1970 SCCA Continental Championship

The 1970 SCCA Continental Championship was the fourth annual running of the Sports Car Club of America's professional open wheel racing series.[1] The championship was open to Formula A cars,[2] with both 305 cubic inch "stock block" V8 engines and 183 cubic inch "free design" engines being permitted in that category.[3] For the first time in the history of the series, drivers competed for the L&M Championship Trophy and a share of a $40,000 prize fund.[4] The championship was won by John Cannon driving a McLaren M10B Chevrolet.[2]

The SCCA also organized a separate Continental Championship for Formula B cars.[3]

Race schedule

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The championship was contested over a thirteen race series.[2]

Race [5][6] Date [5] [6] Name Circuit [5] [6] Distance Winner [5] [6] Car [5] [6]
1 April 19 Riverside Grand Prix Riverside International Raceway 40 laps   John Cannon McLaren M10B - Chevrolet V8
2 May 24 Lucerne 100 Edmonton International Speedway 40 laps   Ron Grable Lola T190 - Chevrolet V8
3 June 7 Seattle Grand Prix Seattle International Raceway 45 laps   John Cannon McLaren M10B - Chevrolet V8
4 June 14 Monterey Grand Prix Laguna Seca Raceway 50 laps   Ron Grable Lola T190 - Chevrolet V8
5 June 28 Continental 49'er Sears Point International Raceway 40 laps   Gus Hutchison Brabham BT26A – Ford Cosworth DFV V8
6 July 5 Dallas Grand Prix Dallas International Motor Speedway 41 laps   Gus Hutchison Brabham BT26A – Ford Cosworth DFV V8
7 July 18 Road America Grand Prix Road America 25 laps   John Cannon McLaren M10B - Chevrolet V8
8 August 1 Le Circuit Continental Circuit Mont-Tremblant 35 laps   George Follmer Lotus 70 - Ford V8
9 August 16 Minnesota Grand Prix Brainerd International Raceway 50 laps   David Hobbs Surtees TS5A - Chevrolet V8
10 September 7 Lime Rock Grand Prix Lime Rock Park 70 laps   David Hobbs Surtees TS5A - Chevrolet V8
11 September 13 Mosport Continental Mosport Park 39 laps   Mark Donohue Lola T192 - Chevrolet V8
12 September 27 Mid-Ohio Grand Prix Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 42 laps   George Follmer Lotus 70 - Ford V8
13 October 25 L&M F5000 Championship Race Sebring International Raceway 45 laps   Mark Donohue Lola T192 - Chevrolet V8

Points system

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Championship points were awarded to drivers on a 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 basis for the first ten places in each race.[2]

Championship standings

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John Cannon won the 1970 SCCA Continental Championship driving a McLaren M10B, similar to that pictured above
Position [5][6] Driver [5][6] Car [5][6][2] Points [5][6]
1   John Cannon McLaren M10B Chevrolet 129
2   Gus Hutchison Brabham BT26 Ford Cosworth DFV
91
3   David Hobbs Surtees TS5A Chevrolet 86
4   Eppie Wietzes McLaren M10B Chevrolet 81
5   Ron Grable Lola T190 Chevrolet
Surtees TS5 Chevrolet
72
6   George Follmer Lotus 70 Ford 71
7   John Gunn Surtees TS5A Chevrolet 66
8   Mark Donohue Lola T192 Chevrolet 52
9   Dick Smothers Lotus 70 Chevrolet
Eagle Chevrolet
40
10   Bill Brack Lotus 70 Chevrolet 36
11   John Martin Lotus 38 Chevrolet
Surtees TS5A Chevrolet
34
12   Dave Jordan Eagle Chevrolet 29
13   George Wintersteen Lotus 70 Chevrolet 28
14   Rex Ramsey Eagle Chevrolet
Surtees TS5A Chevrolet
27
15   Fred Baker McLaren M10A Chevrolet 26
=   Spence Stoddard Lola T190 Chevrolet 26
17   Eric Haga Lola T190 Chevrolet 22
18   Hiroshi Fushida Eagle Plymouth 20
19   Dow Byers Lola T190 Chevrolet 18
20   Mike Brockman Lola T190 Chevrolet 16
21   Mike Goth Lola T190 Chevrolet 15
22   Gregg Young McLaren M10A Chevrolet 13
23   Chuck Parsons Lola T190 Chevrolet 12
24   David Oxton Lotus 70 Ford 10
25   Horst Kroll Lola T142 Chevrolet 8
26   Rich Galloway Lola T190 Chevrolet 6
27   Kurt Reinhold McKee Mk12 Chevrolet 4
=   Lyle Forsgren Forsgrini Mk14B Chevrolet 4
29   Jim Paul LeGrand Mk11 Chevrolet 3
30   Glenn Brown McLaren Mk2 Chevrolet 2
=   John Saucier Lola T142 Chevrolet 2
32   Gerard Raney Eagle Chevrolet 1
=   Crockey Peterson Coyote Chevrolet
Lola T142 Chevrolet
1
=   Peter Sherman Lola T142 Chevrolet 1
=   Bob Stanford McKee Mk7S Chevrolet 1

References

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  1. ^ Wolfgang Kopfler, Formula A and Formula 5000 in America - Race by Race, 2003, pages 7 to 35
  2. ^ a b c d e Wolfgang Kopfler, Formula A and Formula 5000 in America - Race by Race, 2003, pages 34 to 35
  3. ^ a b Continental Championship, Official Program, Oregon Grand Prix Road Races, September 12-13 1970, www.oregonscca.com Archived 2014-03-22 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 22 March 2014
  4. ^ L&M Championship Trophy, $40,000 Fund, www.myf5000.com Retrieved on 22 March 2014
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i 1970 SCCA Continental Championship Review - Page 1, www.myf5000.com Retrieved on 20 March 2014
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i 1970 SCCA Continental Championship Review – Page 2, www.myf5000.com Retrieved on 20 March 2014
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