Scarab (constructor)
Encyclopedia
Scarab was an all-American open-wheel race car and sports car constructor from the USA featuring cars designed and built by Tom Barnes and Dick Troutman for Reventlow Automobiles Inc, owned by Lance Reventlow
. The Chevrolet engines were built by Traco Engineering (Jim Travers and Frank Coons, nicknamed "The Whiz Kids").
Builders of the famous consecutive (1953-54) Indianapolis 500-winning race cars driven by famed driver Bill Vukovich
, Troutman and Barnes was almost as successful building sports cars for amateur road racing in the USA in the 1950s. Chuck Daigh drove the Scarab sports car to victory in the 1958 Riverside International Grand Prix, beating a field of international factory teams including famous race car driver Phil Hill
and the Ferrari
Team. Carroll Shelby
drove the Scarab sports car to victory at the Continental Divide raceway in Castle Rock Colorado setting a new course record. Scarab made an ill-fated entry into Formula One
during the 1960 season
with front-engined cars which by then were nearly obsolete. The engines in these front-engined cars were 4 cylinder units similar in layout to the Offenhauser, but entirely of Scarab's own design. They featured Desmodromic valve gear similar in design to that found on the Mercedes engine of the period and were built and maintained by Chuck Daigh. The engines were the achilles heel of the team as the Desmo gear could not cope with the large amount of movement in the engine block and would consistently pull the valves too far closed resulting in valve failure. Scarab participated in five Grands Prix, entering a total of nine cars. Reventlow was joined by his engineer Chuck Daigh
in piloting the blue and white liveried cars. Both Scarabs were entered in the Grands Prix of Monaco
, Holland
, Belgium
, and France
, while only Daigh's car was entered in the American
Grand Prix. Daigh, while entered in the Dutch Grand Prix, did not race due to payment issues.
The following year Chuck Daigh went on to pilot one of the Scarabs in International Formula racing in Europe where he finished eighth, at Goodwood
vying for the Lavant Cup, and finished seventh in a bid for the International Trophy
. A rear-engined single-seater car was built, but never raced in a Formula One event, it ran once in Formula Libre race at Sandown Park in Australia with a Buick V8 engine.
Lance Reventlow
Lance Reventlow, born Lawrence Graf von Haugwitz-Hardenberg-Reventlow was a wealthy playboy, entrepreneur, and racing driver....
. The Chevrolet engines were built by Traco Engineering (Jim Travers and Frank Coons, nicknamed "The Whiz Kids").
Builders of the famous consecutive (1953-54) Indianapolis 500-winning race cars driven by famed driver Bill Vukovich
Bill Vukovich
Bill Vukovich was a Serbian American automobile racing driver. He won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500 plus two more American Automobile Association National Championship races...
, Troutman and Barnes was almost as successful building sports cars for amateur road racing in the USA in the 1950s. Chuck Daigh drove the Scarab sports car to victory in the 1958 Riverside International Grand Prix, beating a field of international factory teams including famous race car driver Phil Hill
Phil Hill
Philip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero...
and the Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
Team. Carroll Shelby
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965...
drove the Scarab sports car to victory at the Continental Divide raceway in Castle Rock Colorado setting a new course record. Scarab made an ill-fated entry into Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
during the 1960 season
1960 Formula One season
The 1960 Formula One season featured the eleventh FIA World Championship of Drivers, the third International Cup for F1 Manufacturers and numerous non-championship Formula One races...
with front-engined cars which by then were nearly obsolete. The engines in these front-engined cars were 4 cylinder units similar in layout to the Offenhauser, but entirely of Scarab's own design. They featured Desmodromic valve gear similar in design to that found on the Mercedes engine of the period and were built and maintained by Chuck Daigh. The engines were the achilles heel of the team as the Desmo gear could not cope with the large amount of movement in the engine block and would consistently pull the valves too far closed resulting in valve failure. Scarab participated in five Grands Prix, entering a total of nine cars. Reventlow was joined by his engineer Chuck Daigh
Chuck Daigh
Chuck Daigh was an American racing car driver. He broke into Grand Prix racing through Lance Reventlow's Scarab team, through the virtue of being one of the resident engineers. Born in Long Beach, California, he participated in six World Championship Formula One races, debuting on May 29, 1960 and...
in piloting the blue and white liveried cars. Both Scarabs were entered in the Grands Prix of Monaco
1960 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1960 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 29, 1960.- Classification :- Notes :*Pole position: Stirling Moss - 1:36.3*Fastest Lap: Bruce McLaren - 1:36.2*First win for a Lotus in a World Championship Formula One race...
, Holland
1960 Dutch Grand Prix
The 1960 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zandvoort on June 6, 1960.Due to a crash by Dan Gurney, a spectator, who was in a prohibited area, was killed during this event.- Classification :- Notes :...
, Belgium
1960 Belgian Grand Prix
The 1960 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on 19 June 1960. It is remembered as one of Formula One's darkest days due to the deaths of Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey and the serious accidents of Stirling Moss and Mike Taylor.The results highlight an unusual...
, and France
1960 French Grand Prix
The 1960 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Reims-Gueux on July 3, 1960.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
, while only Daigh's car was entered in the American
1960 United States Grand Prix
The 1960 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on November 20, 1960 at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California.__FORCETOC__-Summary:...
Grand Prix. Daigh, while entered in the Dutch Grand Prix, did not race due to payment issues.
The following year Chuck Daigh went on to pilot one of the Scarabs in International Formula racing in Europe where he finished eighth, at Goodwood
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...
vying for the Lavant Cup, and finished seventh in a bid for the International Trophy
BRDC International Trophy
The International Trophy is a prize awarded annually by the British Racing Drivers' Club to the winner of a motor race held at the Silverstone Circuit, England...
. A rear-engined single-seater car was built, but never raced in a Formula One event, it ran once in Formula Libre race at Sandown Park in Australia with a Buick V8 engine.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarab | Scarab L4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
ARG 1960 Argentine Grand Prix The 1960 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Buenos Aires on February 7, 1960.- Classification :* Trintignant and Moss received no points for the shared drive-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standings... |
MON 1960 Monaco Grand Prix The 1960 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 29, 1960.- Classification :- Notes :*Pole position: Stirling Moss - 1:36.3*Fastest Lap: Bruce McLaren - 1:36.2*First win for a Lotus in a World Championship Formula One race... |
500 1960 Indianapolis 500 The 1960 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held at Indianapolis on Monday, May 30, 1960. The event was part of the 1960 World Drivers' Championship; the last Indianapolis 500 to be included in the Championship.- Classification :... |
NED 1960 Dutch Grand Prix The 1960 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zandvoort on June 6, 1960.Due to a crash by Dan Gurney, a spectator, who was in a prohibited area, was killed during this event.- Classification :- Notes :... |
BEL 1960 Belgian Grand Prix The 1960 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on 19 June 1960. It is remembered as one of Formula One's darkest days due to the deaths of Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey and the serious accidents of Stirling Moss and Mike Taylor.The results highlight an unusual... |
FRA 1960 French Grand Prix The 1960 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Reims-Gueux on July 3, 1960.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings... |
GBR 1960 British Grand Prix The 1960 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire, England, on 16 July 1960. The race was the seventh round of the 1960 Formula One season, the final Formula One season run to the 2.5 litre maximum engine displacement rules which had been in... |
POR 1960 Portuguese Grand Prix The 1960 Portuguese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Circuito da Boavista, Oporto on August 14, 1960.- Classification :- Notes :*Pole position: John Surtees - 2:25.56*Fastest Lap: John Surtees - 2:27.53... |
ITA 1960 Italian Grand Prix The 1960 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on September 4, 1960. The race was won by American driver Phil Hill driving a Ferrari 246 F1.-Race Summary :... |
USA 1960 United States Grand Prix The 1960 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on November 20, 1960 at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California.__FORCETOC__-Summary:... |
0 | NC | |||
| Chuck Daigh Chuck Daigh Chuck Daigh was an American racing car driver. He broke into Grand Prix racing through Lance Reventlow's Scarab team, through the virtue of being one of the resident engineers. Born in Long Beach, California, he participated in six World Championship Formula One races, debuting on May 29, 1960 and... |
DNQ | DNS | Ret | DNS | 10 | |||||||||||
| Lance Reventlow Lance Reventlow Lance Reventlow, born Lawrence Graf von Haugwitz-Hardenberg-Reventlow was a wealthy playboy, entrepreneur, and racing driver.... |
DNQ | DNS | Ret | |||||||||||||
| Richie Ginther Richie Ginther Paul Richard "Richie" Ginther was a racecar driver from the United States. During a varied career, the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix saw Ginther take Honda's first Grand Prix victory, a victory which would also prove to be Ginther's only win in Formula One... |
DNS |
External links
- http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/con-scara.html