SCCA National Sports Car Championship explained

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
John Fitch
Cunningham, Jaguar
Sherwood Johnston
Jaguar
Bill Spear
Ferrari

Modified classes (1954–1964)

Year B Modified C Modified D Modified E Modified F Modified G Modified H Modified I Modified
Candy Poole
PBX Special
Ted Boynton‡
Frazer Nash, Bristol
Hal Ullrich
Excalibur
Martin Tanner
"Martin T" Special[2] [3]
Sam Moses
Berkeley
John Staver
Echidna
Phillips Jeffrey
Berkeley
Phillips Jeffrey
Berkeley
Chuck Dietrich
Bobsy
Ed Lowther
Genie

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
Art Bunker‡
Porsche
Ed Wright
Berkeley
1965ShelbyJerry TitusShelby Mustang GT350[4]
‡Tie

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Krejčí. Martin. SCCA National Sports Car Championship. World Sports Racing Prototypes. 29 May 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100603122858/http://wsrp.ic.cz/nationals.html. 3 June 2010.
  2. Web site: Ludvigsen. Karl. Fabulous Featherweight. Etceterini. 27 September 2010.
  3. Web site: Tanner Chassis. SportsRacer.net. 27 September 2010.
  4. Book: Schorr, Martyn L.. Ford Total Performance: Ford's Legendary High-Performance Street and Race Cars. Motorbooks. 2015-09-10. 9781627887953. en.