Citing growth that exceeded all expectations, SVRA CEO Tony Parella has appointed industry veteran Matt Breeden to be the president of SVRA. This will allow Parella to focus more on sponsorship development, customer relationships, and strategic initiatives, noting SVRA's new Speed Tour brand and relationship with Trans Am.
As president, Breeden is now tasked with managing and growing the business.
Read the press release below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Indianapolis, IN (August X, 2019) – Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today announced that Matt Breeden, who has held executive positions in motorsports companies for over 15 years, has joined the company as its president.
“Matt has demonstrated tremendous skill in previous corporate officer roles at premier motorsports companies such INDYCAR and Champ Car,” said SVRA CEO Tony Parella. “The growth of SVRA has exceeded our expectations and I realized I needed a top talent like Matt to manage and grow the business. With his experience, I can focus on sponsorship development, customer relationships, and strategic initiatives such as our new Speed Tour brand and relationship with Trans Am.”
“I have been an SVRA fan since the first Brickyard Invitational in 2014,” said Breeden. “Obviously, Tony and his entire team have struck a chord with competitors, sponsors and fans. Their fast-paced growth reflects that. The Speed Tour program offers a unique and attractive platform not just in vintage racing, but mainstream motorsports as well. SVRA’s national schedule of events at iconic venues with a tremendous diversity of race car designs and engine sounds emotionally appeals to competitors, fans and sponsors.”
Breeden, who most recently served as Chief Financial Officer for Indianapolis-based Racetrack Engineering, LLC, is a long-time resident of the auto racing capital and will keep his office there. Prior to that he was vice president, business affairs at INDYCAR where he managed the series schedule as well as day-to-day relationships with all venues, led sanction agreement negotiations, performed due diligence for new and existing venues, and led pre-event planning and track upgrade timelines as well providing post-event analysis. Breeden designed and led the series event review process covering all aspects, including operations, track conditions, competition, facility, marketing, communications, and television.
Breeden was also vice president and general counsel of the Champ Car World Series. He managed all legal affairs, including contracts with venues, promoters, sponsors, broadcasters, and vendors. He also was responsible for risk management, insurance, litigation, employment, and governance. In addition to a host of other responsibilities and accomplishments, Breeden represented Champ Car in its historic merger with INDYCAR to unify top-level North American open-wheel racing.
Breeden achieved his Juris Doctor degree from the Pepperdine University School of Law in 2004. He is a Fellow for the Pepperdine Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology Law. He also earned a BA in Economics with a minor in Business and Accounting from the University of Redlands in 2001.
About SVRA – The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association is the premier vintage racing organization in the United States. Founded in 1978, SVRA has grown steadily to 2,500 active members with a database of over 11,000 race cars. It will sanction 14 events in 2019 at some of the finest racing venues in the United States, including: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Lime Rock Park, Sebring, Road America, Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta, Auto Club Speedway, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Portland International Raceway and Virginia International Raceway (VIR). SVRA hosted the first U.S. Vintage Racing National Championships at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas in 2013. Further information on SVRA, a complete annual schedule, and entry lists can be found on the SVRA website. Also be sure to check our Facebook page and YouTube channel which currently boasts a library of over 300 action-packed videos of events.
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By Jordan Rimpela
