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. From 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 in 1963, moving focus away from the amateur National Championship. In 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 Shelby Mustang GT350[4]

‡Tie

References

1. Krejčí, Martin. "SCCA National Sports Car Championship". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Archived from the original on 3 June 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
2. Ludvigsen, Karl. "Fabulous Featherweight". Etceterini. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
3. "Tanner Chassis". SportsRacer.net. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
4. Schorr, Martyn L. (2015-09-10). Ford Total Performance: Ford's Legendary High-Performance Street and Race Cars. Motorbooks. ISBN 9781627887953.

External links

• World Sports Racing Prototypes: SCCA National Sports Car Championship archive
• Racing Sports Cars: SCCA National Sports Car Championship archive
• Large 1950s SCCA Race Program And Results Page