Second, 1965 Road America 500 driven by Hall, Sharp and Jennings
Jim Hall's Chaparral racers are amongst the most innovative cars in the history of motorsport. The Chaparral 2 was the culmination of extensive research and experimentation. It is impossible to summarize the technical achievements that Jim Hall, Hap Sharp, and team carried out. The results of their efforts with the Chaparral 2 speak for themselves: 23 victories, 16 pole positions and 25 fastest laps in only 69 races.
The USRRC Championship could have been decided two weeks earlier at Mid-Ohio, but neither Jim Hall or George Follmer scored any points. And so the battle would have to conclude at the season finale, the Road America 500, at Elkhart Lake.
The unusual SCCA points rules forced Chaparral Racing to lay all their cards on the table in order to have a chance at victory. The Texas team entered two cars, both of which were to be driven during the main event by Jim Hall and Hap Sharp in order to maximize each drivers' points scoring potential. Bruce Jennings was hired as a teammate in the #65 car, and Ronnie Hissom in #66.
Sharp carved his way through the field to find himself lying in 2nd position on lap 27, up from his 12th spot on the starting grid! Around lap 43 he switched into the #66 car and Bruce Jennings took over the driving duties. The stop cost him one place, but a wild spin just a few laps into his stint cost Jennings a further two spots. Sharp in the white #66 also managed to put the #65 car down a lap as a result! At about two-thirds distance, it was time for Hall, who had started in the #66, to take a turn in #65 while Hissom took over #66. Talk about 'musical cars'!
To Hall's great displeasure, the SCCA awarded equal points to both under and over 2-liter finishers, so while the Chaparrals fully deserved top honors, Follmer in a 2-liter Lotus-Porsche dominated his class and snatched away the Championship! Chaparral Racing's best efforts couldn't clinch the final USRRC Championship for Jim Hall despite a dominant one-two finish for the team. Only the rule-makers could thwart the Texas team.
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