Pro Racing statement on Gagliardo articles

SCCA PRo Racing statement regarding fatal Gagliardo accident press articles.

On May 20, 2001, SCCA Pro Racing suffered a tragic loss when Mike Gagliardo was fatally injured during a Trans-Am Series race at Mosport International Raceway. Since that time, Mike Gagliardo's family and friends have remained in the thoughts of everyone within the racing community.

Recently, there have been several press articles regarding the fatal accident. These articles included quotes and other statements attributed to Gagliardo family sources. While SCCA Pro Racing does not make answering every public accusation a practice, it is important to address two points, in particular, which we believe were inaccurately portrayed.

First, the car Mr. Gagliardo drove was impounded by the local authorities following the accident. Included in the subsequent review were the coroner's office, the local law enforcement authority and SCCA Pro Racing. Only after all parties were satisfied with their findings was the car released to its owner.

Secondly, as a result of this review, SCCA Pro Racing believes that the car was in compliance with SCCA Pro Racing Regulations. The Gagliardo family appears to be misinterpreting and misapplying relevant facts and the regulations to reach a contrary conclusion.

Additionally, the Gagliardo family has reached and released to the media certain factual conclusions based upon its own, unilateral "reconstruction" of and "tests" on the vehicle, which were done with neither SCCA Pro Racing's, nor the car owner's, permission, and without independent verification.

SCCA Pro Racing has cooperated in supplying information to the Gagliardo family; however, it regrettably appears that they are still not satisfied. We believe that any further examination of this matter will conclude that this tragic accident was not survivable.

SCCA Pro Racing has also cooperated fully with the inquest that is being conducted by the coroner's office, and has determined that any further, separate, SCCA Pro Racing examination is not warranted until the inquest is completed and the findings released and evaluated.

SCCA Pro Racing generally concurs with recent statements attributed to the Gagliardo family regarding the reduction of racing hazards, and is constantly evaluating its operations, regulations and procedures to best achieve this objective.

-scca pro racing-