SVRA crowns 11 National Champions with special Bell helmets

The SVRA national championship is a unique honor in that it is not based on an accumulation of points across the 13 race weekend series. The idea is that it is an invitational that attracts competitors from 12 vintage or historic racing sanctioning bodies across America. The concept of bringing the best of the best to duke it out at America's state-of-the-art Formula 1 venue clearly sets the race apart.

"It really is something special," says Dave Handy, who earned his helmet for an overall win in Group 2. "I've raced now for 30 years. Over that time you meet other drivers you enjoy competing with. In my race today it was Bobby Brown. He's 75 years old and amazing. He gave me a hell of a fight."

Craig Bennett, who, driving father-in-law Jim Bartel's UOP Shadow Can-Am car earned his second consecutive helmet sums it up succinctly, "It's cool to be champ."

Other drivers that repeated their helmet-winning efforts were Indianapolis 500 veteran Wade Cunningham in Formula Ford and 21-year-old wunderkind Theo Bean in his father Toby's ex-Johnny O'Connell Nissan 300ZX-T GTO. A full list of the winners appears below.

Kyle Kietzmann, President and CEO of Bell Racing USA (pictured, TOP), presented the new champions with their awards. In most cases each group's overall winner was presented a helmet. At the race director's discretion, based on the quantity and quality of competition other class winners, such as Formula Ford champ Wade Cunningham also was recognized as a national champion with the helmet trophy.

"This opportunity came along just at the time we were reaching out to the vintage racer market," Kietzmann says. "We introduced a new vintage-style series of products just before our relationship with SVRA began. The idea is to provide the vintage styling but with no compromise to modern safety technology. It's great marketing for our brand."

Group 1

Overall: William Gardner (Austin-Healey Sprite)
Formula Junior: Robert Hoemke (Cooper T59)

Group 2

Overall: Dave Handy (Brabham BT29)
FF: Wade Cunningham (Titan Formula Ford)

Group 7A

Overall: Lee Brahin (Ralt RT41 Sports Racer)

Group 7B

Overall: Cal Meeker (Lola T292)

Group 10

Overall: Sean Ryan (2006 Ford Fusion)
GT: Bill Ockerlund (1991 Chevrolet Camaro)

Group 11

GTP3: Travis Engen (2005 Audi R8 LMP)
GTP1: Craig Bennett (1974 UOP Shadow Can-Am)
TA2: Theo Bean (Nissan 300ZX-T IMSA GTO)