Clint deWitt – Frank Eubel – R.J. Gordy

Clint deWitt

Fifty year member Clint deWitt has done many things in motor racing. He began as a USARM flagger under Chief Turn Marshal, Marty Illgen, in 1960, joining the SCCA’s San Francisco Region in 1963 and auto crossed a Porsche 356 Coupe, then an MGB, until he earned his competition license from a driver’s school at Sears Point in 1970. He purchased a Porsche Super 90 Roadster and won the SFR ‘E’ Prod Championship in 1975, 1977 and 1978, as well as an SFR class championship in the first Solo II series in 1971 in his MGB, then he switched to racing Showroom Stock.

In 1982 he learned about the BMW Motorsport Trophy for North America. He drove a BMW 320iS with his crew chief and wife, Pat, to and from every National race on the West Coast, finishing 5th that year and 1st for the next 3 years, winning over $50,000 for the 4 year period.

In 1977 Clint ran and was elected to the SFR Region Board on the platform of having a West Coast Regional Runoffs. The SCCA Runoffs® began in 1964 and for the first 6 years alternated between Riverside International Raceway and Daytona International Raceway.

After the National Runoffs® was moved to Road Atlanta in 1969 he could see that it would cost the West Coast drivers a small fortune in time and travel to battle the East Coast drivers on their home turf for a shot at a National Championship.

He had the basic concept worked out – an invitational event similar to the National Runoffs, and wanted to offer west coast drivers a similar opportunity.

Key to making this all work was having a travel fund. Clint approached Supercuts owner, Frank Emmett, who agreed be to the first sponsor. After Supercuts was sold, Clint approached Yokohama Tires, who already sponsored his Showroom Stock car, and after they cut back on support, General Tire became the PCRRC sponsor. The benefit for all the sponsors was the fact the sponsor’s name appeared on so many items. All the awards for the top 3 finishers in each class; all the T-shirts and patches for drivers and workers; and all the travel fund checks had their names on them. (Even Malibu Grand Prix was involved in promoting the event, which included a minor autocross held on the main straight of Sears Point Raceway at lunchtime, in Malibu GP cars, to pick a champion from members of the media.) Don Wixcel worked out the travel fund formula based on an out-of-region driver’s zip code. The formula worked so well, it was never adjusted.

The Pacific Coast Road Racing Championship (PCRRC) ran from its inaugural in 1978 until 2002 – 25 years. When the PCRRC ran out of travel fund sponsors, that signaled its demise.

He won election to the SCCA’s National Board of Directors and served 2 terms from 1988 to 1993 (6 years), where he helped secure the $300,000 line of credit for the purchase and construction of Thunderhill.

He was not a member of the New Track Committee, but enticed David Vodden to hunt for a better site than the then-pending deal in Colusa County. The search ended on a dead-ended road in Glenn County facing a sign saying “Thunder Hill Ranch”, prompting his comment that it was “kismet” or good fortune. That was the day they found the land that was to become Thunderhill Raceway Park. And if that weren’t enough, he was a member of Thunderhill’s Property Board of Directors from 1990 until 1998 (9 years), while leading a vote to build garages as a relief from the summer heat and fall rains, and starting the first SCCA Street Schools.

Frank Eubel

[1947 – 2004] Frank Eubel left his mark on the San Francisco Region in several ways – as person, as racer and as a contributor of his time for the betterment of other members through his varied non-racing activities.

He joined the SCCA in 1973 and raced Mini Coopers, Formula Fords, Renault Gordinis and Triumph Spitfires.  A job transfer brought him to California in 1979 where he promptly joined the SFR to continue his racing which would go on for the next eleven years.

Frank enjoyed racing small sedans including a Ford Fiesta and Honda CRX in Showroom Stock and Radial Sedan classes.  He steadily improved his regional point total from 11th in 1982 to 1st in class in 1986, 1987, 1988 plus winning the PCRRC in 1983 and finishing 2nd twice in 1987 and 1988.

To say Frank was deeply involved in club racing activities is not overstating the situation since he handled several duties at the same time.  These included – National licenses as a scrutineer and  race steward; advisor to the Board for the Improved Touring, Showroom Stock and Radial Sedan classes from 1990 through 1993 among other positions.

However, perhaps his biggest contribution came when he was appointed as National Chairman of the Competition Board.  While serving in this position and at the national convention in 1992, he introduced what he called the “Fix Everything” plan otherwise known as the Five Year Plan to overhaul the GCR and introduce new cars to the Production Classes.

In 1995, Frank received the John McGill Award for significant contributions to the club racing program by the Club Racing Board and the Vice-President of Club Racing.

R.J. Gordy

Richard Joseph (RJ) Gordy is a local son through and through.  He was born in Berkeley and raised in Walnut Creek. He had a stellar career in the Concord Police Department working as an Evidence Technician, Motorcycle Traffic Officer and a Training Officer.  After promotion to Sergeant, he became a Patrol Supervisor and Detective assigned to the juvenile bureau in the Crimes Persons Unit.

RJ joined SCCA in 1985 while still in the Concord Police Department.  He and fellow officer Ray Samuels bought and built two Spec Racer Renaults and raced them at many tracks on the west coast as Gold Star Racing.

He joined the Stewards program in 1994 and is currently active in that program.

RJ is also responsible for starting the Region’s Hall of Fame as well as instituting the Club Ambassador program, both of which are still active. In 2006 he was elected to the National Board and became it’s Vice-Chairman in 2006 and 2007.

RJ became Chairman of the National Board in 2008, a position he held for 2 years.

He was appointed the Western Conference Majors Chief Steward in 2013. He spent many years as a pace car driver at the Runoffs® and returned there this year as an operating steward.

While active as a driver, board member, RE, and steward, RJ never forgot his region.  We all remember him as the man who got rid of the boxed wine at the evening social gatherings at the racetracks. He is also responsible for our “Bridge” San Francisco Region logo seen on the crew jackets and shirts.