Drivers - Tommy Archer

TOMMY ARCHER
Archer Racing
Dodge Viper Competition Coupe
BIRTHDATE:  November 16, 1954
HOMETOWN: Duluth MN
RESIDENCE: Duluth MN
CHILDREN: Daughters Pamela and Stephanie

Tommy Archer has been a part of the Chrysler Group’s racing and development programs for the past 18 years. His experience and winning record in nearly every type of racing vehicle has made him one of the best-known American road racers.

Archer’s racing experience reaches back more than 33 years. He has played a part in 38 racing championships over the last 26 years.

Archer is also a key member of the Performance Vehicle Operations (PVO) development team.

 Career highlights:

In 1970, Tommy Archer began his racing career. At the age of 16, he began autocross racing and in 1971 he entered the International Ice Racing Association (IIRA) rookie drivers’ school. While driving in the IIRA series, Tommy captured 7 national IIRA championships.

1975 Tommy began road racing competing in the SCCA and IMSA series; in 1980 he qualified on the pole for the SCCA National Run-offs.

By 1982 Tommy scored his first professional win from the pole position in the IMSA Champion Spark Plug Challenge for Renault at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia.1984 he went on to win 16 races capturing the IMSA Champion Spark Plug Challenges’ national title for Renault.

1985 through 1988 saw Tommy racing Chevrolet cars and trucks with his brother Bobby.  He scored Chevrolet’s first professional victory at Lime Rock Park’s IMSA event.  He was the SCCA Escort Endurance Series champion and won the manufacturers championship in the SCCA truck series for Jeep.

1989 through 1996 Tommy along with Bobby formed Archer Brothers Racing and went on to win eight consecutive SCCA World Challenge Championships. Tommy scored the Eagle Talon’s first professional series win and the championship title in the SCCA Truck series.

From 1992 through 2000, Tommy focused on FIA GT and the American LeMans Series. He also spent considerable time helping the Chrysler Corporation compete to win its first-ever international endurance race and manufacturer’s title along with four podium finishes driving the Dodge Viper GTS-R. He was awarded the Trans-Am Series Rookie of the Year Award, sat on the pole two times, won the Portland race and finished fifth overall in the Rolex 24 hour race at Daytona.

Tommy qualified for the Orlando NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in the toughest field of the year.  He continued to work with Chrysler developing the company’s Viper GTS-R race car and the Dodge Ram NASCAR Craftsman Truck.

Archer focused his efforts entirely to developing the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe and testing the Dodge Viper SRT-10 and took a sabbatical from on-track competition in 2002 and 2003. He has continued to provide private driver coaching.

In 2004 he returned to racing and won the SCCA World Challenge Speed GT class championship. In 2005 he placed second in the class on the strength of three wins coming at Sebring, St.Petersburg and Mosport.

2006 and 2007 Tommy finished fifth and seventh in driver’s points with one win at Road America and the pole at Long Beach, Road America and Road Atlanta. His seventh place finish in points in 2007 saw Tommy running only seven of the ten SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge GT races.

Racing experience:

SCCA World Challenge 2004 - 2006
PVO Development Driver 2003
PVO Development Driver 2002
Trans-Am Series 2001
Daytona/ALMS/Le Mans 2000
Le Mans/ALMS 1999
FIA GT/Le Mans 1998
FIA GT/Le Mans 1997
SCCA 1985 - 1996
IMSA 1981 - 1984
IIRA 1972 - 1987