Riverside International Raceway

The 1958 United States Grand Prix for Sports Cars was a sports car race held at Riverside International Raceway on October 12, 1958. It was the fourth and final round of the 1958 USAC Road Racing Championship season, the seventeenth round of the Sports Car Club of America's Pacific Coast Championship, the second running of the Riverside Grand Prix, and the first post-World War II running of the United States Grand Prix. The race was held over 62 laps of Riverside's 3.3-mile (5.3 km) circuit, for a total of 203.1 miles (326.9 km). Chuck Daigh won the race overall, driving one of Lance Reventlow's Scarab-Chevrolets. The race is also noteworthy in the annals of international racing, as the strong second-place finish by a local driver named Dan Gurney earned him a test drive in a factory Ferrari Formula 1 car, effectively launching the Californian's legendary racing career.

The weather at this event was very warm, even for a desert climate that routinely saw daytime temperatures of 100F plus during the summer. On race day the temperature reached an extraordinary high for the era 95 °F (35 °C); with winds gusting up to 9.9 miles per hour (15.9 km/h) on race day.[1] Even with the global warming that emerged decades after the late 1950s, the maximum temperature of Riverside, California never exceeded 79.2 °F (26.2 °C) for the month of October 2013.[2]

Entry

The race was open to cars meeting the Sports Car Club of America's B Modified through G Modified classes. Although named "modified", most of the cars in classes C through G were factory-built sports racing cars. The field was unusually large for an American sports car race, attracted in large part by a large purse consisting of $14,500 ($147,073.82 in today's money).[3]

ClassDisplacement
B Modified5000-8000cc
C Modified3000-5000cc
D Modified2000-3000cc
E Modified1500-2000cc
F Modified1100-1500cc
G Modified750-1100cc
[4]

Qualifying

Pole position winners in each class are marked in bold.

Pos Class Car Driver Lap Time
1 BM#5 Scarab Mk II-ChevroletChuck Daigh02:04.0
2 CM#2 Ferrari 412 SPhil Hill02:06.0
3 BM#3 Scarab Mk II-ChevroletLance Reventlow02:08.1
4 CM#59 Aston Martin DBR2Bob Oker02:09.7
5 CM#69 Ferrari 375 PlusDan Gurney02:10.2
6 CM#11 Ferrari 335 SJohn von Neumann02:10.8
7 BM#70 Ol' Yaller Mk.I-BuickMax Balchowsky02:11.1
8 DM#159 Aston Martin DBR1Roy Salvadori02:11.6
9 DM#211 Ferrari 250 TRRichie Ginther02:12.3
10 BM#172 Kurtis 500X-CadillacJerry Unser02:12.4
11 CM#27 Jaguar D-TypeBill Krause02:13.6
12 BM#111 Devin-Chevrolet SpecialAk Miller02:13.7
13 FM#7 Porsche 718 RSKJean Behra02:14.3
14 BM#14 Lister-CorvetteBill Pollack02:15.5
15 CM#88 Ferrari 410 SMasten Gregory02:15.6
16 CM#78 Maserati 450SCarroll Shelby02:15.6
17 BM#229 Chevrolet SpecialClem Proctor02:17.6
18 BM#264 Huffaker Special-ChryslerFred Knoop02:17.7
19 EM#50 Porsche 550 RS SpyderKen Miles02:18.0
20 FM#126 Lotus ElevenPat Pigott02:18.6
21 EM#155 Ferrari 500 TRSam Weiss02:18.8
22 BM#149 Zidar Special (Kurtis-Corvette)Ray Crawford02:19.8
23 GM#125 Lotus ElevenPete Lovely02:21.8
24 BM#98 Maserati 450S-PontiacJim Rathmann02:22.9
25 GM#127 Lotus Eleven-ClimaxSkip Conklin02:23.4
26 EM#9 Meyer-Drake Special-OffenhauserBill Cantrell02:24.0
27 FM#49 Cooper-ClimaxBob Drake02:24.3
28 FM#117 Osca TNHarry Hanford02:24.4
29 FM#4 Lotus ElevenLew Florence02:24.6
30 EM#135 Ferrari 500 TRAlan Markelson02:24.9
31 CM#129 HWM-ChevroletRalph Ormsbee02:25.3
32 BM#96 Kurtis-FordMarvin Porter02:25.4
33 BM#110 Caballo de Hiero Mk II-OldsmobileBobby Unser02:26.3
34 EM#121 Ferrari 500 TRCFrank Becker02:26.3
35 BM#93 Buick SpecialFloyd Burt02:27.6
36 FM#122 Cooper-PorscheTom Meehan02:28.2
37 FM#124 Porsche 550 RS SpyderGeorge Keck02:28.3
38 DM#259 Aston Martin DB3SWilliam de Creeft02:28.8
39 EM#35 Osca 2000Pearce Woods02:29.0
40 BM#140 Kurtis-BuickBill Cheesbourg02:30.1
41 EM#23 Lotus Mark XJohn Timanus02:30.4
42 DM#118 Porsche 356 Carrera GT CoupeJean Pierre Kunstle02:34.2
43 DM#138 Duncan SpecialBill Love02:35.3
44 EM#26 Ferrari 500 TRGordon Glyer02:36.5
45 BM#6 Kurtis-BuickTroy Ruttmanno time
46 BM#181 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL-CorvetteJohnnie Parsonsno time
DNQ FM#8 Maserati 150SDusty Miller
DNQ BM#16 Scarab Mk I-ChevroletLance Reventlow
DNQ BM#52 Kurtis-CorvetteBert Ruttman
DNQ CM#77 Ferrari 735 LMRodger Ward
DNQ EM#114 Sebring 2000SSHank Tubman

Race result

Class winners marked in bold.

Pos Class No Team Drivers Car Laps
1 BM 5 Reventlow Automobile Incorporated United States Chuck Daigh Scarab Mk II 62
Chevrolet Corvette 5.5L V8
2 CM 69 Frank Arciero United States Dan Gurney Ferrari 375 Plus 62
Ferrari 5.0L V12
3 CM 27 Frank Millard United States Bill Krause Jaguar D-Type 62
Jaguar XK 3.9L I6
4 FM 7 Porsche AG France Jean Behra Porsche 718 RSK 61
Porsche 1.5L Flat-4
5 DM 211 Ferrari Representatives of California United States Richie Ginther Ferrari 250 TR 61
Ferrari Tipo 128 3.0L V12
6 DM 159 David Brown United Kingdom Roy Salvadori Aston Martin DBR1 61
Aston Martin 2.9L I6
7 BM 70 Motor Trend Magazine United States Max Balchowsky Ol'Yaller Mk.1 60
Buick 5.3L V8
8 BM 14 Dean Van Lines United States Bill Pollack Lister 60
Chevrolet Corvette 5.8L V8
9 EM 50 Precision Motor Cars United Kingdom Ken Miles Porsche 550 RS 60
Porsche 1.6L Flat-4
10 FM 49 Top Equipment Co. United States Bob Drake Cooper 58
Coventry Climax 1.5L I4
11 CM 88 John Edgar United States Masten Gregory Ferrari 410 S 57
Ferrari 5.0L V12
12 EM 26 Gordon Glyer United States Gordon Glyer Ferrari 500 TR 57
Ferrari Tipo 131 2.0L I4
13 CM 129 Team Empire United States Ralph Ormsbee HWM 57
Chevrolet 5.0L V8
14 FM 117 Tim Considine United States Harry Hanford Osca TN 57
Osca 1.5L I4
15 EM 135 Alan Markelson United States Alan Markelson Ferrari 500 TR 56
Ferrari Tipo 131 2.0L I4
16 EM 9 Mar-Chris Co. United States Bill Cantrell Meyer-Drake Special 56
Offenhauser 1.7L
17 EM 121 Team Empire United States Frank Becker Ferrari 500 TRC 55
Ferrari 2.0L I4
18 GM 127 Skip Conklin United States Skip Conklin Lotus Eleven 55
Climax 1.1L I4
19 FM 124 Team Empire United States George Keck Porsche 550 RS 54
Porsche 1.5L Flat-4
20 DM 118 Jean Pierre Kunstle United States Jean Pierre Kunstle Porsche 356 Carrera GT 54
Porsche 1.5L Flat-4
21 DM 259 William de Creeft United States William de Creeft Aston Martin DB3S 52
Aston Martin 2.9L I6
22 EM 35 C. Vernon United States Pearce Woods Osca 2000 47
Osca 2.0L
23 DM 138 West Coast Racing United States Bill Love Duncan Special 44
Triumph TR2 2.2L
24 EM 23 John Timanus United States John Timanus Lotus Mark X 39
1.4L (Supercharged) I4
25
DNF
CM 2 Ferrari Representatives of California United States Phil Hill Ferrari 412 S 55
Ferrari 4.0L V12 DOHC
26
DNF
GM 125 Team Empire United States Pete Lovely Lotus Eleven 54
Coventry Climax FWA 1.1L I4
27
DNF
FM 126 Team Empire United States Pat Pigott Lotus Eleven 46
Coventry Climax 1.5L I4
28
DNF
FM 4 Team Empire United States Lew Florence Lotus Eleven 25
Coventry Climax 1.5L I4
29
DNF
BM 93 Floyd Burt United States Floyd Burt Buick Special 23
Buick
30
DNF
BM 149 Ray Crawford United States Ray Crawford "Zidar Special" Kurtis 20
Chevrolet Corvette 5.5L V8
31
DNF
BM 181 Chuck Porter United States Johnnie Parsons Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Special 16
Chevrolet Corvette (Supercharged) 5.0L V8
32
DNF
BM 264 Fred Knoop United States Fred Knoop Huffaker-Chrysler Special 13
Chrysler 5.2L V8
33
DNF
BM 3 Reventlow Automobile Incorporated United States Lance Reventlow Scarab Mk II-Chevrolet 9
Chevrolet Corvette 5.5L V8
34
DNF
BM 140 Alex Budurin United States Bill Cheesbourg Kurtis Kraft 8
Buick
35
DNF
BM 172 Mickey Thompson United States Jerry Unser Kurtis 500 X2 7
Cadillac 5.6L V8
36
DNF
BM 6 Bill Murphy's Buick United States Troy Ruttman Kurtis Kraft 7
Buick 5.1L V8
37
DNF
FM 122 Team Empire United States Tom Meehan Cooper 6
Porsche 1.5L Flat-4
38
DNF
CM 78 Temple Buell United States Carroll Shelby Maserati 450S 4
Maserati 4.7L V8 DOHC
39
DNF
BM 96 Marvin Porter Kurtis Kraft 4
Ford
40
DNF
BM 110 Ak Miller United States Bobby Unser Caballo de Hiero Mk II 3
Oldsmobile 6.2L V8
41
DNF
EM 155 Sam Weiss United States Sam Weiss Ferrari 500 TR 1
Ferrari Tipo 131 2.0L I4
42
DNF
CM 11 Ferrari Representatives of California United States John von Neumann Ferrari 335 S 0
Ferrari 4.0L V12 DOHC
43
DNF
BM 111 Ak Miller United States Ak Miller Devin Special 0
Chevrolet 5.6L V8
DNS CM 59 David Brown United States Bob Oker Aston Martin DBR2
Aston Martin 3.9L I6
DNS BM 98 John Engar United States Jim Rathmann Maserati 450S
Pontiac 6.3L V8
DNS BM 229 Clem Proctor United States Clem Proctor Chevrolet Special
Chevrolet (Supercharged) 4.6L V8
DNQ FM 8 Dusty Miller United States Dusty Miller Maserati 150S
Maserati 1.5L I4
DNQ BM 16 Reventlow Automobile Incorporated United States Lance Reventlow Scarab Mk I-Chevrolet
Chevrolet Corvette 5.5L V8
DNQ BM 52 Engine Masters United States Bert Ruttman Kurtis Kraft
Chevrolet Corvette V8
DNQ CM 77 Italia Motors United States Rodger Ward Ferrari 735 LM
Ferrari 4.4L I6
DNQ EM 114 Dean Van Lines United States Hank Tubman Sebring 2000 SS
2.0L
  • Time of race: 2 hours, 17 minutes, 15 seconds
  • Average speed: 88.87 mph (143.02 km/h)

Support races

Two support races were held: a production car race won by Skip Hudson in a Chevrolet Corvette, and an under-1400cc race won by Jock Ross in a Cooper-Climax.[5][6]

References

  1. "Weather information for the 1958 United States Grand Prix for Sports Cars". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  2. "Weather comparison – 2010s climate vs 1950s climate". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  3. Dredge, Bill (October 10, 1958). "Berha arrives to drive in $14,500 U.S. Grand Prix". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  4. "Haybale: Official Sports Car Racing Program, New England Championship". Etceterini. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  5. "Riverside (BP+CP+DP+EP+FP)". Racing Sports Cars. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  6. "Riverside (GM+HM+GP+HP)". Racing Sports Cars. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
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