With provisional race results in, Rock Hill, SC, native David Daughtery claims his 11th career victory in the SCCA National Championship Runoffs. That tally puts him third all-time in the 58-year history of the Pinnacle of American Amateur Motorsports.
Daughtery drove a 2009 Mini Cooper to a 0.771-second win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course — over Tire Rack Pole Award winner John Phillips (Sealy, TX), also in a Mini — in a race that ended under caution two laps early. Another Mini, driven by Steve Introne of Windham, NH, took third place.
Frank Schwartz from Ann Arbor, MI finished fourth, while the fifth-place Chevrolet Sonic driven by fellow Michigander Brandon Vivian broke up the Mini domination.
Daughtery assumed the lead from teammate Phillips on the third of the 19 scheduled laps in what Phillips said was a planned move worked out via radio communication. It appeared to pay off when the duo was able to edge away from Introne, who started on the front row alongside Phillips but dropped to sixth place when he was pushed off the track on the opening lap.
Introne quickly moved back up to third, but he lost the draft of Daughtery and Phillips, who remained in close company as they pulled away.
Phillips believed his car was faster in the sequence of corners that leads onto the back straight of the course. He planned to make his move on the final lap, but the yellow flag flew before that was possible.
Daughtery was genuinely surprised by his most recent Runoffs win and said he thought he had a third- or fourth-place car.
He paid tribute to John Heinricy, who several hours earlier had claimed his 16th SCCA National Championship by triumphing in the first of nine Friday races at the National Championship event.
“I’ve got to keep up with Mr. Heinricy, because he keeps clicking them off!” Daughtery noted. “So, I’ll take this one. It certainly didn’t go as planned; I had planned on sitting back. John let me by, and we were a little bit quicker out front. He had more speed at the end of the straight, but I had him up to the checkered flag. It’s just unbelievable.”
Phillips, the 2019 SCCA B-Spec National Champion, earned his fifth podium finish at the Runoffs. “We knew exactly what we needed to do when we came to the Runoffs this year. It was just as we had planned,” Phillips remarked. “Unfortunately, I was setting up for the last lap and I had him covered, but the caution came out. But no better person in the world to win than David Daughtery. He’s like a brother to me and he built this car.”
Introne was delighted to earn a trip to the famed Victory Circle at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “It’s awesome to be on the Runoffs podium,” he said. “We’ve been in SCCA families all our lives, and you dream about this stuff. That was just a good damn race.”
David Rosenblum claimed the Sunoco Hard Charger Award in the #44 Ford Fiesta by gaining 17 positions to finish 31st in the 61-car field after starting 48th.
The 58th SCCA® National Championship Runoffs®, the Pinnacle of American Amateur Motorsports, crowns Sports Car Club of America’s Road Racing National Champions this year at the Racing Capital of the World—Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in Indianapolis, Indiana—during the Hagerty Race Days Friday Oct. 1 through Sunday, Oct. 3.
Live, online video coverage of Runoffs races, presented by Mazda, is available throughout the three days of competition at SCCA.com/live along with an audio race call—supplied by the Super Tour Radio presented by Hoosier Racing Tire broadcast team—and live timing and scoring for each National Championship race.
Below are official results for Friday's B-Spec race at the 58th SCCA National Championship Runoffs from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with finish position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car and laps completed.
1, (3), David Daughtery, Rock Hill, SC, Mini Cooper, 17.
2, (1), John Phillips, Sealy, TX, Mini Cooper, 17.
3, (2), Steve Introne, Windham, NH, Mini Cooper, 17.
4, (8), Frank Schwartz, Ann Arbor, MI, Mini Cooper, 17.
5, (6), Brandon Vivian, Milford, MI, Chevrolet Sonic, 17.
6, (7), Kyle Keenan, Vancouver, WA, Mazda 2, 17.
7, (5), Rob Piekarczyk, Brunswick, OH, Honda Fit, 17.
8, (10), Matt Wolfe, Canton, MI, Mazda 2, 17.
9, (9), Charlie Valdez, Austin, TX, Mazda 2, 17.
10, (4), Chris Daughtery, Rock Hill, SC, Mini Cooper, 17.
11, (12), Tony Roma, Beverly Hills, MI, Chevrolet Sonic, 17.
12, (13), Alex Ratcliffe, Leesburg, VA, Mini Cooper, 17.
13, (17), Ryan Moran, Leesburg, VA, Mini Cooper, 17.
14, (21), Conner Kelleher, Sugar Land, TX, Mini Cooper, 17.
15, (11), Riley Salyer, Longview, TX, Mazda 2, 17.
16, (16), Dan Hardison, Delaware, OH, Honda Fit, 17.
17, (14), Andrew Nelson, Dunnville, ON, Mini Cooper, 17.
18, (20), Sergio Zlobin, Houston, TX, Mazda 2, 17.
19, (22), Joseph Gersch, Conroe, TX, Toyota Yaris, 17.
20, (18), Chris Taylor, Elroy, TX, Mazda 2, 17.
21, (19), Robert Bax, Cincinnati, OH, Mini Cooper, 17.
22, (24), David Oliveira, Moosup, CT, Mini Cooper, 17.
23, (23), Matthew Downing, Canal Winchester, OH, Honda Fit, 17.
24, (26), Michael Fox, League City, TX, Mazda 2, 17.
25, (27), Christopher Jackson, Indianapolis, IN, Mini Cooper, 17.
26, (32), James O'Hare, Safety Harbor, FL, Mini Cooper, 17.
27, (25), Drew Strickland, Baltimore, MD, Mazda 2, 17.
28, (36), Mike Sitzenstock, Blaine, WA, Honda Fit, 17.
29, (34), Ali Naimi, Morgan Hill, CA, Mazda 2, 17.
30, (38), Carey Rouse, Austin, TX, Mazda 2, 17.
31, (48), David Rosenblum, Mays Landing, NJ, Ford Fiesta, 17.
32, (42), Thomas Lepper, Benicia, CA, Mazda 2, 17.
33, (43), Chris Crisenbery, Parma, MI, Honda Fit, 17.
34, (39), Cherie Storms, Langley, BC, Mazda 2, 17.
35, (51), Shawn Fohs, Mendham, NJ, Mini Cooper, 17.
36, (35), Stephanie Andersen, Racine, WI, Mazda 2, 17.
37, (47), William Storms, Maple Ridge, BC, Ford Fiesta, 17.
38, (54), Steve Kaster, Little Suamico, WI, Ford Fiesta, 17.
39, (44), Charlie Vehle, Danbury, TX, Honda Fit, 17.
40, (46), J.B. Swan, Braintree, MA, Chevrolet Sonic, 17.
41, (52), Leann Falk, Tolar, TX, Mazda 2, 17.
42, (45), Jorge Fabian, San Lorenzo, PR, Mini Cooper, 17.
43, (49), David Hancock, El Paso, TX, Ford Fiesta, 17.
44, (50), Ricky Holmstrom, Florence, WI, Mazda 2, 17.
45, (53), Billy Parrott, Barbourville, KY, Mini Cooper, 17.
46, (57), Steve Schwartz, Canton, MI, Mini Cooper, 17.
47, (58), Steve Hewett, Burnet, TX, Mini Cooper, 16.
48, (30), Kent Carter, Houston, TX, Mazda 2, 16.
49, (59), Karah Behrend, Houston, TX, Honda Fit, 16.
50, (41), Andy Doyle, Fishers, IN, Ford Fiesta, 16.
51, (29), James Rogerson, Angleton, TX, Mini Cooper, 15.
52, (40), Kristian Smith, Brighton, MI, Ford Fiesta, 15.
53, (33), Fritz Wilke, Chelsea, MI, Ford Fiesta, 15.
54, (28), Michael Olivier, Santa Rosa, CA, Honda Fit, 15.
55, (56), Kevin Stuckey, Kenosha, WI, Honda Fit, 15.
56, (37), Stewart Black, Greensboro, NC, Chevrolet Sonic, 8.
57, (60), Peter Sumerford, Birmingham, AL, Mini Cooper, 8.
DNF, (31), Bryon Prokopf, Maryland Hts, MO, Mini Cooper, 6.
DNF, (15), Chris Haldeman, McKinney, TX, Mazda Mazda2, 4.
DNF, (55), G. Brian Metcalf, Bath, NY, Mini Cooper, 3.
DNS, (61), Chuck Davis, Overland Park, KS, Honda Fit, 0.
Race Stats
Length of Race: 44 miles (17 laps)
Overall Time of Race: 39:45.761 (avg. 66.490 mph)
Margin of Victory: 0.771 seconds
Fastest Race Lap: 2:03.971 (75.269 mph) #12 Introne
Lap Leaders: #43 1-2; #00 3-17
Sunoco Hard Charger: #44 David Rosenblum
Photo caption: Daughtery leads Phillips to the checkered flag in B-Spec.
Photo by Jay Bonvouloir
Words by Reece White
