John H. Wilton Award
The Wilton Award was first presented in 1993 by his friends in his memory. John Wilton was a Club Ford driver who lost his life at Summit Point in a sport that he truly loved. This award is presented to a region member who has his/her first-ever race win while driving a Club Ford in a MARRS event during the calendar year. If more than one driver meets the requirement, the trophy shall be awarded to the one with the higher MARRS points total for the season. If no Club Ford drivers meet these requirements, the trophy shall be awarded to a Formula Ford driver meeting the criteria. If no Club Ford or Formula Ford drivers meet the criteria, the trophy would not be awarded that year.
Nomination from Special Awards Committee
John M. Barnett Memorial Award
The John M. Barnett Memorial Award was given to the region in memory of John Barnett who died under unusual circumstances while attending a driver’s school at Nelson Ledges. John and his wife had cooked their dinner over charcoal at a motel in the area, and to keep warm during the night, they took the grill and coals into their motel room. Because the burning charcoal used up much of the oxygen in the room and produced a great deal of carbon monoxide, John died in his sleep. The next morning a friend went to the motel to find out why John and his wife Tina had not arrived at the track and discovered the tragedy. Tina survived and eventually sold John’s Formula Vee to Dennis Karmerowski. Dennis and Tina were married some time later, and in 1979 they donated this trophy to the region in memory of John, a young and potentially successful Vee driver. The trophy is engraved: “John Barnett Memorial Award Given to the Most Improved FVee or Formula Car Driver.” (September 1981)
Most improved FV or formula car driver
Dick Lord Trophy
This trophy is awarded to the competitor who prepares and drives his own car with excellence in regional races. In memory of Dick Lord, a Washington, D. C., driver, who passed away after suffering a heart attack during competition in 1969. The Washington Region has assigned this trophy to the driver who accumulates the most number of points in regional (now MARRS) competition during the year in accordance with the current MARRS Championship rules of awarding points (2006), regardless of class. This is somewhat incongruous because Dick Lord would never have accumulated the most number of points during any season driving his Fiat. He was a driver who loved to race, and he came out for every event just for the sheer pleasure of racing. Usually he finished at the rear of the pack, and he was frequently lapped, but it never seemed to bother him. There aren’t too many like him in the sport of motor racing. And certainly no one has ever equaled his neat little waxed mustache! With the permission of Dick Lord’s family, the region changed the guidelines for the presentation of the award to reflect total points earned during the year in D. C. events. (September 1981) For tie-break situation, the total number of MARRS points – which includes the dropped events – is considered to determine the awards winner (2007). The Dick Lord Trophy is engraved: “In Memory of a Dedicated Regional Driver.”
Most points in regional (MARRS) competition.
Paul A. Norair Award
The Paul A. Norair Award is presented annually to the driver who has shown the greatest improvement during the year. Paul Norair, an avid race driver, presented the trophy to the region. As with the Pohanka Award, the recipient can be a national or regional race participant. Present to the region in 1955, the award is engraved: “A Perpetual Trophy for The SCCA Driver Who Has Shown the Greatest Improvement during The Year. Presented To The Washington, D. C. Region, SCCA in 1955.” (September 1981)
Frank B. Pohanka JR. Annual Award
The Frank B. Pohanka, Jr. Annual Award was originally presented “For Highest Point total Achievement in Washington Regional Racing Events in “The Owner-Driver Production Category.” Frank B. Pohanka, Jr., a member of the Lavender Hill Mob Racing Association, and an avid competitor donated the award. The criteria were changed – it now reads: “Presented for Outstanding Performance by a Washington, D. C. Region Member in an Owner Driven and Prepared Production Car or Sedan.” Thus it is not limited to regional racing; nor does it exclude a regional driver who has performed exceptionally well during the year. (September 1981)
Outstanding performance by a Washington, D. C. Region member in an owner driven and prepared production car or sedan.
Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year Award was present to the region by DBM, Inc., which stands for “Dune Buggies of Maryland.” A strange donor one may ask. Not when you realize that the head of this group is Bud Williams, long time driver, starter, and sponsor of three formula cars during this past year. The award is just as it says, and it is presented to the individual who has shown outstanding performance during his or her first year of racing. (September 1981)
Outstanding performance during first year of racing.
Tom Shaffer Memorial Award
Team Twenty in memory of Tom Shaffer, a fellow competitor and good friend, who died as the result of an accident at Summit Point in May 1978, donated the Tom Shaffer Memorial Award to the region. Tom was in his early sixties, but he had only been racing for about ten years at the time of his death. He was a friendly, helpful, concerned person who always had a smile and a kind word. And he was competitive. 1978 was going to be the year Tom would win the DP championship. He’d finished behind Fletcher Williams too many times denying himself the championship again. And he probably would have accomplished this task except for a broken axle, which caused his car to flip. The award is presented to the regional DP champion each year.
In November 1983, Team Twenty Racing modified the criteria of the award. Unfortunately, 1983 will be the last year that D-Production cars will be able to compete in their usual roadster class, as the powers that be in the National Headquarters have seen fit to incorporate our cars into GT-3. Although our cars in D-Production reflect the older standard of production roadsters, we must comply with the rules and enter the GT-3 ranks. Were Tom still racing with us, we are certain that he would have made the switch to GT-3. As winners of some awards are not the ultimate champions in their class, they are nonetheless recognized for their individual efforts and accomplishments. Hence, we believe that to maintain the award but establish a new criterion is most in the spirit in which the award was established. They asked that commencing with the 1984 season, to Tom Schaffer Memorial Trophy be awarded to the highest placing Regional Driver racing a “production” car in the GT-3 class; this would exclude cars that originally qualified under the previous “sedan” or “GT” specifications under the then current GCR terminology. By doing this, we feel that Tom would be most properly remembered for the gentleman and competitor that he was. For tie-break situation, the number of MARRS competitors that were in their class determines the award winner (2007).
The production driver with the most MARRS points (October, 1996)
Sue Roethel Award
The Sue Roethel Award for lifetime service and achievement is presented by donors, members and friends of the Washington D.C. Region acting out of admiration and affection for Sue Roethel. This trophy was presented to Sue Roethel in September 1994.
The Sue Roethel Award shall be awarded from time to time to a member of the Region whose lifetime record of service to the Region reflects dedication to the Region, its members, and its programs; who is always cheerful and ready to work, regardless of the nature of the job, and who displays excellence in everything he or she undertakes for the Region.
Chris Fox Spirit of the Sport Award
Chris Fox had a nearly 40 year history with the DC Region, starting as a flagger in the mid 70’s, and eventually working nearly every club racing specialty. But she was perhaps best known for her driving skills, as she competed fiercely at all levels of club racing. She was a mechanic who did most of the work on the cars she raced. She was an instructor in the Region’s drivers schools for many years. She held lap records in three classes at Summit Point: E Production, GT-5, and G Production. But mostly, Chris loved this sport, and she shared that love and enthusiasm with everyone who crossed her path. She volunteered her time, her talents, her tools, and her expertise. She believed making everyone else better made the sport better. Unfortunately, Chris took her last checker at the final MARRS event in 2010.
The friends of Chris Fox have donated an award to be presented in Chris’s name to a DC Region member who best exemplifies the spirit of Chris – her great enthusiasm, her endless generosity, her mentor-ship skills, her drive for excellence, and her sense of fun. These qualities represent the true Spirit of our Sport.
