Photos courtesy of Rolex & Kahn Media; Charles Bradley
For three decades, the International Race of Champions was the arena where egos and reputations meant nothing once the helmets went on. World Champions from Formula 1, NASCAR legends, Indianapolis 500 winners, and IMSA titans all met on equal terms – in identical cars, with no excuses. It was as close as racing ever came to answering the impossible question: Who is the best driver in the world?
Now, nearly 20 years after the series faded into history, IROC has been reborn – at least for one unforgettable weekend on the Monterey Peninsula. At the 2025 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, an unprecedented field of 24 IROC machines representing all seven generations of the series thundered back to life at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The cars were all awesome to see, and the driver roll call was staggering: Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Kurt Busch, Patrick Long, Dario Franchitti, Bill Elliott, Mark Martin, Bruce Canepa, Zak Brown, and Scott Pruett, among others – all climbing back into the same brightly painted machines that once made the series so distinctive. From the original 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR to the final Pontiac Firebirds of the mid-2000s, the paddock became a living museum of motorsport’s greatest personalities and rivalries.
Organized by IROC co-owner Ray Evernham and anchored by Grand Marshal Al Unser Jr., the gathering wasn’t just a static display. These cars raced hard. Tomy Drissi powered his 2006 Pontiac Firebird to victory, holding off Franchitti (confusingly also in a #20 Tony Stewart-liveried car!) and Busch, while the rest of the field put on a spectacle that blended competition with celebration. On Friday, the cars even paraded from Laguna Seca to The Quail, reminding Monterey why IROC mattered then and why its spirit still matters now.
“This was pure magic,” Evernham said. “We had Indy 500 winners, Daytona 500 winners, champions from every corner of the sport – and for the first time, all seven generations of IROC cars on track together. That’s history.”
It was also deeply personal for those who lived it. One of them was Scott Pruett, a 12-time champion across sportscar classes, and also a former IndyCar and NASCAR racer, who lined up against Dale Earnhardt Sr, Jeff Gordon, the Labonte brothers, and so many others in IROC’s heyday. We caught up with him in Monterey to hear his memories of the series, what it means to be back in an IROC car, and how the legacy of the competition continues to resonate today.
“IROC was like IndyCar and Formula 1 for NASCAR guys, and for us road racers from Trans-Am or IMSA,” he said. “It brought everybody together. You’d look down the entry list and just see these incredible names.
“I was fortunate to race IROC in the ’80s and ’90s because I’d won 12 championships. Over three decades, I had the chance to line up against guys like Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Kurt Busch – we all raced hard together. Now, coming back in a 1991 Dodge, it’s just pure fun. The edge isn’t there anymore; we’re here to enjoy it, share stories, and the fans love it.
“I still remember my very first IROC victory. I’d just won the Trans-Am championship with Jack Roush and Ford in 1986, and they invited me to the 1987 race – the last NASCAR weekend at Riverside. I told myself: ‘If I win, I’m buying my first Rolex Submariner – blue face, stainless and gold.’ I won, bought that watch, and still have it today. Since then, I’ve collected 15 or 16 Rolexes from Daytona wins and championships.
“IROC was unique. They had 12 cars, each a different color. Leading up to the race, all the drivers would cycle through four test cars. Then the day before, you’d draw a box with the color of the car you’d race. Every driver was a champion – you couldn’t get invited unless you’d won a title. It brought together talent from NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1, sports cars – an incredible group.
“I had some unforgettable battles, especially with Dale Earnhardt. Dale Sr. and I were great friends, while Dale Jr. and I were rookies the same year in NASCAR in 2000. I’ll never forget racing wheel to wheel with Dale Sr. at Richmond. We road racers thought we knew what we were doing on ovals – until Dale showed us otherwise. He was a true racer, not afraid to lean on you, not afraid to bump you. That was the difference then: in IROC we raced hard, but here at Laguna these are vintage cars. We take care of them.
“What Ray Evernham and Rob Kaufman have done to bring these cars back is just stunning. I told myself I wouldn’t drive old race cars again after retiring. But Ray and Rob are friends, and their concept was more than just driving – it was about celebrating the series and reconnecting with everyone. Elliott, Gordon, Busch, Labonte, Martin – we’ve had so much fun these past few days.
“Laguna Seca is a great track, great location, with great food and wine. Speaking of wine, that’s my other passion. I’ve had a Napa vineyard for 18 years now – I’m the winemaker, the cellar rat, I do it all. We consistently earn 94-95 points from the top critics. Now I’m launching my ‘Legacy Series’ – a run of single-barrel Napa Cabs, each honoring a significant car in my career: the Porsche 962 from my first overall victory, the #11 Mustang from my first championship, the Royal Oak from my Trans-Am title, and the #01 Ganassi Daytona Prototype from my last overall Daytona win in 2013. Each release will be 300 bottles, one-and-done.
“We’re celebrated it all: incredible cars, iconic drivers, great food and wine, and most of all, having fun. That’s what IROC was always about – bringing the best together and putting on a show.”
