SCTA Road Runners

Randy Shinn's 1927 Ford Model T Roadster

Harvey Haller's 1929 Ford Roadster

Lee Enfiajian's 1929 Ford Roadster

Bill Faris' 1932 Ford Roadster

Wes Collins' 1934 Ford Roadster

Bill Faris' 1938 Ford Roadster

Dean Batchelor's 1941 Pontiac

Bill Burke's P-51 Bellytank

Bill Burke's First Streamliner - The Hot Rod Special

Charlie Grantham's 1935 Ford Pick Up of San Bernardino, California. Charlie was a member of the SCTA Road Runner car club, and he restyled the truck himself in the late 1940s and the early 1950s.

The Road Runners car club was established in January of 1937. Along with six other clubs they became Charter Members of the newly organized Southern California Timing Association. Organized on November 29, 1937, THE S.C.T.A. was formed to conduct speed trial events on the dry lakes of Southern California. Of the original seven SCTA Charter Member Clubs, two remain active today, the Road Runners and the Sidewinders. Two of the founding members of the Road Runners were Wally Parks and his close friend Ak Miller. Wally Parks was instrumental in helping organize the new SCTA which held it's first official speed trials meet on May 15, 1938, at Muroc Dry Lake. Ak Miller later served as SCTA President. Wally Parks went on to form the NHRA in 1951.

In 1938, Ernie McAfee became the first ever S.C.T.A. Season Champion. In 1939, fellow member George Harvey became season champion of the year. They lost the award in 1940 to Albata member Bob Rufi, but In 1941 the champion was once a Road Runners member as Vic Edelbrock won it for his achievements on the lakes.

In the early years, the Road Runners met in Huntington Park and Whittier. Many members from those early days would later become legends of hot rodding. Besides Wally Parks and Ak Miller, Road Runners included Ray Brown, Bill Burke, Fred Carrillo, Art Chrisman, Chuck Daigh, Vic Edelbrock Sr., Vic Edelbrock Jr., Jack Harvey, Jerry Kugel, Bobby Meeks, Bub Meyer, Bob Morton, Ray Morton, Bob Pierson and Dick Pierson, Joe Reath and Don Waite, all of whom would later be inducted as members of the American Hot Rod Foundation Pioneers.

Road Runners members were innovators. Following WWII, Belly Tank Lakesters began to appear at the dry lakes. In 1946, Road Runners member Bill Burke is recognized as having been the first to take an Army Air Corps, surplus P-51 wing tank, build a rolling chassis, stuff in an engine and run it at an impressive 131.96 mph.

In 2001, the Road Runners SCTA Club moved it's headquarters to Riverside, California, and began holding meetings at the historic Ed Martin Garage.

Members:
Ak Miller
Bill Burke
Bill Faris
Bill Phy
Buzz Lowe
Charlie Faris
Charlie Grantham
Dean Batchelor
Doug Caruthers
Ernie McAfee
Fred Renoe
George Harvey
Harvey Haller
Jack Avakian
Jack Ratledge
Laddie Murdock
Lee Enfiajian
Lute Eldridge
Randy Shinn
Rulon McGregor
Vic Edelbrock
Wes Collins

Club Cars

Charlie Grantham's 1935 Ford Pick Up