SCCA National Sports Car Championship
The SCCA National Sports Car Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Sports Car Club of America from 1951 until 1964. It was the first post-World War II sports car series organized in the United States. An amateur championship, it was eventually replaced by the professional United States Road Racing Championship and the amateur American Road Race of Champions, which continues to this day as the SCCA National Championship Runoffs.
History
The championship was created in 1951 from existing SCCA events. Until 1953 a single championship was awarded, with points paid based on finishing position within each class. Beginning in 1954 champions were named in each class.
Following the 1962 season, the professional USAC Road Racing Championship collapsed, leaving many competitors looking for a series. The SCCA created the United States Road Racing Championship as a professional series for 1963, moving focus away from the amateur National Championship. For 1965, the SCCA dropped the national championship series and awarded national championships to champions from each region. Top drivers from the regions were invited to the American Road Race of Champions (today known as the National Championship Runoffs) at the end of the season. For 1966, national championships were awarded only to winners at the ARRC, a system which continues today as the Runoffs has become the most prestigious road racing event for club racers.[1]
Champions
Overall (1951–1953)
| Year | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1951 | John Fitch Cunningham, Jaguar |
| 1952 | Sherwood Johnston Jaguar |
| 1953 | Bill Spear Ferrari |
Modified classes (1954–1964)
| Year | B Modified | C Modified | D Modified | E Modified | F Modified | G Modified | H Modified | I Modified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Jack Ensley Kurtis Kraft | Jim Kimberly Ferrari | Bill Lloyd Ferrari | Fred Wacker‡ Bristol | Briggs Cunningham Osca | Rees Makins Osca | Candy Poole PBX Special | – |
| Ted Boynton‡ Frazer Nash, Bristol | ||||||||
| 1955 | Charles Moran Cunningham | Sherwood Johnston Ferrari, Jaguar | Phil Hill Ferrari | James Lowe Frazer Nash, Bristol | Pete Lovely Cooper | Skip Swartley Osca | Dolph Vilardi Bandini | – |
| 1956 | Walt Gray Allard | Walt Hansgen Jaguar | Bill Lloyd Maserati | E. B. Lunken Ferrari | Jack McAfee Porsche | Frank Baptista Lotus | James Orr Devin Panhard | – |
| 1957 | J. E. Rose Chevrolet | Walt Hansgen Jaguar | Paul O'Shea Mercedes-Benz | Gaston Andrey Ferrari | Charles Wallace Porsche | Frank Baptista Lotus | Melvin Sachs Bandini | – |
| 1958 | Hal Ullrich Excalibur | Walt Hansgen Lister | James Johnston Ferrari | Gaston Andrey Ferrari | Bob Holbert Porsche | Frank Baptista Elva, Lotus | Martin Tanner "Martin T" Special[2][3] | Sam Moses Berkeley |
| 1959 | John Staver Echidna | Dick Thompson Lister, Chevrolet | Alan Connell Ferrari, Maserati | Gaston Andrey Ferrari | Don Sesslar Porsche | Art Tweedale Elva | James Eichenlaub Osca | – |
| 1960 | Augie Pabst Scarab | Dick Thompson Chevrolet | Gaston Andrey Maserati | Bob Holbert Porsche | Roger Penske Porsche | Millard Ripley Lola, Lotus | Oliver Schmidt Osca | Phillips Jeffrey Berkeley |
| 1961 | Harry Heuer Scarab | Pete Harrison Lister | Roger Penske Maserati, Cooper | Bob Holbert Porsche | Bob Bucher Porsche | Charles Kurtz Lola | Oliver Schmidt Lola, Osca | Phillips Jeffrey Berkeley |
| 1962 | – | Harry Heuer Chaparral, Scarab | Roger Penske Maserati, Cooper | Bob Holbert Porsche | Joe Buzzetta Porsche | M. R. J. Wyllie Lola | Glenn Baldwin Lotus | – |
| 1963 | – | Harry Heuer Chaparral | Roger Penske Cooper | Joe Buzzetta Porsche | Peter Sachs Lotus | Chuck Dietrich Bobsy | Bill Greer DKW | – |
| 1964 | – | Ed Lowther Genie | Tom O'Brien Ferrari | Lee Hall Elva | Don Wolf Elva | Charles Barns Merlyn | Ed Walsh Lotus | – |
Production classes (1954–1965)
| Year | A Production | B Production | C Production | D Production | E Production | F Production | G Production | H Production | I Production | J Production |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | – | – | Charles Wallace Jaguar | William Kinchloe Austin-Healey | Bob Salzgaber Triumph | Dick Thompson‡ Porsche, MG | – | – | – | – |
| Art Bunker‡ Porsche | ||||||||||
| 1955 | – | – | Charles Wallace Jaguar | Paul O'Shea Mercedes-Benz | Gaston Andrey Morgan | Bengt Söderström Porsche | George Valentine MG | – | – | – |
| 1956 | – | – | Harry Carter Jaguar | Paul O'Shea Mercedes-Benz | Bengt Söderström Porsche | Lake Underwood Porsche | Emil Pupulidy Porsche | – | – | – |
| 1957 | – | Dick Thompson Chevrolet | Harry Carter Mercedes-Benz | Fred Moore Austin-Healey | Bob Kuhn AC | Lake Underwood Porsche | Templeton Briggs Alfa Romeo | – | – | – |
| 1958 | – | Jim Jeffords Chevrolet | George Reed Ferrari | Dick Thompson Austin-Healey | Harry Carter AC | Emil Pupulidy Porsche | Bob Grossman Alfa Romeo | Howard Hanna D.B. Panhard | – | – |
| 1959 | – | Jim Jeffords Chevrolet | Bob Grossman Ferrari | Fred Spross Austin-Healey | Pierre Mion AC | Harry Blanchard Porsche | Chuck Stoddard Alfa Romeo | Ray Heppenstall D.B. Panhard | Paul Richards Fiat-Abarth | Ed Wright Berkeley |
| 1960 | – | Bob Johnson Chevrolet | Bruce Jennings Porsche | Elliott Pew AC | Duncan Black Daimler | Douglas Diffenderfer Siata | Vince Tamburo Sunbeam | Chandler Lawrence Fiat-Abarth | – | – |
| 1961 | Bob Hathaway Ferrari | Dick Thompson Chevrolet | Pierre Mion AC | Chuck Stoddard Alfa Romeo | Mark Donohue Elva | Howard Hanna D.B. Panhard | Al Weaver Alfa Romeo | Rod Harmon Austin-Healey | – | – |
| 1962 | Dick Thompson Chevrolet | Don Yenko Chevrolet | Dave Clark Lotus | Bert Everett Porsche | Bob Tullius Triumph | Howard Hanna D.B. | Lynn Blanchard Alfa Romeo | Ed Astri Fiat-Abarth | – | – |
| 1963 | Bob Johnson GT 350 Mustang | Don Yenko Chevrolet | Duncan Black Daimler | Bob Tullius Triumph | Lake Underwood Porsche | Robert Shaw Alfa Romeo | Pete Van der Vate Austin-Healey | Donna Mae Mims Austin-Healey | – | – |
| 1964 | Bob Johnson Shelby | Frank Dominianni Chevrolet | Bruce Jennings Porsche | Bob Tullius Triumph | Hans Zereis Porsche | Don Sesslar Sunbeam | Pete Van der Vate Morgan | Carl Truitt Austin-Healey | – | – |
| 1965 | Shelby | Jerry Titus |
‡Tie
References
- ^ Krejčí, Martin. . World Sports Racing Prototypes. Archived from the original on 3 June 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
- ^ Ludvigsen, Karl. "Fabulous Featherweight". Etceterini. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
- ^ "Tanner Chassis". SportsRacer.net. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
- ^ Schorr, Martyn L. (2015-09-10). Ford Total Performance: Ford's Legendary High-Performance Street and Race Cars. Motorbooks. ISBN 9781627887953.
External links
- Racing Sports Cars: SCCA National Sports Car Championship archive
- Large 1950's SCCA Race Program And Results Page