SCCA: New class of Majors champions crowned in five conferences

A total of 140 new SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Conference Champions have been decided across 28 classes in five geographically-based conferences. This marked the first year of the expanded SafeRacer Club Racing Program, filling the demand for increased events on the East Coast.

While the growth of the program is a positive step for the Club Racing program, what is most important is the inclusion of 28 additional deserving SCCA Majors Conference Champions across the five conferences that represent the entire lower 48.Based on number and variety of championship titles won in 2015, Scott Rettich, of Columbus, Ohio, was the big winner this past season. Rettich landed a total of three Majors Conference Championships in three different classes, and three different conferences, all at the controls of SCCA Enterprises-constructed cars. Rettich wrapped up the Spec Racer Ford crown in the Southeast Conference, then moved on to win the SRF Gen3 battle in the Northeast. He concluded the season by taking home the Formula Enterprises title in the Northern Conference.Tim Kezman, of Franksville, Wisconsin, tied Rettich for the total number of championships won throughout the season, however Kezman's titles were spread over two different classes within two conferences. In Southeast Conference competition, Kezman wrapped up the Touring 2 title. As part of the Northern Conference, Kezman was the season-long winner in both T2 and GT-2 classes.Five drivers managed to fight off championship challengers to win two Conference crowns in 2015. Chuck Moran, of Oakton, Virginia, was the Formula Continental winner in the Southeast and Northeast Conferences while Michael Scornavacchi, of Matthews, North Carolina, was the Touring 4 champion in the same conferences. Jack Walbran, of St. Louis, Missouri, took home the Formula 500 winner's hardware in the Southeast and Mid-States Conferences.Completing the list of dual-title winners were Michael Pettiford, of Louisville, Colorado, and Matt Reynolds, of Fair Oaks, Texas. Pettiford struck gold in the Touring 1 and Touring 2 classes in the Mid-States Conference while Reynolds did the same in E Production and Spec Miata in the same Conference.While winning the multiple championships in one season is impressive, holding one title for years on end is also difficult. In its third full season of competition, the SCCA Majors has produced a group of nine drivers that have won at least one title each season. Jim Wheeler, of Lenexa, Kansas, has completed the defense of his American Sedan title in the Mid-States Conference for three years. Aside from winning multiple championships this season, Moran has also shown he can find is way to the top year after year. This was his third consecutive FC title in the Eastern or Northeast Conference. Like Moran, Reynolds is also a three-time champ, but in E Production.David Fershtand, of Ft. Worth, Texas, has a stranglehold on the GT-1 class in the Mid-States Conference following his third-consecutive class win, while John Bower, of Granada Hills, California, has proved to be the top dog in the GT-Lite class in the Western Conference.Eric Prill, of Topeka, Kansas, completed the three-peat in of the Mid-States Conference F Production class. Alex Mayer, of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, Rettich and Kirk Kindsfater, Eaton, Colorado, all completed the triple.Seven drivers fended off the all challengers to complete a successful two-time defense of their championship titles. These drivers represented four of the five conferences. The Western Conference only saw one successful title defense, that of Bower. Each of the other 27 classes featured new blood at the top of the standings.The Mid-States Conference had three repeat class winners, including Pettiford (Touring 1), Chuck Hearn (Formula Vee) and Jonathan Goodale (GTL).Two drivers in the Northern Conference were able to convert their season-long performances into a second consecutive Majors title. Richard Walke (Super Touring Lite) and Gregory Gauper (H Production) earned the title of two-time defending champions.Preston Calvert (T2), was the lone representative from the Northeast Conference while Jacek Mucha (P1) was up to the test in the Southeast Conference.The complete standings for the 2015 SCCA U.S. Majors Tour season can be seen at SCCA.com/Majors.TOPEKA, Kan. – 2015 SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Conference Champions, part of the Safe Racer Club Racing Program. Champions are grouped by class with name, conference, car and accumulated points, (tiebreakers explained).American SedanJim Wheeler, Mid-States Conference, Pontiac TransAm, 192Daniel Richardson, Northeastern Conference, Chevrolet Camaro, 171Andrew McDermid, Northern Conference, Ford Mustang, 196Tom Ellis, Southeastern Conference, Ford Mustang, 121Christopher Qualls, Western Conference, Ford Mustang, 150B-SpecJohn Phillips, Mid-States Conference, Toyota Yaris, 192Brian Audet, Northeastern Conference, MINI Cooper, 167David Daughtery, Northern Conference, Honda Fit, 112Mac Korince, Southeastern Conference, MINI Cooper, 135Eric Boucher, Western Conference, Mazda2, 189E ProductionMatt Reynolds, Mid-States Conference, Mazda Miata, 200Chris Dryden, Northeastern Conference, BMW Z3, 171Joe Moser, Northern Conference, Honda Prelude, 192Greg Ira, Southeastern Conference, Datsun 240Z, 103Anthony Jimerson, Western Conference, Mazda RX-7Formula 500John W. "Jack" Walbran, Mid-States Conference, Novakar J10, 200David Lapham, Northeastern Conference, Invader QC-1, 156James Weida, Northern Conference, Scorpion W1, 146John W. "Jack" Walbran, Southeastern Conference, Novakar J10, 170H. Joseph Rozelle, Western Conference, Novakar J10, 25Formula AtlanticTyler Hunter, Mid-States Conference, Swift 014a, 184Garth Rickards, Northeastern Conference, Swift 016/Mazda, 100James Smart, Northern Conference, Swift 014a, 126Conner Kearby, Southeastern Conference, Swift 016/Mazda, 146Edward Lever, Western Conference, Pro Star Mazda, 146Formula 1000James Michael, Mid-States Conference, Stohr F1000, 136J.R. Osborne, Northeastern Conference, Firman F1000, 178Tyler Thielmann, Northern Conference, JDR-012, 200Alex Mayer, Southeastern Conference, JDR, 134, (Has most wins)John Labrie, Western Conference, Phoenix Race Works F1K12, 188Formula ContinentalBrandon Dixon tied with Travis Parker, Mid-States Conference, 50, (Equal number of points and race wins)Charles Moran, Northeastern Conference, Van Diemen RF99, 139Jim Victor, Northern Conference, Firman, 124Charles Moran, Southeastern Conference, Van Diemen RF99, 177Robert Armington, Western Conference, Van Diemen RF00, 173Formula EnterprisesHenry Donohoo, Mid-States Conference, SCCA Formula Enterprise, 125Joseph Sammut, Northeastern Conference, SCCA Enterprise, 181Scott Rettich, Northern Conference, SCCA Enterprise, 175Thomas Green, Southeastern Conference, SCCA Enterprise, 138Jeff Read, Western Conference, SCCA Enterprise, 181Formula FMax Mallinen, Mid-States Conference, Spectrum 014/Honda, 150William Atherholt, Northeastern Conference, Swift DB-1, 81Timothy Kautz, Northern Conference, Piper DF3D/Honda, 200Thomas McGregor, Southeastern Conference, Spectrum 014/Honda, 163Daniel Swanbeck, Western Conference, Piper DF-5, 156Formula MazdaLarry Howard, Mid-States Conference, Formula Mazda, 154Robert Noell, Northeastern Conference, Formula Mazda, 50Joseph Burton-Harris, Northern Conference, Formula Mazda, 50Doug Peterson, Southeastern Conference, Formula Mazda, 123Michael Ottis, Western Conference, Formula Mazda, 196F ProductionEric Prill, Mid-States Conference, Mazda Miata, 200Charlie Campbell, Northeastern Conference, Mazda Miata, 196Michael Froh, Northern Conference, Mazda Miata, 172Ken Kannard, Southeastern Conference, Mazda Miata, 196Joe Huffaker, Western Conference, MG Midget, 196Formula VeeCharles Hearn, Mid-States Conference, Vortech, 148Richard Shields, Northeastern Conference, VDF-2, 147Andrew Whitston, Northern Conference, Protoform P2, 161Laura Hayes, Southeastern Conference, Protoform P2, 161Dennis Andrade, Western Conference, Vortech, 186GT-1David Fershtand, Mid-States Conference, Chevrolet Corvette, 96Jack Busch, Northeastern Conference, Ford Mustang, 125Michael Lewis, Northern Conference, Jaguar XKR, 150Simon Gregg, Southeastern Conference, Chevrolet Corvette, 184Kenneth Davis, Western Conference, Chevrolet Corvette, 109GT-2Brad Gross, Mid-States Conference, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 114Robert Lentz, Sr., Northeastern Conference, Nissan 300ZX, 129Tim Kezman, Northern Conference, Porsche 997, 162Randall Kinsland, Southeastern Conference, Chevrolet Corvette, 151Erich Joiner, Western Conference, Porsche 997 GT3 Cup, 159GT-3Alan Marshall, Mid-States Conference, Mazda RX-7, 164Christopher Howard, Northeastern Conference, Mazda Miata, 120Joe Kristensen, Northern Conference, Acura RSX, 150Ray Stephenson, Southeastern Conference, Mazda RX-7, 138Collin Jackson, Western Conference, Nissan 240SX, 150GT-LiteJonathan Goodale, Mid-States Conference, Mazda MX-5, 117Kyle Disque, Northeastern Conference, Toyota Tercel, 184Joel Hipp, Northern Conference, Austin Mini, 132Peter Shadowen, Southeastern Conference, 139John Bower, Western Conference, Nissan Sentra, 120H ProductionChris Albin, Mid-States Conference, Volkswagen GTI/Golf, 142Johannes Krauss, Northeastern Conference, Volkswagen Scirocco, 125Gregory Gauper, Northern Conference, Honda Civic, 200Will Perry, Southeastern Conference, Honda CRX, 150Jason Isley, Western Conference, Toyota Yaris, 200Prototype 1Kirk Kindsfater, Mid-States Conference, Speads RS11, 200David Dickerson, Northeastern Conference, Radical SR3, 89John Gyann, Northern Conference, Stohr WF1, 119Jacek Mucha, Southeastern Conference, JMS 016 cp/Mazda, 180James Devenport, Western Conference, Norma M20FC, 146Prototype 2Bruce Gurney, Mid-States Conference, Carbir S2000, 142Dennis Hanratty, Jr., Northeastern Conference, West WR-1000, 196Greg Gyann, Northern Conference, Stohr WF1, 192Sherman Chao, Southeastern Conference, Stohr WF1, 160David Ferguson, Western Conference, Van Diemen RFS-03/Mazda, 176Spec MiataMatt Reynolds, Mid-States Conference, Mazda Miata, 171Tyler Kicera, Northeastern Conference, Mazda Miata, 178Justin Hille, Northern Conference, Mazda Miata, 188Danny Steyn, Southeastern Conference, Mazda Miata, 163Marco Gallaher, Western Conference, Mazda Miata, 164Spec Racer FordGrayson Strathman, Mid-States Conference, SRF, 196Bruce Myers, Northeastern Conference, SRF, 145Adam Gottlieb, Northern Conference, SRF, 196Scott Rettich, Southeastern Conference, SRF, 184Paul Raby, Western Conference, SRF, 137Spec Racer Ford Gen3Richard Stephens, Mid-States Conference, SRF3, 155Joseph Sammut, Northeastern Conference, SRF3, 145Scott Rettich, Northern Conference, SRF3, 189Kerry Jacobsen, Southeastern Conference, SRF3, 181Mike Miserendino, Western Conference, SRF3, 192Super Touring LiteCliff Ira, Mid-States Conference, Acura Integra GSR, 75Robert Beede, Northeastern Conference, Honda Civic Si, 169Richard Walke, Northern Conference, Mazda RX-7, 170Nick Leverone, Southeastern Conference, Mazda Miata, 150Paul Whiting, Western Conference, Honda CRX, 186Super Touring UnderAnthony Simmers, Mid-States Conference, Volkswagen GTI, 166John Schmitt, Northeastern Conference, Honda Civic, 146Ian Girvan, Northern Conference, Acura Integra GSR, 134Michael Flynn, Southeastern Conference, BMW E46, 119Michele Abbate, Western Conference, Scion FR-S, 176Touring 1Michael Pettiford, Mid-States Conference, Chevrolet Corvette, 167David Sanders, Northeastern Conference, Chevrolet Corvette, 180John Buttermore, Northern Conference, Chevrolet Corvette, 142George Winkler, Southeastern Conference, Ford Mustang Boss 302S, 107Marc Hoover, Western Conference, Mazda MX-5, 196Touring 2Michael Pettiford, Mid-States Conference, Pontiac Solstice GXP, 188Preston Calvert, Northeastern Conference, Ford Mustang GT, 163Tim Kezman, Northern Conference, Porsche 911, 177Tim Kezman, Southeastern Conference, Porsche 911, 169Russell Peterson, Western Conference, Ford Shelby GT, 182Touring 3Robert Schader, Mid-States Conference, Nissan 350Z, 200Chad Gilsinger, Northeastern Conference, Acura TL, 196J. Womack, Northern Conference, BMW Z4 M Coupe, 200Tom Brady, Southeastern Conference, BMW M3, 117Tom Wickersham, Western Conference, Ford Mustang, 130Touring 4James Place, Mid-States Conference, Acura GRS, 176Michael Scornavacchi, Northeastern Conference, Ford Mustang, 171Voytek Burdzy, Northern Conference, Mazda MX-5, 184Michael Scornavacchi, Southeastern Conference, Ford Mustang, 150Tom Wickersham, Western Conference, Mazda MX-5, 171Image: Jim Wheeler completed his second American Sedan Mid-States Conference title defense.Credit: Mark Weber