TOPEKA, Kan. -- Sports Car Club of America’s Board of Directors voted on rule changes to eliminate set participation levels and regulations that, in the past, have prohibited certain National-level classes from competing at the National Championship Runoffs. The vote gives younger “incubator” classes an opportunity to be included in the Runoffs.

A total of 29 classes, up from 25 in 2009, will now be eligible for participation at the National Championship Runoffs, held Oct. 20-26 at Road America in 2010. As in 2009, the eligible classes will be scheduled into 24 separate race groups, with lower-subscribed classes being combined with a split start.

The new regulations also specify that a class must have a minimum of 10 Runoffs entries and qualified drivers in order to recognize its winner as a National Champion. In the event any class does not meet the minimum requirement at the Runoffs, it will compete at the event as a supplemental class, without National Championship recognition.

New classes eligible for Runoffs participation for the first time include Formula 1000 (FB), Super Touring Over (STO), Super Touring Under (STU) and ST. These classes were created in the last five years and have struggled to grow season participation numbers without the opportunity to attend the Runoffs.

“Throughout the last several years, the Board of Directors has toiled with the notion of a minimum level of participation for inclusion at the Runoffs,” Chairman R.J. Gordy said. “This is a progressive move forward, giving four classes the opportunity that had been missing to determine their long-term viability. It also removes the restraint on several classes that have been participating in the Runoffs, but struggling to stay above the participation level that had been set—most recently 2.5 cars per race throughout the season.”

For the first time in many years, the SCCA National Championship Runoffs held a combined-class race in 2009 for Showroom Stock B and Touring 3.

“The combined class race this year confirmed that Road America, as a venue, has the ability to successfully operate two classes together with a split start,” Gordy said. “This gives us an opportunity to include more racers without adversely affecting the event schedule.”

Classes eligible for the Runoffs are now: American Sedan, C Sports Racing, D Sports Racing, Sports 2000, Spec Racer Ford, E Production, F Production, H Production, Formula 1000, Formula 500, Formula Atlantic, Formula Continental, Formula Enterprises, Formula F, Formula Mazda, Formula Vee, GT-1, GT-2, GT-3, GT-Lite, Showroom Stock B, Showroom Stock C, Spec Miata, Super Touring O, Super Touring U, ST, Touring 1, Touring 2 and Touring 3.