The 1958 BRSCC British Saloon Car Championship

British Touring Car Championship

The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...

was the inaugural season of the championship. The series was open to four separate classes, up to 1200cc, 1201-1600cc, 1601-2700cc and 2701cc and above. Equal championship points were to be scored in each class, meaning any car could win the championship without winning any races outright. The first ever round was actually held on 26 December 1957 at Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...

. The final round of the year was held on 5 October back at Brands Hatch.

Jack Sears

Jack Sears

Jack Sears is a British former race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport....

 and Sopwith ended the final race on the same number of championship points. With this a possibility going into the final round it was initially suggested the champion would be decided by the toss of a coin. The idea was very unpopular with both drivers, and it was decided two identical looking Marcus Chambers-owned Riley One-Point-Five

Riley One-Point-Five

The Riley One-Point-Five and similar Wolseley 1500 were motor vehicles based on the Morris Minor floorpan, suspension and steering but fitted with the larger 1489 cc B-Series engine and MG Magnette gearbox...

 works rally cars would be brought along for a five lap shoot-out. To make the race fair, they raced five laps, switched cars, then raced five laps again with the driver who had the quickest combined time being crowned champion. In extremely wet conditions, the first head to head was won by Sopwith by 2.2 seconds. The second race was won by Sears by 3.8 seconds. This meant that Sears was crowned the first ever BSCC champion.

Calendar

Overall winners of multi-class races in bold.

Round		Circuit	Date	Class A Winner	Class B Winner	Class C Winner	Class D Winner
1	A	Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...	April 7	John Sprinzel John Sprinzel John Sprinzel is a German born British former auto racing driver. He was renowned for competing in saloon car racing and rallying. Sprinzel finished third overall in the inaugural 1958 British Saloon Car Championship season driving for his own Team Speedwell in an Austin A35. He was British Rally...	Not contested.	Jack Sears Jack Sears Jack Sears is a British former race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport....	Not contested.
	B			Not contested.	Alan Foster	Not contested.	Tommy Sopwith Tommy Sopwith (racing driver) Thomas Sopwith, Jr. is a British businessman and former auto racing driver. He is the son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, inventor of the Sopwith Camel....
NC		Aintree Motor Racing Circuit Aintree Motor Racing Circuit Aintree Motor Racing Circuit is a 3-mile motor racing circuit in the village of Aintree, Merseyside, England. The circuit is located within the famous Aintree Racecourse and used the same grandstands as horse racing... , Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...	April 19	Unknown.	Alan Foster	Peter Blond	Gawaine Baillie
2	A	Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...	April 20	John Sprinzel John Sprinzel John Sprinzel is a German born British former auto racing driver. He was renowned for competing in saloon car racing and rallying. Sprinzel finished third overall in the inaugural 1958 British Saloon Car Championship season driving for his own Team Speedwell in an Austin A35. He was British Rally...	Not contested.
	B			Not contested.	Tommy Bridger	Not contested.
	C			Not contested.		Jack Sears Jack Sears Jack Sears is a British former race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport....	Tommy Sopwith Tommy Sopwith (racing driver) Thomas Sopwith, Jr. is a British businessman and former auto racing driver. He is the son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, inventor of the Sopwith Camel....
NC		Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side... , Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...	May 3	Graham Hill Graham Hill Norman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to...	Les Leston Les Leston Alfred Lazarus Fingleston , better known as Les Leston, is a British former racing driver from England. Les started racing in a Jaguar SS100 before acquiring a Cooper and his own Leston Special. He become a Cooper works driver in 1954 and took the national Formula 3 championship in the same year...	Jeff Uren Jeff Uren Jeff Uren , was a British racing driver and race tuning expert, mainly working with Fords. His most famous works of engineering included the V6 three litre Modified by Weslake Ford Cortina MkII Savage, and the V8 four-point-seven litre Ford Capri Stampede...	Mike Hawthorn Mike Hawthorn John Michael Hawthorn was a racing driver, born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, and educated at Ardingly College, West Sussex.-Racing career:...
3	A	Mallory Park Mallory Park Mallory Park is a motor racing circuit situated in the village of Kirkby Mallory, just off the A47, between Leicester and Hinckley. With the full car circuit measuring only 1.35 miles it is amongst the shortest permanent race circuits in the UK... , Leicestershire Leicestershire Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...	May 11	John Sprinzel John Sprinzel John Sprinzel is a German born British former auto racing driver. He was renowned for competing in saloon car racing and rallying. Sprinzel finished third overall in the inaugural 1958 British Saloon Car Championship season driving for his own Team Speedwell in an Austin A35. He was British Rally...	Not contested.
	B			Not contested.	Les Leston Les Leston Alfred Lazarus Fingleston , better known as Les Leston, is a British former racing driver from England. Les started racing in a Jaguar SS100 before acquiring a Cooper and his own Leston Special. He become a Cooper works driver in 1954 and took the national Formula 3 championship in the same year...	Jeff Uren Jeff Uren Jeff Uren , was a British racing driver and race tuning expert, mainly working with Fords. His most famous works of engineering included the V6 three litre Modified by Weslake Ford Cortina MkII Savage, and the V8 four-point-seven litre Ford Capri Stampede...	Gawaine Baillie
4	A	Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...	May 18	John Sprinzel John Sprinzel John Sprinzel is a German born British former auto racing driver. He was renowned for competing in saloon car racing and rallying. Sprinzel finished third overall in the inaugural 1958 British Saloon Car Championship season driving for his own Team Speedwell in an Austin A35. He was British Rally...	Not contested.
	B			Not contested.	Tommy Bridger	Jack Sears Jack Sears Jack Sears is a British former race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport....	Tommy Sopwith Tommy Sopwith (racing driver) Thomas Sopwith, Jr. is a British businessman and former auto racing driver. He is the son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, inventor of the Sopwith Camel....
NC		Goodwood Circuit Goodwood Circuit Goodwood Circuit is an historic venue for both two- and four-wheeled motorsport in the United Kingdom. The 2.4 mile circuit is situated near Chichester, West Sussex, close to the south coast of England, on the estate of Goodwood House, and completely encircles Chichester/Goodwood Airport... , West Sussex West Sussex West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...	May 26	John Sprinzel John Sprinzel John Sprinzel is a German born British former auto racing driver. He was renowned for competing in saloon car racing and rallying. Sprinzel finished third overall in the inaugural 1958 British Saloon Car Championship season driving for his own Team Speedwell in an Austin A35. He was British Rally...	Barney Everley	Duncan Hamilton1
5	A	Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...	June 8	John Sprinzel John Sprinzel John Sprinzel is a German born British former auto racing driver. He was renowned for competing in saloon car racing and rallying. Sprinzel finished third overall in the inaugural 1958 British Saloon Car Championship season driving for his own Team Speedwell in an Austin A35. He was British Rally...	Not contested.
	B			Not contested.	Tommy Bridger	Jack Sears Jack Sears Jack Sears is a British former race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport....	Tommy Sopwith Tommy Sopwith (racing driver) Thomas Sopwith, Jr. is a British businessman and former auto racing driver. He is the son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, inventor of the Sopwith Camel....
NC		Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Norfolk, England. Owned by MotorSport Vision, it is situated on the A11 road some 20 km north-east of the town of Thetford and 30 km south-west of the city of Norwich... , Norfolk Norfolk Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...	June 29	John Sprinzel John Sprinzel John Sprinzel is a German born British former auto racing driver. He was renowned for competing in saloon car racing and rallying. Sprinzel finished third overall in the inaugural 1958 British Saloon Car Championship season driving for his own Team Speedwell in an Austin A35. He was British Rally...	Les Leston Les Leston Alfred Lazarus Fingleston , better known as Les Leston, is a British former racing driver from England. Les started racing in a Jaguar SS100 before acquiring a Cooper and his own Leston Special. He become a Cooper works driver in 1954 and took the national Formula 3 championship in the same year...	Edgar Wadsworth	Tommy Sopwith Tommy Sopwith (racing driver) Thomas Sopwith, Jr. is a British businessman and former auto racing driver. He is the son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, inventor of the Sopwith Camel....
6		Crystal Palace Crystal Palace (circuit) Crystal Palace circuit was a motor racing circuit in Crystal Palace, London, England. The circuit was located within Crystal Palace park. The route of the track can still be seen on maps providing access to the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre that is also located in the park.- History :The... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...	July 5	George 'Doc' Shepherd Doc Shepherd George Doc Shepherd was a British racing driver. He entered the inaugural year of the British Saloon Car Championship in 1958, driving a class A Austin A35 where he finished fourth on points and second in class. in 1959, he finished second in the championship in an Austin A40...	Alan Foster	Jeff Uren Jeff Uren Jeff Uren , was a British racing driver and race tuning expert, mainly working with Fords. His most famous works of engineering included the V6 three litre Modified by Weslake Ford Cortina MkII Savage, and the V8 four-point-seven litre Ford Capri Stampede...	Tommy Sopwith Tommy Sopwith (racing driver) Thomas Sopwith, Jr. is a British businessman and former auto racing driver. He is the son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, inventor of the Sopwith Camel....
NC		Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side... , Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...	July 19	Bob Gerard Bob Gerard Frederick Roberts "Bob" Gerard was a racing driver and businessman from England...	Les Leston Les Leston Alfred Lazarus Fingleston , better known as Les Leston, is a British former racing driver from England. Les started racing in a Jaguar SS100 before acquiring a Cooper and his own Leston Special. He become a Cooper works driver in 1954 and took the national Formula 3 championship in the same year...	Jack Sears Jack Sears Jack Sears is a British former race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport....	Walt Hansgen Walt Hansgen Walt Hansgen was a racecar driver from the United States. His racing career began as a road racing driver...
7		Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...	August 4	John Sprinzel John Sprinzel John Sprinzel is a German born British former auto racing driver. He was renowned for competing in saloon car racing and rallying. Sprinzel finished third overall in the inaugural 1958 British Saloon Car Championship season driving for his own Team Speedwell in an Austin A35. He was British Rally...	Alan Foster	Jack Sears Jack Sears Jack Sears is a British former race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport....	Tommy Sopwith Tommy Sopwith (racing driver) Thomas Sopwith, Jr. is a British businessman and former auto racing driver. He is the son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, inventor of the Sopwith Camel....
8		Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...	August 30	George 'Doc' Shepherd Doc Shepherd George Doc Shepherd was a British racing driver. He entered the inaugural year of the British Saloon Car Championship in 1958, driving a class A Austin A35 where he finished fourth on points and second in class. in 1959, he finished second in the championship in an Austin A40...	Les Leston Les Leston Alfred Lazarus Fingleston , better known as Les Leston, is a British former racing driver from England. Les started racing in a Jaguar SS100 before acquiring a Cooper and his own Leston Special. He become a Cooper works driver in 1954 and took the national Formula 3 championship in the same year...	Jack Sears Jack Sears Jack Sears is a British former race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport....	Tommy Sopwith Tommy Sopwith (racing driver) Thomas Sopwith, Jr. is a British businessman and former auto racing driver. He is the son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, inventor of the Sopwith Camel....
9		Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...	October 5	George 'Doc' Shepherd Doc Shepherd George Doc Shepherd was a British racing driver. He entered the inaugural year of the British Saloon Car Championship in 1958, driving a class A Austin A35 where he finished fourth on points and second in class. in 1959, he finished second in the championship in an Austin A40...	Les Leston Les Leston Alfred Lazarus Fingleston , better known as Les Leston, is a British former racing driver from England. Les started racing in a Jaguar SS100 before acquiring a Cooper and his own Leston Special. He become a Cooper works driver in 1954 and took the national Formula 3 championship in the same year...	Jack Sears Jack Sears Jack Sears is a British former race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport....	Tommy Sopwith Tommy Sopwith (racing driver) Thomas Sopwith, Jr. is a British businessman and former auto racing driver. He is the son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, inventor of the Sopwith Camel....
NC		Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...	December 26	George 'Doc' Shepherd Doc Shepherd George Doc Shepherd was a British racing driver. He entered the inaugural year of the British Saloon Car Championship in 1958, driving a class A Austin A35 where he finished fourth on points and second in class. in 1959, he finished second in the championship in an Austin A40...	Les Leston Les Leston Alfred Lazarus Fingleston , better known as Les Leston, is a British former racing driver from England. Les started racing in a Jaguar SS100 before acquiring a Cooper and his own Leston Special. He become a Cooper works driver in 1954 and took the national Formula 3 championship in the same year...	Jeff Uren Jeff Uren Jeff Uren , was a British racing driver and race tuning expert, mainly working with Fords. His most famous works of engineering included the V6 three litre Modified by Weslake Ford Cortina MkII Savage, and the V8 four-point-seven litre Ford Capri Stampede...	Gawaine Baillie

¹Classes combined.

Championship results

Driver's championship
Pos.	Driver	Team	Class	Points
1	Jack Sears Jack Sears Jack Sears is a British former race and rally driver, and was one of the principal organisers of the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. He was popularly known as "Gentleman Jack". His son David is also involved in motorsport....	Jack Sears	C	48
2	Tommy Sopwith Tommy Sopwith (racing driver) Thomas Sopwith, Jr. is a British businessman and former auto racing driver. He is the son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, inventor of the Sopwith Camel....	Equipe Endeavour	D	48
3	John Sprinzel John Sprinzel John Sprinzel is a German born British former auto racing driver. He was renowned for competing in saloon car racing and rallying. Sprinzel finished third overall in the inaugural 1958 British Saloon Car Championship season driving for his own Team Speedwell in an Austin A35. He was British Rally...	Team Speedwell	A	47
4	Doc Shepherd Doc Shepherd George Doc Shepherd was a British racing driver. He entered the inaugural year of the British Saloon Car Championship in 1958, driving a class A Austin A35 where he finished fourth on points and second in class. in 1959, he finished second in the championship in an Austin A40...	Team Speedwell	A	41
5	Alan Foster	Dick Jacobs	B	40
6	Jeff Uren Jeff Uren Jeff Uren , was a British racing driver and race tuning expert, mainly working with Fords. His most famous works of engineering included the V6 three litre Modified by Weslake Ford Cortina MkII Savage, and the V8 four-point-seven litre Ford Capri Stampede...	Jeff Uren	C	36

External links

• Official website of the British Touring Car Championship