1964 SCCA National Championship Runoffs

The 1964 American Road Race of Champions was the first running of the SCCA National Championship Runoffs. It took place on 14 and 15 November 1964 at the Riverside International Raceway. The ARRC was held as the non-championship final round of the SCCA National Sports Car Championship and the SCCA Divisional Championships. Most competitive drivers from SCCA's six divisions were invited to the event. No championships were contested that year as part of the Runoffs, and therefore, ARRC champions were not SCCA National Champions.

Sources:^[1][2][3]

Class winners for multi-class races in bold.

The first race, held on November 14, was the Formula Vee race. It was held for 45 minutes and 23 laps.

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	FV	unknown	Lewis Kerr	11	Formcar-VW	-	Northeast	23	Fastest lap in race.
2	FV	unknown	Roger Barr	13	Autodynamics D-1-VW	-	Northeast	23
3	FV	unknown	William Duckworth	22	Formcar-VW	-	Southeast	23
4	FV	unknown	Jerry Hansen	35	Formcar-VW	-	Central	23
5	FV	unknown	Sheldon Dobkin	21	Beach Mk 5-VW	Over-Keys Motor Inc	Southeast	23
6	FV	unknown	Jim Brady	52	Spectre-VW	-	Southwest	23
7	FV	unknown	Robert Hubbard	41	Formcar-VW	-	Midwest	23
8	FV	unknown	Boyd Hough	61	Formcar-VW	Morgensen Motors	Pacific	23
9	FV	unknown	Guy McMurray	42	Formcar-VW	-	Midwest	22
10	FV	unknown[1]	Jim Downing	25	Formcar-VW	-	Southeast	22
11	FV	unknown	Robert Docter	62	Crusader-VW	-	Pacific	22
12	FV	unknown	John Neumeister	43	Formcar-VW	-	Midwest	22
13	FV	unknown	Lars Giertz	53	Autodynamics D-1-VW	-	Southwest	22
14	FV	unknown	John Grove	63	Crusader-VW	-	Pacific	22
DNF	FV	unknown	Mak Kronn	32	Formcar-VW	-	Central	unknown	DNF
DNF	FV	unknown	Martin Grantham	51	Autodynamics D-1-VW	-	Southwest	unknown	DNF

The H Production race was held on November 14 for 45 minutes and 23 laps.^[4]

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	HP	unknown	Fred Salo	31	Austin-Healey Sprite	Salo's Servi-Center	Central	23	Led laps 1, 17-23.
2	HP	unknown	Gilbert Page	11	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Northeast	23
3	HP	unknown	Clyde Cabrinha	63	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Pacific	23
4	HP	unknown	Robert Durham	51	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Southwest	23
5	HP	unknown	Richard Alley	41	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Midwest	22
6	HP	unknown	Dan Miller	53	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Southwest	22
7	HP	unknown	Bob Anderson	32	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Central	22
8	HP	unknown	Bill Cox	52	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Southwest	22
9	HP	unknown	Walt Biddle	33	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Central	22
10	HP	unknown	Hugh Major, Jr.	43	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Midwest	22
11	HP	unknown	Thomas Hukle	42	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Midwest	18
DNF	HP	1st	Roger Subith	61	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Pacific	16	DNF (accident on lap 16). Led laps 2-16. Fastest lap in race.
DNF	HP	unknown	Danny Hopkins	62	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Pacific	14	DNF

The G Production race was held on November 14 for 45 minutes and 23 laps.^[5]

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	GP	unknown	Ed Barker	61	Triumph Spitfire	-	Pacific	23	Led laps 3-23. Fastest lap in race.
2	GP	unknown	Emmett Brown	62	MG Midget	-	Pacific	23
3	GP	unknown	David Kiser	41	Triumph Spitfire	-	Midwest	23
4	GP	unknown	Bob Clemens	33	Triumph Spitfire	-	Central	23
5	GP	unknown	Erwin Lorincz	14	Triumph Spitfire	-	Northeast	23
6	GP	unknown	Donald Bowman	32	Triumph Spitfire	-	Central	22
7	GP	unknown	Walter Bass	42	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Midwest	22
8	GP	unknown	Roy Hopkins	52	Triumph Spitfire	-	Southwest	21
DNF	GP	unknown	Bob Sharp	13	Datsun Sports SPL310	P. Bruk & Son	Northeast	7	DNF (lost wheel)
DNF	GP	unknown	Patricia Mernone	12	Morgan 4/4	-	Northeast	4[2]	DNF
DNF	GP	unknown	Les Rutledge	31	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Central	unknown	DNF
DNF	GP	unknown	Tommy Allen	43	Datsun Sports SPL310	-	Midwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	GP	unknown	Leavell Smith	51	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Southwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	GP	unknown	George Davison	53	Austin-Healey Sprite	-	Southwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	GP	unknown	Lee Herbert	65	Triumph Spitfire	-	Pacific	unknown	DNF

The H Modified race was held on November 14 for 45 minutes and 24 laps.^[6]

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	HM	1st[7]	Dan Parkinson	66	Dolphin America-Abarth	-	Pacific	24	Led laps 1-24. Fastest lap in race.
2	HM	2nd	John Gordon	15	OSCA S750 Special	-	Northeast	24
3	HM	unknown	John Igleheart	14	Bobsy SR2-OSCA	-	Northeast	24
4	HM	unknown	Chic Gast	64	Bobsy SR2-OSCA	-	Pacific	23
5	HM	unknown	Frank Manley	45	DB Le Mans-Panhard	-	Midwest	23
6	HM	unknown	Joe McClughan	54	BMW Special	-	Southwest	23
7	HM	unknown	Robert Samm	56	Lambert III-Abarth	-	Southwest	21
8	HM	unknown	Paul Coffield	35	Centaur Roadster-SAAB	-	Central	18
DNF	HM	unknown	George Avent	24	Begra Mk III-Abarth	-	Southeast	unknown	DNF
DNF	HM	unknown	Martin Tanner	34	Martin T 5	-	Central	12	DNF
DNF	HM	unknown	Hugh Grammer	55	Bandini 750 Sport Siluro-Crosley[8]	-	Southwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	HM	unknown	Ingvar Lindqvist	65	Lindqvist Special-SAAB	-	Pacific	unknown	DNF (spin)

E Modified & F Modified drivers raced in a multi-class race held on November 14 for 45 minutes and 27 laps.^[9]

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	FM	unknown	Rick Muther	unknown	Lotus 23B-Ford	-	Pacific	27	Fastest lap in race.
2	EM	unknown	Ralph Wood	61	Elva Mk VII-Porsche	-	Pacific	27
3	EM	unknown	Dave Jordan	unknown	Dolphin America-Porsche	Precision Motor Cars	Pacific	27
4	FM	unknown	Alan Friedland	14	Elva Mk VII-Porsche	George Friedland	Northeast	27
5	FM	unknown	Michael Hall	34	Elva Mk VII-Ford	-	Central	27
6	EM	unknown	Charlie Kolb	21	Porsche 718 RS	-	Southeast	27
7	EM	unknown	Steve Froines	62	Porsche 718 RS 60	Dan Garcia	Pacific	27
8	EM	unknown	Herb Wetanson	11	Porsche 718 RSK	-	Northeast	25
9	FM	unknown	Martin Grantham	55	Merlyn MK 6	David Bland	Southwest	21
DNF	EM	unknown	Henry Candler	44	Lotus 23B[3]	-	Midwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	FM	unknown	Bud Morley	45	Elva Mk VII-BMW	-	Midwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	FM	unknown	Miles Gupton	65	Platypus-Porsche	-	Pacific	unknown	DNF
DNS	FM	unknown	Frank Monise	64	Lotus 23B-Ford	-	Pacific	-	DNS

The E Production race was held for on November 14 for 45 minutes and 25 laps.^[10]

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	EP	1st	Alan Johnson	62	Porsche 356 1600	Scientific Automotive	Pacific	25	Fastest lap in race. Led laps 1-25.
2	EP	4th	Ron Grable	13	Porsche 356 Speedster	-	Northeast	25
3	EP	unknown	Dennis Harrison	61	Porsche 356 1600	Scientific Automotive	Pacific	25
4	EP	unknown	Bert Everett	12	Porsche 356	-	Northeast	25
5	EP	unknown	Bob Connors	51	Porsche 356	-	Southwest	25
6	EP	unknown	Howard Fowler	22	Porsche 356	-	Southeast	24
7	EP	unknown	Gerry Mason	34	Porsche 356	-	Central	24
8	EP	unknown	Bob Wenzel	42	Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce	-	Midwest	24
9	EP	unknown	John Belperche	23	Porsche 356	-	Southeast	23
10	EP	unknown	Ted Parrish	41	Morgan +4	-	Midwest	23
11	EP	unknown	Joe Locario	52	Alfa Romeo Giulia	-	Southwest	22
DNF	EP	unknown	Hans Ziereis	11	Porsche 356	-	Northeast	9	DNF
DNF	EP	unknown	Dave Tallasken	21	Elva Courier	-	Southeast	13	DNF
DNF	EP	unknown	Jerry Frydenlund	33	Porsche 356B	Delta Import Motors	Central	unknown	DNF
DNF	EP	unknown	Richard K. Roberts	43	Porsche 356	-	Midwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	EP	unknown	Ken Leith	53	Porsche 356	-	Southwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	EP	unknown	Walt Maas	63	Porsche 356	Lukes & Shorman	Pacific	unknown	DNF

The F Production race was held on November 14 for 45 minutes and 23 laps.^[11]

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	FP	unknown	Richard Hull	33	Volvo P1800	-	Central	23	Fastest lap in race.
2	FP	9th	Robert Petrick	32	MG MGA	-	Central	23
3	FP	unknown	Sheldon Shoff	11	Lotus Seven America	-	Northeast	23
4	FP	unknown	Tim Burr	53	Triumph TR3	-	Southwest	23
5	FP	unknown	Gerald Demele	63	Lotus Seven America	-	Pacific	23
6	FP	unknown	Bernard Herstein	51	Triumph TR3	-	Southwest	22
7	FP	unknown	Bill Bagby	52	Triumph TR3	-	Southwest	22
8	FP	unknown	Elouise Norris	44	Triumph TR3	-	Midwest	22
9	FP	unknown	Steve Froines	64	Sunbeam Alpine	-	Pacific	21
DNF	FP	10th	Art Riley	13	Volvo P1800	-	Northeast	22	DNF (wheel)
DNF	FP	unknown	Bill Buchman	22	Sunbeam Alpine	-	Southeast	unknown	DNF
DNF	FP	7th	Dan Carmichael	31	Sunbeam Alpine	Sports Car Forum Inc	Central	unknown	DNF (spin)
DNF	FP	1st[4]	Brooks Noah	41	Lotus Seven America	-	Midwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	FP	2nd	Bill Riggs	43	Triumph TR3	-	Midwest	unknown	DNF (handling)
DNF	FP	unknown	Jim Dittemore	62	Triumph TR3	-	Pacific	unknown	DNF

The G Modified race was held on November 15 for 45 minutes and 26 laps.^[12]

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	GM	2nd	Charles Barns	51	Merlyn MK 6-Cosworth	-	Southwest	26	Fastest lap in race (disputed).[13] Led laps 17-26.
2	GM	unknown	William Molle	61	Incisor (Lotus 23B-Coventry Climax)	-	Pacific	26	Fastest lap in race (disputed). Led laps 1-16.
3	GM	unknown	Rich Erickson	63	Lotus 23	-	Pacific	26
4	GM	unknown	Lynn Kysar	53	Merlyn MK 6	-	Southwest	26
5	GM	unknown	Jim Baker	23	Lotus 23	-	Southeast	26
6	GM	unknown	Tom Yeager	32	Merlyn MK 6-Ford	-	Central	25
7	GM	unknown	Peter Helferich	31	Elva Mk VI	-	Central	25
8	GM	unknown	Gordon Heald	11	Elva Mk VII-Coventry Climax	-	Northeast	25
9	GM	unknown	Robert Kelce	41	Elva Mk VII	-	Midwest	25
10	GM	unknown	O.M. MacLeran	unknown	Elva Mk VII	-	Central	24
11	GM	unknown	Bernard Kemp	52	Merlyn	-	Southwest	13
DNF	GM	unknown	Harry Banta	62	Genie Mk.5-Coventry Climax	-	Pacific	unknown	DNF

The C Production race was held on November 15 for 45 minutes and 25 laps.^[14]

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	CP	3rd	Earl Jones	63	Morgan +4 Super Sports	-	Pacific	25	Led laps 5-25.
2	CP	unknown	John Siefkes	42	Lotus Super Seven	-	Midwest	25
3	CP	unknown	John Gardella	31	Lotus Super Seven	-	Central	25
4	CP	unknown	Ed Tucker	51	Lotus Elan	-	Southwest	24
5	CP	unknown	Whit Talbott	34	Lotus Super Seven	-	Central	23
6	CP	unknown	Ray Houchins	12	Lotus Elan	Team Houchins Racing	Northeast	22	Fastest lap in race.
7	CP	unknown	C. K. Thompson	23	Lotus Super Seven	-	Southeast	18
DNF	CP	unknown	Michael Watson	62	Lotus Super Seven	-	Pacific	13	DNF
DNF	CP	1st	Joe Ward	61	Lotus Super Seven[5]	-	Pacific	4	DNF. Led laps 1-5.
DNF	CP	unknown	Woody Adams	41	Lotus Super Seven	Captain Richard H. Adams	Midwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	CP	unknown	A. C. Langworthy	43	Lotus Super Seven	-	Midwest	unknown	DNF

Formula Libre & Formula Junior drivers raced in a multi-class race held on November 15 for 45 minutes and 27 laps.^[15]

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	FL	1st	George Alderman	15	Cooper T53[16]-Alfa Romeo	-	Northeast	27	Fastest lap in race. Led laps 4-27.
2	FJr.	1st	Ron Herrera	61	Lotus 22-Ford	-	Pacific	27	Led laps 1-3.
3	FL	unknown	G.M. O'Keiff	55	Lotus 27-Ford	-	Southwest	27
4	FL	unknown	Don Burrows	65	BMC-Coventry Climax[17]	-	Pacific	27
5	FJr.	unknown	Alson Brizard	62	Cooper T56[15]-Ford	-	Pacific	26
6	FL	unknown	Boyd Groberg	66	Lotus 22[18]-Ford	-	Pacific	26
7	FJr.	unknown	Leonard Conda	41	Elva 300[19]-Ford	-	Midwest	26
8	FJr.	unknown	Richard Brown	31	Lotus 20-Ford	V. W. Green	Central	25
9	FJr.	unknown	Neil Babbs	22	Bandini Formula Junior-Fiat	-	Southeast	16
DNF	FJr.	unknown	Chuck Gounis	21	Elva-Ford[20]	-	Southeast	unknown	DNF
DNF	FJr.	unknown	Gordon Gresham	42	Lotus 20-Ford[21]	-	Midwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	FJr.	unknown	Joe Hutchinson	51	Lotus 20	-	Southwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	FJr.	unknown	Ed Tucker	52	Lotus 27-Ford	-	Southwest	unknown	DNF
DNF	FJr.	unknown	Pierre Phillips	63	Lotus 27-Ford	-	Pacific	unknown	DNF (oil leak)
DNF	FL	unknown	Bob O'Brien	64	Cooper	-	Pacific	unknown	DNF

C Modified & D Modified drivers raced in a multi-class race held on November 15 for 45 minutes and 28 laps.

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	CM	unknown	Bart Martin	61	Cooper Monaco T49-Chevrolet	Grizzly Engineering	Pacific	28	Fastest lap in race. Led laps 3-11, 28.
2	DM	unknown	Jerry Titus	66	Webster 2-Litre-Coventry Climax	Webster Racing Enterprises	Pacific	28	Led laps 12-27.
3	CM	unknown	Ralph Salyer	32	Cheetah GT Cro-Sal Special-Chevrolet	-	Central	28
4	CM	unknown	William Wonder	12	Genie Mk.8-Ford	-	Northeast	27
5	CM	unknown	Pete Voevodsky	62	Townsend Special Mk III-Pontiac[22]	-	Pacific	27
6	DM	unknown	Glenn Baldwin	35	Lotus 23C	-	Central	25
7	DM	unknown	Owen Rutherford	34	Cooper Monaco T49-Maserati	-	Central	21
8	DM	unknown	Richard Burns	unknown	Austin-Healey 100 S Special	-	Pacific	14
DNF	CM	unknown	Dick Doane	33	Chevette-Chevrolet	-	Central	27	DNF (gas line). Led laps 1-2.
DNF	CM	unknown	Bob Montana	63	Cooper Monaco T49-Plymouth	-	Pacific	unknown	DNF
DNF	DM	unknown	John Jewett	65	Lotus Eleven-Plymouth[23]	-	Pacific	unknown	DNF

A Production & B Production drivers raced in a multi-class race held on November 15 for 45 minutes and 27 laps. There were originally two separate races scheduled, but the entrant number was too low for two races.

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	AP	unknown	Ed Leslie	61	Shelby Cobra	Shelby American	Pacific	27	Fastest lap in race. Led laps 1-27.
2	AP	unknown	Bob Johnson	31	Shelby Cobra	Shelby American	Central	27
3	AP	unknown	Dick Guldstrand	62	Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray	Boher Chevrolet	Pacific	26
4	BP	unknown	Merle Brennan	61	Jaguar XKE	Kjell Qvale	Pacific	26
5	BP	unknown	Paul Canary	33	Chevrolet Corvette	-	Central	26
6	BP	unknown	David Dooley	41	Jaguar XKE	-	Midwest	25
7	BP	unknown	Dan Carmichael	35	Sunbeam Tiger	-	Central	25
8	BP	unknown	Fred Sutherland	63	Chevrolet Corvette	-	Pacific	25
9	BP	unknown	Joe Mulholland	31	Jaguar XKE	-	Central	25
10	BP	unknown	Don Yenko	11	Chevrolet Corvette	-	Northeast	25	Time penalty.
11	BP	unknown	John Coyle	62	Chevrolet Corvette	-	Pacific	24
12	BP	unknown	John Bushell	12	Chevrolet Corvette	-	Northeast	24
13	AP	unknown	Bill Steele	51	Shelby Cobra	-	Southwest	24
14	BP	unknown	Brad Brooker	43	Chevrolet Corvette	-	Midwest	23
15	BP	unknown	Louis Heuss	51	Jaguar XKE	-	Southwest	23
16	BP	unknown	Jerry Henderson	44	Chevrolet Corvette	-	Midwest	20
DNF	AP	unknown	Dan Gerber	34	Shelby Cobra	-	Central	13	DNF
DNF	AP	unknown	Harold Keck	11	Shelby Cobra	-	Northeast	7	DNF
DNF	AP	unknown	Chuck Parsons	63	Shelby Cobra	Randy Hilton	Pacific	0	DNF (accident)
DNF	AP	unknown	Dick Lang	33	Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray	-	Central	0	DNF (spin)

The final race was the D Production race. It was held on November 15 for 45 minutes and 25 laps.

Pos	Class	Qualified in class	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Division	Laps	Info
1	DP	unknown	Bob Tullius	11	Triumph TR4	-	Northeast	25	Led laps 14-25.
2	DP	unknown	Jim Adams	61	MG MGB	Hollywood Sports Cars	Pacific	25
3	DP	unknown	Norm Evans	63	Triumph TR4	-	Pacific	25
4	DP	unknown	John Goans	41	Triumph TR4	-	Midwest	25
5	DP	unknown	Chuck Cantwell	32	MG MGB	Overseas Imported Cars	Central	25
6	DP	unknown	Eddie Kimmel	42	Triumph TR4	-	Midwest	24
7	DP	unknown	Don Dillon	51	Triumph TR4	-	Southwest	24
8	DP	unknown	Bruce Kellner	12	Triumph TR4	-	Northeast	23	Led laps 4-13.
9	DP	unknown	Jim Branam	34	MG MGB	-	Central	23
10	DP	unknown	Harold St. John	22	Triumph TR4	-	Southeast	22
11	DP	unknown	Lynn Beaumont	52	Austin-Healey 3000	-	Southwest	22
12	DP	unknown	John Hill	24	Daimler SP250	-	Southeast	20
DNF	DP	unknown	Jim Ladd	13	Austin-Healey 3000	Ladd Motors Inc.	Northeast	2	DNF (fatal accident). One of 2 fatal accidents in Runoffs history.
DNF	DP	unknown	Charles Gates	62	Triumph TR4	-	Pacific	2	DNF (accident)

The event has been a big success. More than 160 drivers have arrived to the ARRC, including future road racing stars such as Chuck Parsons, Jerry Titus, Rick Muther, Bob Sharp, Jerry Hansen, Bob Tullius, Ed Leslie, Jim Downing, Ron Grable, Dave Jordan, Dick Guldstrand and George Alderman. The race has been the first race from the late 1950s that saw amateur West Coast and East Coast racers compete against each other, as the SCCA National Sports Car Championship was East Coast-only and the USRRC, despite allowing amateur drivers to compete, was a pro championship.

The 1964 American Road Race of Champions started a new chapter in the history of American amateur road racing. The National Championship was cancelled for 1965 and the ARRC became the only interdivisional amateur road race. It was still a non-championship event until 1966, when Runoffs winners in each class became National Champions.

Due to limited attention to SCCA amateur races at the time, the results are not fully complete and there are a lot of inaccuracies.

^ Some sources say that Downing was the pole-sitter in race, which is not confirmed by the SCCA.

2^ The SCCA site says Mernone ran for 4 laps, while other sources say she ran only for three laps.

3^ Some sources say Candler had an Elva Mk VII for the race.

4^ Noah's pole is debated by the SCCA website, so Riggs could be the pole-sitter.

5^ The SCCA website lists Ward running a Lotus Elan, but in the entry list he is listed running a Super Seven.