By David G. Firestone
I’m fascinated by trophy design. Trophies can be anything from The Wally, to a tea service, to a cut glass bowl. Racing trophies are anything from functional items to stand alone trophies, to over sized napkin rings. When it comes to the smaller events, or smaller sanctioning bodies, trophy design can be very interesting.
Like many national racing sanctioning bodies, The Sports Car Club Of America or SCCA has several regions that have their own racing. Other sanctioning bodies that have regions are NASCAR, and the NHRA, to name a few. While some drivers go on to national success, many drivers come to be great in one specific region.
The Southern Indiana is one of 115 regions, which are divided in to nine divisions. One such region is the Southern Indiana Region, which holds events in Southern Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. One driver who raced in a number of events was a driver named Walter Scott. Racing from at least 1960 to 1995, Scott won a number of different awards and trophies, which survive in my collection, including this small bowl.
The bowl is for a 10th place finish for an unnamed event or series in 1960, and is in great condition. 
For another unnamed event or series in 1962 , Scott finished 10th. He was awarded this small bowl as a result.
Walter Scott was a navigator for a driver in something called the “Thimsen’s Terrible Rallye” in 1965. The duo finished 2nd. This trophy was awarded to him for that 2nd place finish.
For a third place finish in an unnamed Rallye in 1970, Scott was awarded this small bowl. It has some scratches.
1973 had Walter Scott perform well, and winning this small Thimsen Memorial Trophy for Rallyist Of the Year, which has some small scratches and dings.
That same year, Scott won a small bowl for finishing 7th in something called the SIR Concourse, which shows some scratches.
Walter Scott was still going in 1988, where he won this large trophy for the 1988 Year End Award for finishing 6th place. It doesn’t show any damage.
In 1995, the Southern Indiana Region celebrated 40 years. Walter Scott had been a member for 35 years, and was awarded this plaque clock to commemorate his long time with the SIR.
In 1996, Walter Scott competed in a Rallye called the “Tulips and Other Spring Flowers,” where he finished first in his class. He was awarded this small plaque as a result. It is in great condition.
Racing trophy design is an interesting topic, because the various kinds of trophies are interesting. I would genuinely love to sit in on a design session for a racing trophy, and see how it is designed from paper to final product. Some drivers cherish their trophies, other drivers give them away. It’s a fun topic to discuss and I hope to discuss it again soon.
Next week, we revisit The Vest Project.
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