"Racing Cars!"

"Sports Racers"

After WWII, auto racing often was centered around two-seat, open-topped, quasi-road-legal racing cars. While there were usually more design restrictions for Le Mans and other "World Championship" events, there were always sprint road races all over the world that allowed these type of cars.

1952

North America 1952

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

SCCA National Championship - Turner AFB (Round 13)
5Ferrari 225 Sport Spider Vignale
Bill Spear
(Box says 'Riverside' which didn't open until 1957)		60
4M		Art Model
ART138

1953

North America 1953

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

SCCA National Championship - Pebble Beach (Round 3)
2Ferrari 340 Mexico Spider Vignale
Bill Spear 		10
C		Art Model
ART206

1954

North America 1954

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

SCCA National Championship - Watkins Glen (Round 11)
4Ferrari 375 Mexico
Dick Irish 		210
CM		Art Model
ART189
6Ferrari 375 MM
Briggs Cunningham 		20
CM		Top Model
TMC087
SCCA National Championship - March AFB (Round 12)
3Ferrari 375 MM
Sherwood Johnston 		100
CM		Top Model
TMC088
SCCA Santa Barbara
8Ferrari 500 Mondial
Porfirio Rubirosa
(Incorrect color; Should be dark blue)		235
Top Model
TMC252
Art Model
ART336

1955

A young Phil Hill bagged a victory in an SCCA National event at the Beverly airport in northeastern Massachusetts, not Beverly Hills as many sources suggest...

SCCA National Championship 1955

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

SCCA National Championship - Beverly, Massachusetts (Round 5)
1Ferrari 750 Monza
Phil Hill
(Error: Box lists 'Beverly Hills')		3
DM		Art Model
ART192
SCCA National Championship - Torrey Pines (Round 6)
1Ferrari 375 MM Vignale
Carroll Shelby 		20
CM		Top Model
TMC044
SCCA National Championship - Watkins Glen (Round 11)
6Ferrari 340 Mexico Vignale Spider
Preston Gray 		210
CM		Art Model
ART210
SCCA National Championship - Glendale (Round 14)
5Alfa Romeo BAT 7
Ray McLaughlin 		6
UR		Bizarre
BZ365

Non-Championship North America 1955

Nassau (Non-Championship)
1Ferrari 750 Monza
Alfonso de Portago 		13
Art Model
ART230
SCCA Palm Springs (Non-Championship)
DNFAlfa Romeo BAT 7
Al Williams 		66
EM		Bizarre
SCCA Palm Springs - Preliminary GT Race (Non-Championship)
1Porsche 356 Super Speedster
James Dean
(Famous Actor; This is NOT the car in which he was killed)		23
FP		Brumm
('Revival')		R117B
SCCA Palm Springs (Non-Championship)
DNFFerrari 500 Mondial
Bruce Kessler 		3
EM		Art Model
ART344
SCCA Salinas - (Non-Championship)
DNFPorsche 550 Spyder
James Dean
(Dean was killed test-driving the car to the event)		130
FM		Brumm
R234-UPD13

1956

The California region of the SCCA had enough high-level interest to form their own side championship, which shared some western dates with the SCCA National schedule.

North America 1956

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

Torrey Pines 6 Hours
DNFFerrari 500 Mondial
Phil Hill 		82
EM		Art Model
ART363
SCCA National Championship - Palm Springs (Round 11)
2Ferrari 857 S
Phil Hill
Note: Listed on box as 750 Monza which has identical body		2
CM		Art Model
ART156
West Coast Championship - Torrey Pines (Round 1)
2Ferrari 121 LM
Ernie McAfee
(Error: Box reads 1955)		76
CM		Top Model
TMC232
West Coast Championship - Santa Maria (Round 10)
2Ferrari 860 Monza
John von Neumann 		11
CM		Art Model
ART306

Non-Championship North America 1956

Nassau (Non-Championship)
3Ferrari 860 Monza
Alfonso de Portago
(Error: Box lists Cuba '57)		13
C		Best
9154
DNFFerrari 860 Monza
John von Neumann
(Error: Listed as 1959)		92
C		Art Model
ART199
DNFFerrari 857 S
Phil Hill 		1
C		Art Model
ART291

1957

SCCA National Championship

For 1957, the SCCA National Championship consisted of 11 rounds, with events in all parts of the USA. The top class was "C-Modified", for sportscars (essentially prototypes) under 5.0 liters. The DM and EM classes were for 3.0 and 2.0 liter cars respectively.

Carroll Shelby

While Caroll Shelby is famous for the Cobra, Le Mans 1959, Chili Seasoning, and turning around the GT40 program, there was a time when he was a fearsome racer. He conquered all in 1957, with the powerful Maserati 450S.

North America 1957

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

GP Cuba (Non-Championship)
3Ferrari 857 S
Alfonso de Portago 		12
S +2.0		Art Model
ART343
4Ferrari 500 TR
Peter Collins 		38
S 2.0		Art Model
ART074
DNFFerrari 860 Monza
Eugenio Castellotti 		8
S +2.0		Art Model
ART174
DNFFerrari 857 S
Phil Hill 		14
S +2.0		Art Model
ART322
SCCA - Boca Raton
3Ferrari 500 TRC
George Arents
(Error: Box reads 'Sebring' & 'Cunningham')		96
EM		Art Model
ART172
SCCA National Championship
1Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS
Paul O'Shea
30
DM		Schuco
450 247600
SCCA National Championship - Road America
1Ferrari 315 Sport
Phil Hill 		41
CM		Art Model
ART340
3Ferrari 375 MM
Richard Lyeth
91
CM		Jolly
JL028
SCCA National Championship - (Eagle Mointain)
Ferrari 750 Monza
Loyal Katskee 		12
DM		Art Model
ART239
CSCC - Riverside (Non-Championship)
1Porsche 550 RS
Ricardo Rodriguez 		11
FM		Brumm
R516
SCCA National Championship - Riverside
1Maserati 450S
Carroll Shelby 		98
CM		Bang
7274
Nassau (Non-Championship)
1Maserati 450S
Masten Gregory 		4
C		Bang
7343

1958

The '58 Cuba GP Fiasco

Juan Manuel Fangio was kidnapped at gunpoint by rebel forces loyal to Castro the night before the race, and that was the least fucked-up thing that happened. A few laps in a Ferrari spun into the crowd, killing seven spectators. In the ensuing chaos, Sterling Moss passed Masten Gregory under a red-flag. Gregory had been in a comfortable lead, and was furious when they got to the pits. They colluded to split the prize money, and get out of the country as fast as (fucking) possible.

The Professional vs. Amature Split

In 1958, the first major professional road race was held at Riverside. It was sanctioned by USAC and sponsored by the L.A. Times. This event attracted major international talent and huge crowds. Soon after, a similar event at Laguna Seca began. The Canadian GP and these events would form the backbone of the future Can-Am Series.

North America 1958

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

GP Cuba (Non-Championship)
11Maserati 450S
Maurice Trintignant 		2
Bang
7282

Grani & Partners
(Maserati Press Collection)		Issue #5 (of 25)
SCCA Regional - Bridgehampton (Non-Championship)
3Ferrari 860 Monza
Bob Grossman 		99
CM		Art Model
ART369
6Ferrari 500 TRC
Gilbert Geitner 		45
EM		Art Model
ART091
Santa Barbara (Part of the Pacific Coast Championship)
1Scarab Mk.I
Lance Reventlow 		16
BM		Spark
S1160
Riverside (Part of the Pacific Coast Championship)
2Ferrari 860 Monza
Ritchie Ginther 		211
CM		Best
9134
US GP Riverside (Part of the USAC Championship)
1Scarab Mk II Daigh5Spark ModelS1161
Laguna Seca (Part of the Pacific Coast Championship)
3Ferrari 250 TR
Richie Ginther 		211
DM		Bang
7169

1959

North America 1959

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

1Ferrari 250 TR Morgensen46Progetto K018
SCCA National Championship - Lime Rock (GT Race)
1Ferrari 250 GT California
Bob Grossman 		9
CP		Top Model
ART240
Meadowdale (Part of the USAC Championship)
1Scarab Mk.II
Jim Jeffords 		10
S +2.0		Spark
S1163
Riverside (Part of the USAC Championship)
DNFFerrari 375 Plus ('Parravano')
Dan Gurney
(Error: Box reads 1960)		69
Top Model
078
Santa Barbara (Part of the West Coast Championship)
5Ferrari 500 TRC
Jack Nethercutt
102
DM		Art Model
ART027
Nassau (Non-Championship)
13Ferrari TR59
Pedro Rodriguez
(Updated model with revised details; Wheels are still awful)		10
S 3.0		Brumm
R155-UPD11
Brumm
R155
DNFFerrari 500 TRC
Alan Markelson 		106
E		Art Model
ART333
DNFFerrari 250 GT California
Wayne Burnett 		94
D		Art Model
ART328

1960

North America 1960

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

GP Cuba
1Maserati Tipo 61
Stirling Moss
7
Progetto K
024
2Ferrari 250 TR 59
Pedro Rodriguez
10
Jolly Model
JL0244
SCCA National Championship - Cumberland
DNFFerrari 250 California Grossman19Art ModelART078
L.A. Times Grand Prix - Riverside (Part of the United States Auto Club Road Racing Championship)
1Maserati Tipo 61 ('Birdcage')
Bill Krause
53
O2L		Minichamps
400 601253
Progetto K
026
5Maserati Tipo 61 ('Birdcage')
Carroll Shelby
98
O2L		Minichamps
400 601298
8Maserati Tipo 60 ('Birdcage')
Walt Hansgen
(Note: Box reads 1961)		61
U2L		Progetto K
023
Nassau Tourist Trophy
1Ferrari 250 GT SWB
Stirling Moss 		5
Bang
7318
Nassau Governor's Trophy
1Ferrari TR59
Ricardo Rodriguez 		57
S 3.0		Brumm
R156B
2Maserati Tipo 61
Gaston Andrey
25
Progetto K
028
DNFFerrari TR59
Pedro Rodriguez 		28
S 3.0		Brumm
R156

1961

The sports-racer world became more popular when F1 changed to 1.5 litre engines. The 2.5 litre Lotus 19 was essentially a two-seat version of the Lotus 18 F1 car.

North America 1961

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

Meadowdale (Part of the SCCA National Championship)
1Maserati Tipo 61
Roger Penske 		6
DM		Minichamps
Pacific Grand Prix - Laguna Seca (Part of the USAC Road Racing Championship)
1Lotus 19
Stirling Moss 		7
S +2.0		Spark
S0257

1962

Cobra vs. Corvette at Riverside...

The Shelby Cobra and Chevrolet Corvette Z06 both made their racing debut at a professional GT race at Riverside in late 1962. This independently-organized event was part of the L.A. Times GP weekend, and featured a large crowd and excellent fan interest. While a Corvette eventually won, the Cobra was over a lap ahead when a suspension failure took it out of the race. This performance difference eventually led Chevrolet to develop the Corvette Grand Sport.

North America 1962

Place

Car
Sponsor

Car # Class

Model

Ref. #

Image

Riverside (Non-Championship L.A. Times GP Preliminary GT Race)
DNFShelby Cobra
Bill Krause
98
XP		Bang
422
Box8422
Mosport Player's 200 (Part of the Canadian Sports Car Championship)
DNFFerrari Dino 246 SP
Innes Ireland 		3
Art Model
ART120
Nassau Trophy - (Non-Championship Race)
1Lotus 19
Innes Ireland 		6
Spark
S0258