# 1958 United States Grand Prix for Sports Cars

The 1958 United States Grand Prix for Sports Cars was a sports car race held at Riverside International Raceway on October 12, 1958. It was the fourth and final round of the 1958 USAC Road Racing Championship season, the seventeenth round of the Sports Car Club of America's Pacific Coast Championship, the second running of the Riverside Grand Prix, and the first post-World War II running of the United States Grand Prix. The race was held over 62 laps of Riverside's 3.3-mile (5.3 km) circuit, for a total of 203.1 miles (326.9 km). Chuck Daigh won the race overall, driving one of Lance Reventlow's Scarab-Chevrolets. The race is also noteworthy in the annals of international racing, as the strong second-place finish by a local driver named Dan Gurney earned him a test drive in a factory Ferrari Formula 1 car, effectively launching the Californian's legendary racing career.
The weather at this event was very warm, even for a desert climate that routinely saw daytime temperatures of 100F plus during the summer. On race day the temperature reached an extraordinary high for the era 95 °F (35 °C); with winds gusting up to 9.9 miles per hour (15.9 km/h) on race day. Even with the global warming that emerged decades after the late 1950s, the maximum temperature of Riverside, California never exceeded 79.2 °F (26.2 °C) for the month of October 2013.

## Entry

The race was open to cars meeting the Sports Car Club of America's B Modified through G Modified classes. Although named "modified", most of the cars in classes C through G were factory-built sports racing cars. The field was unusually large for an American sports car race, attracted in large part by a large purse consisting of $14,500 ($153,128.03 in today's money).
| Class | Displacement |
| B Modified | 5000-8000cc |
| C Modified | 3000-5000cc |
| D Modified | 2000-3000cc |
| E Modified | 1500-2000cc |
| F Modified | 1100-1500cc |
| G Modified | 750-1100cc |

## Qualifying

Pole position winners in each class are marked in bold.
| Pos | Class | Car | Driver | Lap Time |
| 1 | BM | #5 Scarab Mk II-Chevrolet | Chuck Daigh | 02:04.0 |
| 2 | CM | #2 Ferrari 412 S | Phil Hill | 02:06.0 |
| 3 | BM | #3 Scarab Mk II-Chevrolet | Lance Reventlow | 02:08.1 |
| 4 | CM | #59 Aston Martin DBR2 | Bob Oker | 02:09.7 |
| 5 | CM | #69 Ferrari 375 Plus | Dan Gurney | 02:10.2 |
| 6 | CM | #11 Ferrari 335 S | John von Neumann | 02:10.8 |
| 7 | BM | #70 Ol' Yaller Mk.I-Buick | Max Balchowsky | 02:11.1 |
| 8 | DM | #159 Aston Martin DBR1 | Roy Salvadori | 02:11.6 |
| 9 | DM | #211 Ferrari 250 TR | Richie Ginther | 02:12.3 |
| 10 | BM | #172 Kurtis 500X-Cadillac | Jerry Unser | 02:12.4 |
| 11 | CM | #27 Jaguar D-Type | Bill Krause | 02:13.6 |
| 12 | BM | #111 Devin-Chevrolet Special | Ak Miller | 02:13.7 |
| 13 | FM | #7 Porsche 718 RSK | Jean Behra | 02:14.3 |
| 14 | BM | #14 Lister-Corvette | Bill Pollack | 02:15.5 |
| 15 | CM | #88 Ferrari 410 S | Masten Gregory | 02:15.6 |
| 16 | CM | #78 Maserati 450S | Carroll Shelby | 02:15.6 |
| 17 | BM | #229 Chevrolet Special | Clem Proctor | 02:17.6 |
| 18 | BM | #264 Huffaker Special-Chrysler | Fred Knoop | 02:17.7 |
| 19 | EM | #50 Porsche 550 RS Spyder | Ken Miles | 02:18.0 |
| 20 | FM | #126 Lotus Eleven | Pat Pigott | 02:18.6 |
| 21 | EM | #155 Ferrari 500 TR | Sam Weiss | 02:18.8 |
| 22 | BM | #149 Zidar Special (Kurtis-Corvette) | Ray Crawford | 02:19.8 |
| 23 | GM | #125 Lotus Eleven | Pete Lovely | 02:21.8 |
| 24 | BM | #98 Maserati 450S-Pontiac | Jim Rathmann | 02:22.9 |
| 25 | GM | #127 Lotus Eleven-Climax | Skip Conklin | 02:23.4 |
| 26 | EM | #9 Meyer-Drake Special-Offenhauser | Bill Cantrell | 02:24.0 |
| 27 | FM | #49 Cooper-Climax | Bob Drake | 02:24.3 |
| 28 | FM | #117 Osca TN | Harry Hanford | 02:24.4 |
| 29 | FM | #4 Lotus Eleven | Lew Florence | 02:24.6 |
| 30 | EM | #135 Ferrari 500 TR | Alan Markelson | 02:24.9 |
| 31 | CM | #129 HWM-Chevrolet | Ralph Ormsbee | 02:25.3 |
| 32 | BM | #96 Kurtis-Ford | Marvin Porter | 02:25.4 |
| 33 | BM | #110 Caballo de Hiero Mk II-Oldsmobile | Bobby Unser | 02:26.3 |
| 34 | EM | #121 Ferrari 500 TRC | Frank Becker | 02:26.3 |
| 35 | BM | #93 Buick Special | Floyd Burt | 02:27.6 |
| 36 | FM | #122 Cooper-Porsche | Tom Meehan | 02:28.2 |
| 37 | FM | #124 Porsche 550 RS Spyder | George Keck | 02:28.3 |
| 38 | DM | #259 Aston Martin DB3S | William de Creeft | 02:28.8 |
| 39 | EM | #35 Osca 2000 | Pearce Woods | 02:29.0 |
| 40 | BM | #140 Kurtis-Buick | Bill Cheesbourg | 02:30.1 |
| 41 | EM | #23 Lotus Mark X | John Timanus | 02:30.4 |
| 42 | DM | #118 Porsche 356 Carrera GT Coupe | Jean Pierre Kunstle | 02:34.2 |
| 43 | DM | #138 Duncan Special | Bill Love | 02:35.3 |
| 44 | EM | #26 Ferrari 500 TR | Gordon Glyer | 02:36.5 |
| 45 | BM | #6 Kurtis-Buick | Troy Ruttman | no time |
| 46 | BM | #181 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL-Corvette | Johnnie Parsons | no time |
| DNQ | FM | #8 Maserati 150S | Dusty Miller | – |
| DNQ | BM | #16 Scarab Mk I-Chevrolet | Lance Reventlow | – |
| DNQ | BM | #52 Kurtis-Corvette | Bert Ruttman | – |
| DNQ | CM | #77 Ferrari 735 LM | Rodger Ward | – |
| DNQ | EM | #114 Sebring 2000SS | Hank Tubman | – |

## Race result

Class winners marked in bold.
| Pos | Class | No | Team | Drivers | Car | Laps |
| 1 | BM | 5 | Reventlow Automobile Incorporated | Chuck Daigh | Scarab Mk II | 62 |
| 1 | BM | 5 | Reventlow Automobile Incorporated | Chuck Daigh | Chevrolet Corvette 5.5L V8 | 62 |
| 2 | CM | 69 | Frank Arciero | Dan Gurney | Ferrari 375 Plus | 62 |
| 2 | CM | 69 | Frank Arciero | Dan Gurney | Ferrari 5.0L V12 | 62 |
| 3 | CM | 27 | Frank Millard | Bill Krause | Jaguar D-Type | 62 |
| 3 | CM | 27 | Frank Millard | Bill Krause | Jaguar XK 3.9L I6 | 62 |
| 4 | FM | 7 | Porsche AG | Jean Behra | Porsche 718 RSK | 61 |
| 4 | FM | 7 | Porsche AG | Jean Behra | Porsche 1.5L Flat-4 | 61 |
| 5 | DM | 211 | Ferrari Representatives of California | Richie Ginther | Ferrari 250 TR | 61 |
| 5 | DM | 211 | Ferrari Representatives of California | Richie Ginther | Ferrari Tipo 128 3.0L V12 | 61 |
| 6 | DM | 159 | David Brown | Roy Salvadori | Aston Martin DBR1 | 61 |
| 6 | DM | 159 | David Brown | Roy Salvadori | Aston Martin 2.9L I6 | 61 |
| 7 | BM | 70 | Motor Trend Magazine | Max Balchowsky | Ol'Yaller Mk.1 | 60 |
| 7 | BM | 70 | Motor Trend Magazine | Max Balchowsky | Buick 5.3L V8 | 60 |
| 8 | BM | 14 | Dean Van Lines | Bill Pollack | Lister | 60 |
| 8 | BM | 14 | Dean Van Lines | Bill Pollack | Chevrolet Corvette 5.8L V8 | 60 |
| 9 | EM | 50 | Precision Motor Cars | Ken Miles | Porsche 550 RS | 60 |
| 9 | EM | 50 | Precision Motor Cars | Ken Miles | Porsche 1.6L Flat-4 | 60 |
| 10 | FM | 49 | Top Equipment Co. | Bob Drake | Cooper | 58 |
| 10 | FM | 49 | Top Equipment Co. | Bob Drake | Coventry Climax 1.5L I4 | 58 |
| 11 | CM | 88 | John Edgar | Masten Gregory | Ferrari 410 S | 57 |
| 11 | CM | 88 | John Edgar | Masten Gregory | Ferrari 5.0L V12 | 57 |
| 12 | EM | 26 | Gordon Glyer | Gordon Glyer | Ferrari 500 TR | 57 |
| 12 | EM | 26 | Gordon Glyer | Gordon Glyer | Ferrari Tipo 131 2.0L I4 | 57 |
| 13 | CM | 129 | Team Empire | Ralph Ormsbee | HWM | 57 |
| 13 | CM | 129 | Team Empire | Ralph Ormsbee | Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 57 |
| 14 | FM | 117 | Tim Considine | Harry Hanford | Osca TN | 57 |
| 14 | FM | 117 | Tim Considine | Harry Hanford | Osca 1.5L I4 | 57 |
| 15 | EM | 135 | Alan Markelson | Alan Markelson | Ferrari 500 TR | 56 |
| 15 | EM | 135 | Alan Markelson | Alan Markelson | Ferrari Tipo 131 2.0L I4 | 56 |
| 16 | EM | 9 | Mar-Chris Co. | Bill Cantrell | Meyer-Drake Special | 56 |
| 16 | EM | 9 | Mar-Chris Co. | Bill Cantrell | Offenhauser 1.7L | 56 |
| 17 | EM | 121 | Team Empire | Frank Becker | Ferrari 500 TRC | 55 |
| 17 | EM | 121 | Team Empire | Frank Becker | Ferrari 2.0L I4 | 55 |
| 18 | GM | 127 | Skip Conklin | Skip Conklin | Lotus Eleven | 55 |
| 18 | GM | 127 | Skip Conklin | Skip Conklin | Climax 1.1L I4 | 55 |
| 19 | FM | 124 | Team Empire | George Keck | Porsche 550 RS | 54 |
| 19 | FM | 124 | Team Empire | George Keck | Porsche 1.5L Flat-4 | 54 |
| 20 | DM | 118 | Jean Pierre Kunstle | Jean Pierre Kunstle | Porsche 356 Carrera GT | 54 |
| 20 | DM | 118 | Jean Pierre Kunstle | Jean Pierre Kunstle | Porsche 1.5L Flat-4 | 54 |
| 21 | DM | 259 | William de Creeft | William de Creeft | Aston Martin DB3S | 52 |
| 21 | DM | 259 | William de Creeft | William de Creeft | Aston Martin 2.9L I6 | 52 |
| 22 | EM | 35 | C. Vernon | Pearce Woods | Osca 2000 | 47 |
| 22 | EM | 35 | C. Vernon | Pearce Woods | Osca 2.0L | 47 |
| 23 | DM | 138 | West Coast Racing | Bill Love | Duncan Special | 44 |
| 23 | DM | 138 | West Coast Racing | Bill Love | Triumph TR2 2.2L | 44 |
| 24 | EM | 23 | John Timanus | John Timanus | Lotus Mark X | 39 |
| 24 | EM | 23 | John Timanus | John Timanus | 1.4L (Supercharged) I4 | 39 |
| 25 DNF | CM | 2 | Ferrari Representatives of California | Phil Hill | Ferrari 412 S | 55 |
| 25 DNF | CM | 2 | Ferrari Representatives of California | Phil Hill | Ferrari 4.0L V12 DOHC | 55 |
| 26 DNF | GM | 125 | Team Empire | Pete Lovely | Lotus Eleven | 54 |
| 26 DNF | GM | 125 | Team Empire | Pete Lovely | Coventry Climax FWA 1.1L I4 | 54 |
| 27 DNF | FM | 126 | Team Empire | Pat Pigott | Lotus Eleven | 46 |
| 27 DNF | FM | 126 | Team Empire | Pat Pigott | Coventry Climax 1.5L I4 | 46 |
| 28 DNF | FM | 4 | Team Empire | Lew Florence | Lotus Eleven | 25 |
| 28 DNF | FM | 4 | Team Empire | Lew Florence | Coventry Climax 1.5L I4 | 25 |
| 29 DNF | BM | 93 | Floyd Burt | Floyd Burt | Buick Special | 23 |
| 29 DNF | BM | 93 | Floyd Burt | Floyd Burt | Buick | 23 |
| 30 DNF | BM | 149 | Ray Crawford | Ray Crawford | "Zidar Special" Kurtis | 20 |
| 30 DNF | BM | 149 | Ray Crawford | Ray Crawford | Chevrolet Corvette 5.5L V8 | 20 |
| 31 DNF | BM | 181 | Chuck Porter | Johnnie Parsons | Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Special | 16 |
| 31 DNF | BM | 181 | Chuck Porter | Johnnie Parsons | Chevrolet Corvette (Supercharged) 5.0L V8 | 16 |
| 32 DNF | BM | 264 | Fred Knoop | Fred Knoop | Huffaker-Chrysler Special | 13 |
| 32 DNF | BM | 264 | Fred Knoop | Fred Knoop | Chrysler 5.2L V8 | 13 |
| 33 DNF | BM | 3 | Reventlow Automobile Incorporated | Lance Reventlow | Scarab Mk II-Chevrolet | 9 |
| 33 DNF | BM | 3 | Reventlow Automobile Incorporated | Lance Reventlow | Chevrolet Corvette 5.5L V8 | 9 |
| 34 DNF | BM | 140 | Alex Budurin | Bill Cheesbourg | Kurtis Kraft | 8 |
| 34 DNF | BM | 140 | Alex Budurin | Bill Cheesbourg | Buick | 8 |
| 35 DNF | BM | 172 | Mickey Thompson | Jerry Unser | Kurtis 500 X2 | 7 |
| 35 DNF | BM | 172 | Mickey Thompson | Jerry Unser | Cadillac 5.6L V8 | 7 |
| 36 DNF | BM | 6 | Bill Murphy's Buick | Troy Ruttman | Kurtis Kraft | 7 |
| 36 DNF | BM | 6 | Bill Murphy's Buick | Troy Ruttman | Buick 5.1L V8 | 7 |
| 37 DNF | FM | 122 | Team Empire | Tom Meehan | Cooper | 6 |
| 37 DNF | FM | 122 | Team Empire | Tom Meehan | Porsche 1.5L Flat-4 | 6 |
| 38 DNF | CM | 78 | Temple Buell | Carroll Shelby | Maserati 450S | 4 |
| 38 DNF | CM | 78 | Temple Buell | Carroll Shelby | Maserati 4.7L V8 DOHC | 4 |
| 39 DNF | BM | 96 | | Marvin Porter | Kurtis Kraft | 4 |
| 39 DNF | BM | 96 | | Marvin Porter | Ford | 4 |
| 40 DNF | BM | 110 | Ak Miller | Bobby Unser | Caballo de Hiero Mk II | 3 |
| 40 DNF | BM | 110 | Ak Miller | Bobby Unser | Oldsmobile 6.2L V8 | 3 |
| 41 DNF | EM | 155 | Sam Weiss | Sam Weiss | Ferrari 500 TR | 1 |
| 41 DNF | EM | 155 | Sam Weiss | Sam Weiss | Ferrari Tipo 131 2.0L I4 | 1 |
| 42 DNF | CM | 11 | Ferrari Representatives of California | John von Neumann | Ferrari 335 S | 0 |
| 42 DNF | CM | 11 | Ferrari Representatives of California | John von Neumann | Ferrari 4.0L V12 DOHC | 0 |
| 43 DNF | BM | 111 | Ak Miller | Ak Miller | Devin Special | 0 |
| 43 DNF | BM | 111 | Ak Miller | Ak Miller | Chevrolet 5.6L V8 | 0 |
| DNS | CM | 59 | David Brown | Bob Oker | Aston Martin DBR2 | – |
| DNS | CM | 59 | David Brown | Bob Oker | Aston Martin 3.9L I6 | – |
| DNS | BM | 98 | John Engar | Jim Rathmann | Maserati 450S | – |
| DNS | BM | 98 | John Engar | Jim Rathmann | Pontiac 6.3L V8 | – |
| DNS | BM | 229 | Clem Proctor | Clem Proctor | Chevrolet Special | – |
| DNS | BM | 229 | Clem Proctor | Clem Proctor | Chevrolet (Supercharged) 4.6L V8 | – |
| DNQ | FM | 8 | Dusty Miller | Dusty Miller | Maserati 150S | – |
| DNQ | FM | 8 | Dusty Miller | Dusty Miller | Maserati 1.5L I4 | – |
| DNQ | BM | 16 | Reventlow Automobile Incorporated | Lance Reventlow | Scarab Mk I-Chevrolet | – |
| DNQ | BM | 16 | Reventlow Automobile Incorporated | Lance Reventlow | Chevrolet Corvette 5.5L V8 | – |
| DNQ | BM | 52 | Engine Masters | Bert Ruttman | Kurtis Kraft | – |
| DNQ | BM | 52 | Engine Masters | Bert Ruttman | Chevrolet Corvette V8 | – |
| DNQ | CM | 77 | Italia Motors | Rodger Ward | Ferrari 735 LM | – |
| DNQ | CM | 77 | Italia Motors | Rodger Ward | Ferrari 4.4L I6 | – |
| DNQ | EM | 114 | Dean Van Lines | Hank Tubman | Sebring 2000 SS | – |
| DNQ | EM | 114 | Dean Van Lines | Hank Tubman | 2.0L | – |
* Time of race: 2 hours, 17 minutes, 15 seconds
* Average speed: 88.87 mph (143.02 km/h)

## Support races

Two support races were held: a production car race won by Skip Hudson in a Chevrolet Corvette, and an under-1400cc race won by Jock Ross in a Cooper-Climax.