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.

Champions

Overall (1951–1953) Year Champion 1951 John FitchCunningham, Jaguar 1952 Sherwood JohnstonJaguar 1953 Bill SpearFerrari

Modified classes (1954–1964) Year B Modified C Modified D Modified E Modified F Modified G Modified H Modified I Modified 1954 Jack EnsleyKurtis Kraft Jim KimberlyFerrari Bill LloydFerrari Fred Wacker‡Bristol Briggs CunninghamOsca Rees MakinsOsca Candy PoolePBX Special – Ted Boynton‡Frazer Nash, Bristol 1955 Charles MoranCunningham Sherwood JohnstonFerrari, Jaguar Phil HillFerrari James LoweFrazer Nash, Bristol Pete LovelyCooper Skip SwartleyOsca Dolph VilardiBandini – 1956 Walt GrayAllard Walt HansgenJaguar Bill LloydMaserati E. B. LunkenFerrari Jack McAfeePorsche Frank BaptistaLotus James OrrDevin Panhard – 1957 J. E. RoseChevrolet Walt HansgenJaguar Paul O'SheaMercedes-Benz Gaston AndreyFerrari Charles WallacePorsche Frank BaptistaLotus Melvin SachsBandini – 1958 Hal UllrichExcalibur Walt HansgenLister James JohnstonFerrari Gaston AndreyFerrari Bob HolbertPorsche Frank BaptistaElva, Lotus Martin Tanner"Martin T" Special Sam MosesBerkeley 1959 John StaverEchidna Dick ThompsonLister, Chevrolet Alan ConnellFerrari, Maserati Gaston AndreyFerrari Don SesslarPorsche Art TweedaleElva James EichenlaubOsca – 1960 Augie PabstScarab Dick ThompsonChevrolet Gaston AndreyMaserati Bob HolbertPorsche Roger PenskePorsche Millard RipleyLola, Lotus Oliver SchmidtOsca Phillips JeffreyBerkeley 1961 Harry HeuerScarab Pete HarrisonLister Roger PenskeMaserati, Cooper Bob HolbertPorsche Bob BucherPorsche Charles KurtzLola Oliver SchmidtLola, Osca Phillips JeffreyBerkeley 1962 – Harry HeuerChaparral, Scarab Roger PenskeMaserati, Cooper Bob HolbertPorsche Joe BuzzettaPorsche M. R. J. WyllieLola Glenn BaldwinLotus – 1963 – Harry HeuerChaparral Roger PenskeCooper Joe BuzzettaPorsche Peter SachsLotus Chuck DietrichBobsy Bill GreerDKW – 1964 – Ed LowtherGenie Tom O'BrienFerrari Lee HallElva Don WolfElva Charles BarnsMerlyn Ed WalshLotus –

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 WallaceJaguar William KinchloeAustin-Healey Bob SalzgaberTriumph Dick Thompson‡Porsche, MG – – – – Art Bunker‡Porsche 1955 – – Charles WallaceJaguar Paul O'SheaMercedes-Benz Gaston AndreyMorgan Bengt SöderströmPorsche George ValentineMG – – – 1956 – – Harry CarterJaguar Paul O'SheaMercedes-Benz Bengt SöderströmPorsche Lake UnderwoodPorsche Emil PupulidyPorsche – – – 1957 – Dick ThompsonChevrolet Harry CarterMercedes-Benz Fred MooreAustin-Healey Bob KuhnAC Lake UnderwoodPorsche Templeton BriggsAlfa Romeo – – – 1958 – Jim JeffordsChevrolet George ReedFerrari Dick ThompsonAustin-Healey Harry CarterAC Emil PupulidyPorsche Bob GrossmanAlfa Romeo Howard HannaD.B. Panhard – – 1959 – Jim JeffordsChevrolet Bob GrossmanFerrari Fred SprossAustin-Healey Pierre MionAC Harry BlanchardPorsche Chuck StoddardAlfa Romeo Ray HeppenstallD.B. Panhard Paul RichardsFiat-Abarth Ed WrightBerkeley 1960 – Bob JohnsonChevrolet Bruce JenningsPorsche Elliott PewAC Duncan BlackDaimler Douglas DiffenderferSiata Vince TamburoSunbeam Chandler LawrenceFiat-Abarth – – 1961 Bob HathawayFerrari Dick ThompsonChevrolet Pierre MionAC Chuck StoddardAlfa Romeo Mark DonohueElva Howard HannaD.B. Panhard Al WeaverAlfa Romeo Rod HarmonAustin-Healey – – 1962 Dick ThompsonChevrolet Don YenkoChevrolet Dave ClarkLotus Bert EverettPorsche Bob TulliusTriumph Howard HannaD.B. Lynn BlanchardAlfa Romeo Ed AstriFiat-Abarth – – 1963 Bob JohnsonFord Don YenkoChevrolet Duncan BlackDaimler Bob TulliusTriumph Lake UnderwoodPorsche Robert ShawAlfa Romeo Pete Van der VateAustin-Healey Donna Mae MimsAustin-Healey – – 1964 Bob JohnsonFord Frank DominianniChevrolet Bruce JenningsPorsche Bob TulliusTriumph Hans ZereisPorsche Don SesslarSunbeam Pete Van der VateMorgan Carl TruittAustin-Healey – –1965FordJerry Titus Ford ‡Tie

References

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