULA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 9, 2007

  Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th 
anniversary of the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey 
Peninsula, or SCRAMP. SCRAMP held its inaugural race on November 10, 
1957. For 50 years, the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey 
Peninsula has worked to establish Laguna Seca as one of the premier 
road racing venues in the world. Unlike the operators at other tracks, 
SCRAMP is a non-profit volunteer organization. As such, they can make 
donations to the community, but cannot accept donations. Consequently, 
the Laguna Seca Raceway Fund was established as a 501(c)(3) to be the 
fundraising arm of the track. SCRAMP has invested more than $20 million 
in the Monterey County-owned facility over the last 5 years, part of an 
ongoing effort to keep the track positioned as one of the world's 
finest road courses.
  SCRAMP presents 5 world class motorsports events each year: the U.S. 
Sports Car Invitational, the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, the Monterey 
Historic Automobile Races, the AMA Superbike Race, and the Monterey 
Sports Car Championship. These events bring hundreds of thousands of 
visitors to Monterey County. The financial impact on the community is 
significant, estimated at 1 million dollars annually. SCRAMP itself 
donates hundreds of thousands of dollars of its proceeds each year to 
civic and charitable organizations that volunteer at events held at the 
track, a major source of revenue for these organizations.
  Mazda became the title sponsor of the venue in 2001 and it was 
renamed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The new sponsorship is a major 
contributor in realizing the continuing vision for improving the 
raceway, making it more beautiful, functional, and safe.
  Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues will all join me in offering 
congratulations and encouragement for this fine organization on their 
golden anniversary.

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