SVRA crowns more National Champions to wrap up historic racing weekend at COTA

The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association wrapped up its National Championships race weekend at the Circuit of The Americas by awarding 16 more drivers Bell Helmet National Championship Trophies, adding to the previous day's 11 winners. The complete list of winners appears below.

Among the notables was Travis Engen, who picked off his second helmet of the weekend again driving his Audi R8 LMP to victory, this time in the Hawk Performance Historic GT/GTP Enduro. Peter Klutt, the Canadian TV personality and the driver who shared his Group 6 Corvette with Al Unser Jr. to win the Brickyard Invitational Pro-Am at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last June, scored again by winning the national championship from the pole.

Kyle Kietzmann, President and CEO of Bell Racing USA, was again on hand to pass out the prizes. Among the most appreciative was Gaston Kearby (pictured, TOP), who drove his 1997 Indy Lights Lola to victory in a Group 9 field that included Indy cars, Formula 2 and Formula 5000 machines.

"I'm pumped – this is a really great award," Kearby said. "Tony Parella has done wonders with this series and this Bell Helmet Trophy is a brilliant idea."

Tony Parella (SVRA photo)SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella pulled double duty as both driver and top executive. For him, though, his big moment was having daughter Adrienne sit in the riding mechanic's seat of his 1934 Chevrolet open-wheel racer for the race.

"To be able to do that with Adrienne, well, that was really special," Parella reflected.

Looking ahead to next year, Parella sees a bright future for the SVRA, COTA and the National Championship weekend.

"I think our drivers really found a rhythm this year. Last year was tough because everything was so new," Parella said. "Most of the guys knew what to expect this year and I think they had more fun. I believe the national championships here have a strong future because everyone knows the rules and what to expect. What a way to the end the year – COTA is a great venue!"

More from the SVRA National Championships at COTA

• Coaching for success at COTA

• History vibrant at COTA’s SVRA Championship races

• Travis Engen exemplifies the serious racing at SVRA’s National Championships

• IndyCar stars invade SVRA races at COTA

• Shadow of a champion

• Young guns chase SVRA glory at COTA

• Second annual SVRA National Championships underway at COTA

Sunday National Champions:

Group 3

Joel Weinberger (1962 Porsche 356B)
Dennis Olthoff (1962 GSM Dart)

Group 4

Bill Treffert (1960 Corvette)

Group 5

Gray Gregory (1969 Chevron B16)
Hobie Buppert (1969 Lola T70 MKIII)

Group 6

Bob Caudle (1971 Corvette)
Peter Klutt (1969 Chevrolet Corvette)
Fritz Seidel (1973 Porsche 911 IROC)
Curt Vogt (1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302)

Group 8

Bill Able, (1966 Alfa-Romeo GTV)

Group 9

Kyle Buxton (1977 March F2)
Gaston Kearby (1997 Lola T97/20)

Pre-War

Luca Maciucescy (1957 Cooper T43)

Historic GT/GTP Enduro

Travis Engen (2005 Audi R8 LMP)
David Neidell (1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass)
Gray Gregory (1973 Chevron B26)
Randy Buck (1973 Chevron B26)

{igallery id=4107|cid=229|pid=5|type=category|children=0|addlinks=0|tags=|limit=0}