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SCCA National Sports Car Championship

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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

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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

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Overall (1951–1953)

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Year Champion
1951 United States John Fitch
Cunningham, Jaguar
1952 United States Sherwood Johnston
Jaguar
1953 United States Bill Spear
Ferrari

Modified classes (1954–1964)

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Year B Modified C Modified D Modified E Modified F Modified G Modified H Modified I Modified
1954 United States Jack Ensley
Kurtis Kraft
United States Jim Kimberly
Ferrari
United States Bill Lloyd
Ferrari
United States Fred Wacker
Bristol
United States Briggs Cunningham
Osca
United States Rees Makins
Osca
United States Candy Poole
PBX Special
United States Ted Boynton‡
Frazer Nash, Bristol
1955 United States Charles Moran
Cunningham
United States Sherwood Johnston
Ferrari, Jaguar
United States Phil Hill
Ferrari
United States James Lowe
Frazer Nash, Bristol
United States Pete Lovely
Cooper
United States Skip Swartley
Osca
United States Dolph Vilardi
Bandini
1956 United States Walt Gray
Allard
United States Walt Hansgen
Jaguar
United States Bill Lloyd
Maserati
United States E. B. Lunken
Ferrari
United States Jack McAfee
Porsche
United States Frank Baptista
Lotus
United States James Orr
Devin Panhard
1957 United States J. E. Rose
Chevrolet
United States Walt Hansgen
Jaguar
United States Paul O'Shea
Mercedes-Benz
Switzerland Gaston Andrey
Ferrari
United States Charles Wallace
Porsche
United States Frank Baptista
Lotus
United States Melvin Sachs
Bandini
1958 United States Hal Ullrich
Excalibur
United States Walt Hansgen
Lister
United States James Johnston
Ferrari
Switzerland Gaston Andrey
Ferrari
United States Bob Holbert
Porsche
United States Frank Baptista
Elva, Lotus
United States Martin Tanner
"Martin T" Special[2][3]
United States Sam Moses
Berkeley
1959 United States John Staver
Echidna
United States Dick Thompson
Lister, Chevrolet
United States Alan Connell
Ferrari, Maserati
Switzerland Gaston Andrey
Ferrari
United States Don Sesslar
Porsche
United States Art Tweedale
Elva
United States James Eichenlaub
Osca
1960 United States Augie Pabst
Scarab
United States Dick Thompson
Chevrolet
Switzerland Gaston Andrey
Maserati
United States Bob Holbert
Porsche
United States Roger Penske
Porsche
United States Millard Ripley
Lola, Lotus
United States Oliver Schmidt
Osca
United States Phillips Jeffrey
Berkeley
1961 United States Harry Heuer
Scarab
United States Pete Harrison
Lister
United States Roger Penske
Maserati, Cooper
United States Bob Holbert
Porsche
United States Bob Bucher
Porsche
United States Charles Kurtz
Lola
United States Oliver Schmidt
Lola, Osca
United States Phillips Jeffrey
Berkeley
1962 United States Harry Heuer
Chaparral, Scarab
United States Roger Penske
Maserati, Cooper
United States Bob Holbert
Porsche
United States Joe Buzzetta
Porsche
United States M. R. J. Wyllie
Lola
United States Glenn Baldwin
Lotus
1963 United States Harry Heuer
Chaparral
United States Roger Penske
Cooper
United States Joe Buzzetta
Porsche
United States Peter Sachs
Lotus
United States Chuck Dietrich
Bobsy
United States Bill Greer
DKW
1964 United States Ed Lowther
Genie
United States Tom O'Brien
Ferrari
United States Lee Hall
Elva
United States Don Wolf
Elva
United States Charles Barns
Merlyn
United States Ed Walsh
Lotus

Production classes (1954–1965)

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Year A Production B Production C Production D Production E Production F Production G Production H Production I Production J Production
1954 United States Charles Wallace
Jaguar
United States William Kinchloe
Austin-Healey
United States Bob Salzgaber
Triumph
United States Dick Thompson
Porsche, MG
United States Art Bunker‡
Porsche
1955 United States Charles Wallace
Jaguar
United States Paul O'Shea
Mercedes-Benz
Switzerland Gaston Andrey
Morgan
United States Bengt Söderström
Porsche
United States George Valentine
MG
1956 United States Harry Carter
Jaguar
United States Paul O'Shea
Mercedes-Benz
United States Bengt Söderström
Porsche
United States Lake Underwood
Porsche
United States Emil Pupulidy
Porsche
1957 United States Dick Thompson
Chevrolet
United States Harry Carter
Mercedes-Benz
United States Fred Moore
Austin-Healey
United States Bob Kuhn
AC
United States Lake Underwood
Porsche
United States Templeton Briggs
Alfa Romeo
1958 United States Jim Jeffords
Chevrolet
United States George Reed
Ferrari
United States Dick Thompson
Austin-Healey
United States Harry Carter
AC
United States Emil Pupulidy
Porsche
United States Bob Grossman
Alfa Romeo
United States Howard Hanna
D.B. Panhard
1959 United States Jim Jeffords
Chevrolet
United States Bob Grossman
Ferrari
United States Fred Spross
Austin-Healey
United States Pierre Mion
AC
United States Harry Blanchard
Porsche
United States Chuck Stoddard
Alfa Romeo
United States Ray Heppenstall
D.B. Panhard
United States Paul Richards
Fiat-Abarth
United States Ed Wright
Berkeley
1960 United States Bob Johnson
Chevrolet
United States Bruce Jennings
Porsche
United States Elliott Pew
AC
United States Duncan Black
Daimler
United States Douglas Diffenderfer
Siata
United States Vince Tamburo
Sunbeam
United States Chandler Lawrence
Fiat-Abarth
1961 United States Bob Hathaway
Ferrari
United States Dick Thompson
Chevrolet
United States Pierre Mion
AC
United States Chuck Stoddard
Alfa Romeo
United States Mark Donohue
Elva
United States Howard Hanna
D.B. Panhard
United States Al Weaver
Alfa Romeo
United States Rod Harmon
Austin-Healey
1962 United States Dick Thompson
Chevrolet
United States Don Yenko
Chevrolet
United States Dave Clark
Lotus
United States Bert Everett
Porsche
United States Bob Tullius
Triumph
United States Howard Hanna
D.B.
United States Lynn Blanchard
Alfa Romeo
United States Ed Astri
Fiat-Abarth
1963 United States Bob Johnson
GT 350 Mustang
United States Don Yenko
Chevrolet
United States Duncan Black
Daimler
United States Bob Tullius
Triumph
United States Lake Underwood
Porsche
United States Robert Shaw
Alfa Romeo
United States Pete Van der Vate
Austin-Healey
United States Donna Mae Mims
Austin-Healey
1964 United States Bob Johnson
Shelby
United States Frank Dominianni
Chevrolet
United States Bruce Jennings
Porsche
United States Bob Tullius
Triumph
United States Hans Zereis
Porsche
United States Don Sesslar
Sunbeam
United States Pete Van der Vate
Morgan
United States Carl Truitt
Austin-Healey
1965 Shelby Jerry Titus

Shelby Mustang GT350[4]

‡Tie

References

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  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.
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