The Sports Car Club of America™ has unveiled the prestigious group of motorsports greats who will enter the SCCA® Hall of Fame in 2026, with George Bovis, John Doonan, Don Knowles, Frank Schultheis, and Jerry Wannarka honored for their on- and off-track contributions.
George Bovis, John Doonan, Don Knowles, Frank Schultheis, and Jerry Wannarka will officially join the SCCA Hall of Fame during the 2026 SCCA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held online on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, as part of the 2026 SCCA National Convention.
The presentation will be streamed on SCCA’s YouTube channel, with members and non-members alike encouraged to view the ceremony.
Below is a summary of accomplishments made by those who will be inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame as the class of 2026.
George Bovis
The late George Bovis was an SCCA member for more than 55 years before his passing in 2020. Though he started his SCCA career as a racer, his significant contributions came as an administrator. Bovis was the SCCA Chicago Region Regional Executive before being elected to the SCCA Board of Directors (BoD) in the late 1980s and early ’90s. Bovis was elected to a second stretch on the BoD from 1995 through 2000, when he served as the Chairman. Bovis was a Solo, Rally, and Track Events participant, and volunteered his time in Flagging & Communications, as a Race Chairman, Starter, and pace car driver. He was the 1985 Worker of the Year as a Starter, was the first recipient of the Chicago Region Founders Award, and is a member of the Central Division Hall of Fame.
John Doonan
A true life-long SCCA member, John Doonan began his SCCA involvement as a June Sprints® spectator at six months old. And though he obtained his competition license, Doonan has been a significant figure in the business side of motorsports. Doonan joined Mazda as Midwest Advertising Manager in 2003, earning the Director of Mazda Motorsports title in 2011. Under Doonan, the grassroots program thrived, providing contingency, parts and technical support for racers at all levels of SCCA. A ladder program launched the careers of multiple SCCA racers who would not have otherwise had the funding to participate at the highest level. Named IMSA President in late 2019, Doonan solidified and formalized a partnership between IMSA and SCCA to promote all aspects of road racing. Doonan remains an active SCCA member, frequently attending events including the SCCA Runoffs, and occasionally working on the Flagging & Communications team while there.
Don Knowles
Don Knowles’ Hall of Fame resume spans multiple frontiers. A road racer since 1972, Knowles won six SCCA Runoffs® National Championships and an SCCA Pro Racing championship. His Runoffs titles demonstrated his sustained excellence, spanning a record 34 years between his first and last title. He has competed successfully in SCCA autocross, ice racing, and helped set an FIA world endurance record as a member of the ZR-1 Corvette team. Off track, Knowles has served as a driving instructor, was an instrumental member of the Showroom Stock Advisory Committee in the early days of the class, wrote for SCCA’s SportsCar magazine (among others) for many years, and served on the Washington DC Region Board of Directors. A longtime member of the Road Racing Drivers Club, Knowles led the committee to select the Mark Donohue Award winner at the Runoffs. Furthermore, his judgement on various SCCA Hall of Fame committees has rewarded many Club members with recognition through the years.
Frank Schultheis
Frank Schultheis began his SCCA career in 1957 as a driver but quickly found his niche in scrutineering. A member of the San Francisco Region, Schultheis evolved the way that a tech inspection ran. Heading a nationally respected crew, Schultheis and his team were regulars at the SCCA Runoffs, Trans Am, Can-Am, and F5000 events run by SCCA. He created his own tech form that was more comprehensive than the suggested SCCA process, and introduced vehicle log books while pushing for safety features like fire systems, window netting, kill switches, and more. His Formula Vee Scrutineer’s Handbook and Formula Ford Scrutineers Handbook were used nationally as a training guide and in the field. In 1976, Schulteis became the second recipient of SCCA’s John McGill Award, presented to a member who has made a significant contribution to the Club Racing program; he was also inducted into the San Francisco Region Hall of Fame before his passing in 2024.
Jerry Wannarka
An SCCA member for more than 50 years, Jerry Wannarka has served the Club to the highest standard at a National and local level. His Armed Forces career meant that Wannarka has been a member of the Washington DC Region, Indianapolis Region, Alamo Region, and Lone Star Region, serving in each with various administrative roles. As a Steward, he has been Runoffs Chief Steward, Executive Steward in both the Northeast Division and Southwest Division, Regional Race Steward, Operating Steward, Chair of the SOM and Safety Steward. Nationally, he served as Area 2 Director and was Chairman of the SCCA Board of Directors. He also served as Director and Chairman of the SCCA Enterprises® Board. He has previously been recognized with the 2015 Woolf Barnato Award and the 2018 David Morrell Award for his long and distinguished service to the Club.
About the SCCA Hall of Fame
Through their induction into the SCCA Hall of Fame, George Bovis, John Doonan, Don Knowles, Frank Schultheis, and Jerry Wannarka join a distinguished group of SCCA members in the world of motorsports that includes Roger Penske, Briggs Cunningham, Jim Hall, Bobby Rahal, Walt Hansgen, Phil Hill, and more.
Photo caption: (Clockwise from top center) John Doonan, Jerry Wannarka, Don Knowles, Frank Schultheis, and George Bovis
