1961 SCCA National Sports Car Championship

Last updated April 08, 2021

1961 SCCA National Sports Car Championship
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The 1961 SCCA National Sports Car Championship season was the eleventh season of the Sports Car Club of America's National Sports Car Championship. It began February 5, 1961, and ended September 23, 1961, after thirteen races.

Classes

The class structure was changed to allow certain cars to be moved out of their displacement class, based on past performance. The nominal class structure was as follows:^[1]

Class	Modified	Production
B	5000-8000cc	3500-5000cc
C	3000-5000cc	2700-3500cc
D	2000-3000cc	2000-2700cc
E	1500-2000cc	1600-2000cc
F	1100-1500cc	1300-1600cc
G	750-1100cc	1000-1300cc
H	500-750cc	750-1000cc
I	under 500cc	under 750cc

Schedule

Rnd	Race	Length^A	Circuit	Location	Date
1	SCCA National Races	175 km (109 mi)	Daytona International Speedway	Daytona Beach, Florida	February 5
2	Governor's Cup	68 mi (109 km)	Marlboro Motor Raceway	Upper Marlboro, Maryland	April 16
3	President's Cup	3 hours	Virginia International Raceway	Danville, Virginia	April 30
4	Cumberland National Championship Sports Car Races	45 minutes	Greater Cumberland Regional Airport	Wiley Ford, West Virginia	May 15
5	Bridgehampton National Event	70 mi (110 km)	Bridgehampton Race Circuit	Bridgehampton, New York	May 28
6	International June Sprints	300 mi (480 km)	Road America	Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin	June 17
7	National Races Lime Rock	46 mi (74 km)	Lime Rock Park	Lakeville, Connecticut	July 1
8	Meadowdale SCCA National Championship Races	40 mi (64 km)	Meadowdale International Raceway	Carpentersville, Illinois	July 23
9	Bridgehampton National Races	70 mi (110 km)	Bridgehampton Race Circuit	Bridgehampton, New York	August 5
10	National Races Indianapolis Raceway Park GP	62 mi (100 km)	Indianapolis Raceway Park	Clermont, Indiana	August 20
11	SCCA National Races	30 mi (48 km)	Thompson International Speedway	Thompson, Connecticut	September 4
12	Road America 500	500 mi (800 km)	Road America	Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin	September 10
13	Watkins Glen Grand Prix	100 mi (160 km)	Watkins Glen International	Watkins Glen, New York	September 23

^A Feature race

Season results

Feature race overall winners in bold.

Rnd	Circuit	AP Winning Team	BM Winning Team	BP Winning Team	CM Winning Team	CP Winning Team	DM Winning Team	DP Winning Team	EM Winning Team	EP Winning Team	FM Winning Team	FP Winning Team	GM Winning Team	GP Winning Team	HM Winning Team	HP Winning Team	IM Winning Team	Results
Rnd	Circuit	AP Winning Driver(s)	BM Winning Driver(s)	BP Winning Driver(s)	CM Winning Driver(s)	CP Winning Driver(s)	DM Winning Driver(s)	DP Winning Driver(s)	EM Winning Driver(s)	EP Winning Driver(s)	FM Winning Driver(s)	FP Winning Driver(s)	GM Winning Driver(s)	GP Winning Driver(s)	HM Winning Driver(s)	HP Winning Driver(s)	IM Winning Driver(s)	Results
1	Daytona	unknown	unknown	Chevrolet	Lister-Chevrolet	unknown	unknown	unknown	Porsche	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	Results
1	Daytona	unknown	unknown	Bob Johnson	Art Huttinger	unknown	unknown	unknown	Bob Holbert	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	unknown	Results
2	Marlboro	#229 Ferrari	no entries	#137 Chevrolet	^A	#4 Daimler	#621 J. Frank Harrison	#42 Siata	#14 Porsche	#000 Elva	^B	#108 Porsche	#2 Lola	#55 Lotus	#22 Bandini-Saab	#51 Fiat-Abarth	no finishers	Results
2	Marlboro	Bob Bucher	no entries	Harold Keck	^A	Duncan Black	Fred Gamble	Douglas Diffenderfer	Bob Holbert	Mark Donohue	^B	William Haenelt	M. R. J. Wyllie	Gene Hobbs	Dave Lang	Ben Poster	no finishers	Results
3	VIR	no entries	no finishers	#13 Chevrolet	no finishers	#59 A.C.-Bristol	#60 Briggs Cunningham	#125 Alfa Romeo	#14 Porsche	#000 Elva	^C	#110 Porsche	#2 Lola	#290 Alfa Romeo	#76 Osca	#139 Fiat-Abarth	#72 Berkeley	Results
3	VIR	no entries	no finishers	Bob Johnson	no finishers	Pierre Mion	Walt Hansgen	Chuck Stoddard	Bob Holbert	Mark Donohue	^C	Erskine Ingram	M. R. J. Wyllie	Bill Kane	Oliver Schmidt	Ray Stoutenburg	Phil Jeffreys	Results
4	Cumberland	no entries	no finishers	#1 Don Yenko	#151 Arthur Faust	#4 Duncan Black	#17 J. Frank Harrison	#152 William Malion	#14 Bob Holbert	#000 Mark Donohue	#29 Bob Bucher	#243 Ben Fowke	#2 M. R. J. Wyllie	#153 Al Weaver	#52 J. F. Lang	#44 Rod Harmon	^D	Results
4	Cumberland	no entries	no finishers	Don Yenko	Bud Faust	Duncan Black	Fred Gamble	Bill Malion	Bob Holbert	Mark Donohue	Bob Bucher	Ben Fowke	M. R. J. Wyllie	Al Weaver	Dave Lang	Rod Harmon	^D	Results
5	Bridgehampton	#13 Ferrari	#73 Lister-Costin Buick	#149 Chevrolet	#25 Lister-Chevrolet	#4 Daimler	#60 Briggs Cunningham	#127 Alfa Romeo	#140 Porsche	#000 Elva	#129 Porsche	#174 Sports Car Forum	#85 Lotus	#26 Alfa Romeo	#951 Osca	#82 Fiat-Abarth	no entries	Results
5	Bridgehampton	Bob Grossman	Gerry Georgi	Don Yenko	Pete Harrison	Traver McKenna	Walt Hansgen	Reed Rollo	Bob Holbert	Mark Donohue	Bob Bucher	Don Sesslar	Barry Brown	Bill Kane	John Igleheart	Paul Richards	no entries	Results
6	Road America	#7 Ferrari	#1 Harry J. Heuer	#11 Don Yenko	^E	#59 Hank Mergner	#6 John M. Wyatt, III	#13 Sheldon Brown	#99 Frank Zillner	#47 Ernie Harris	#13 Tom Payne	#75 William C. Kravas	#2 M. R. J. Wyllie	#26 Allan Jacobson	#76 Oliver C. Schmidt	#14 Rod Harmon	no entries	Results
6	Road America	Charlie Hayes Carl Haas	Harry Heuer	Don Yenko Ed Lowther	^E	Pierre Mion	Roger Penske	Sheldon Brown Ernie Erickson	Peter Ryan	Ernie Harris Lee Wilson	Tom Payne	William Kravas	M. R. J. Wyllie	Bill Kane	Oliver Schmidt	Rod Harmon	no entries	Results
7	Lime Rock	#61 Ferrari	#75 Lister-Costin Buick	#22 Chevrolet	#87 Lister-Costin Chevrolet	#4 Daimler	#6 Maserati	#22 Alfa Romeo	^F	#00 Elva	#13 Porsche	#68 Turner	#57 Lola	#1 Alfa Romeo	#76 Lola-Osca	#43 Austin-Healey	no entries	Results
7	Lime Rock	Charlie Hayes	Gerry Georgi	Don Yenko	Pete Harrison	Duncan Black	Roger Penske	Chris Noyes	^F	Mark Donohue	Tom Payne	Skip Barber	Charles Kurtz	Jack Crusoe	Oliver Schmidt	Rod Harmon	no entries	Results
8	Meadowdale ^G	#5 Ferrari	#50 Comstock Racing Team	#36 Chevrolet	#87 Lister-Chevrolet	#32 Arnolt-Bristol	#6 Maserati	#8 Alfa Romeo	#77 Concours Motors	#000 Elva	#13 Porsche	#70 Porsche	#2 Lola-Climax	#15 Alfa Romeo	#76 Lola-Osca	#24 Fiat-Abarth	#124 Berkeley	Results
8	Meadowdale ^G	Denise McCluggage	Peter Ryan	Bob Spooner	Pete Harrison	Ralph Durbin	Roger Penske	Chuck Stoddard	Bill Wuesthoff	Mark Donohue	Tom Payne	Harold Zimdars	M. R. J. Wyllie	Al Weaver	Oliver Schmidt	Larry Isenring	George Bachelder	Results
9	Bridgehampton	#9 Ferrari	no entries	#11 Grady Davis	#14 Lister-Corvette	#59 A.C.-Bristol	#60 Briggs Cunningham	#75 Alfa Romeo	^H	#000 Elva	#29 Porsche	#37 D.B.	#74 Lola	#5 Alfa Romeo	#76 Lola-Osca	#41 Austin-Healey	no entries	Results
9	Bridgehampton	Bob Grossman	no entries	Dick Thompson	Art Huttinger	Pierre Mion	Walt Hansgen	Ralph Troiano	^H	Mark Donohue	Bob Bucher	Howard Hanna	William Wilbourne	Al Weaver	Oliver Schmidt	Rod Harmon	no entries	Results
10	IRP	no entries	#28 Gates Chevrolet	#11 Chevrolet	#127 Corvette Special	#59 A.C.-Bristol	#60 Briggs Cunningham	#12 Porsche	#14 Porsche	#47 Elva	#61 Porsche	#177 Porsche	#57 Lola	#180 Alfa Romeo	#76 Lola-Osca	#1 Fiat-Abarth	no finishers	Results
10	IRP	no entries	Bud Gates	Dick Thompson	Robert Ruth	Pierre Mion	Walt Hansgen	Bill Romig	Bob Holbert	Ernie Harris	Ed Haussermann	Tom Peacock	Charles Kurtz	Lynn Blanchard	Oliver Schmidt	Larry Isenring	no finishers	Results
11	Thompson	Ferrari	Meister Brauser	Chevrolet	^I	A.C.-Bristol	John Bunch	Porsche	#14 Porsche	Elva	Porsche	Porsche	Lola	Alfa Romeo	Osca	Fiat-Abarth	no entries	Results
11	Thompson	Bob Hathaway	Harry Heuer	Dick Thompson	^I	Pierre Mion	George Constantine	George Frey	Bob Holbert	Jay Signore	Bob Bucher	Brad Howes	Charles Kurtz	Dick Haselton	John Igleheart	Paul Richards	no entries	Results
12	Road America	#1 Charles Hayes	#91 Scott Beckett	#11 I. Grady Davis	#87 Pete Harrison	#59 Henry E. Mergner	#61 Briggs Cunningham	Alfa Romeo	#63 Briggs Cunningham	Elva	#73 Tom Payne	Porsche	#14 Richard P. Buedingen	Alfa Romeo	Lola	Fiat-Abarth	no entries	Results
12	Road America	Charlie Hayes	Scott Beckett Dewey Brohaugh	Dick Thompson	Pete Harrison Art Huttinger	Pierre Mion	Walt Hansgen Augie Pabst	Chuck Stoddard	John Fitch Briggs Cunningham Dick Thompson	Ernie Harris	Tom Payne Ed Fuchs	Dick Brakenridge	Dick Buedingen Carl Haas	Lynn Blanchard	Oliver Schmidt	Larry Isenring	no entries	Results
13	Watkins Glen	#245 Robert Grossman	#1 Meister Brauser	#213 I. Grady Davis	#68 O & M Racing Team	#21 Daimler	#20 John T. Bunch	#303 Alfa Romeo	#140 Robert Holbert	#82 Elva	#29 J. Robert Bucher	#350 MG	#2 Lola-Climax	#258 Alfa Romeo	#219 Lola-Osca	#187 Fiat-Abarth	#251 Berkeley	Results
13	Watkins Glen	Bob Grossman	Harry Heuer	Dick Thompson	Bob Colombosian	Gary Morgan	George Constantine	Reed Rollo	Bob Holbert	Jay Signore	Bob Bucher	Sherman Decker	M. R. J. Wyllie	Robert Bowers	Oliver Schmidt	Paul Richards	Phillips Jeffrey	Results

^A C and D Modified were classified together at Marlboro; the combined class was won by Fred Gamble's DM Maserati Tipo 61. The highest-finishing CM car was Bud Faust's Ferrari-Chevrolet in 2nd.

^B F Modified were classified with E Modified at Marlboro.

^C F Modified were classified with E Modified at VIR.

^D I Modified were classified with H Modified at Cumberland.

^E C Modified were classified with B Modified at the Road America June Sprints.

^F E Modified were classified with D Modified at Lime Rock Park.

^G A 'Guest' class also ran at Meadowdale, and was won by Augie Pabst in a Ferrari 625 TR.

^H E and F Modified were classified together at Bridgehampton (August); the combined class was won by Bob Bucher's FM Porsche. The highest-finishing EM car was Henry Schwartz's Porsche in 3rd.

^I C and D Modified were classified together at Thompson; the combined class was won by George Constantine's DM Ferrari.

Champions

Class	Driver	Car
A Production	Bob Hathaway	Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
B Modified	Harry Heuer	Scarab Mk II-Chevrolet
B Production	Dick Thompson	Chevrolet Corvette
C Modified	Pete Harrison	Lister-Jaguar, Lister-Costin Chevrolet
C Production	Pierre Mion	AC Ace-Bristol
D Modified	Roger Penske	Maserati Tipo 61, Cooper Monaco T61-Climax
D Production	Chuck Stoddard	Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce
E Modified	Bob Holbert	Porsche 718 RS 60, RS 61
E Production	Mark Donohue	Elva Courier
F Modified	Bob Bucher	Porsche 718 RSK
F Production	Howard Hanna	D.B. Coupe
G Modified	Charles Kurtz	Lola Mk.1
G Production	Al Weaver	Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider
H Modified	Oliver Schmidt	Osca, Lola Mk.1-Osca
H Production	Rod Harmon	Austin-Healey Sprite
I Modified	Phillips Jeffrey	Berkeley

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References

↑ "Grand Prix for Sports Cars, Riverside International Raceway program". Archived from the original on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2010.

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[1] "Grand Prix for Sports Cars, Riverside International Raceway program". Archived from the original on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2010.

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