Scarab was an American racing car constructor founded by Lance Reventlow through his company, Reventlow Automobiles Inc. Built during the late 1950s and early 1960s, Scarab produced a small but influential range of sports cars and Formula One machines that showcased American engineering on the international stage. Designed by Tom Barnes and Dick Troutman, with powerful Chevrolet V8 engines prepared by the legendary Traco Engineering team of Jim Travers and Frank Coon, Scarab became one of the most ambitious American racing projects of its era.
| Nationality | American |
| Years Active | 1960 |
| First Race | 1960 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Last Race | 1960 United States Grand Prix |
| Race Entries | 5 |
| Race Starts | 2 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Pole Positions | 0 |
| Fastest Laps | 0 |
| Points | 0 |
| Constructors’ Championships | 0 |
| Drivers’ Championships | 0 |
| Best Start | 15th |
| Best Finish | 10th |
| Did Not Start | 4 |
| Did Not Qualify | 2 |
| Retirements | 2 |
Sports Car Success
Before entering Formula One, Scarab established an enviable reputation in American sports car racing. Constructors Tom Barnes and Dick Troutman had already built a number of successful road-racing machines before joining forces with Lance Reventlow to create the Scarab marque.
The team’s breakthrough came in 1958 when Chuck Daigh drove a Scarab to victory in the Riverside International Grand Prix, defeating a field packed with factory-backed international teams, including Ferrari and future Formula One World Champion Phil Hill. The victory confirmed that an American-built sports car could compete with—and beat—the best European manufacturers.
Scarab enjoyed an outstanding 1958 season, winning the SCCA National Championship and becoming one of the dominant forces in American sports car racing. In 1959, two of the original sports cars were sold, while Reventlow retained his own car, converting the only left-hand-drive example for use on public roads.
The cars continued to enjoy success, with Carroll Shelby driving a Scarab to victory at Continental Divide Raceways in Colorado, setting a new lap record in the process.
Formula One
Encouraged by its domestic success, Scarab took the bold step of entering the Formula One World Championship in 1960. It became the first American team to design and build its own Formula One cars, although the project arrived just as the sport was abandoning front-engined machinery in favour of more advanced rear-engined designs.
The Scarab Formula One cars were powered by bespoke four-cylinder engines designed by renowned engineer Leo Goossen and built by Travers and Coon. Their innovative desmodromic valve system promised impressive performance but proved unreliable in competition. Excessive movement within the engine caused repeated valve failures, while additional problems with lubrication, fuel delivery and braking hampered development throughout the season.
Scarab entered five World Championship Grands Prix during 1960, fielding a total of nine entries for Lance Reventlow and Chuck Daigh. The team’s debut at Monaco ended in disappointment when brake problems prevented either driver from qualifying. Further appearances in the Netherlands, Belgium and France were similarly plagued by mechanical failures, including persistent oil starvation issues.
The team’s best World Championship result came at its home event, the United States Grand Prix at Riverside. Chuck Daigh brought his Scarab to the finish by carefully managing the engine throughout the race, avoiding the reliability issues that had affected earlier outings.
Although the Formula One programme failed to achieve the results Reventlow had hoped for, Scarab remains an important milestone in American motorsport F1 history as the country’s first genuine Formula One constructor.
Intercontinental Formula
Scarab’s front-engined Formula One cars found a second life in the Intercontinental Formula series during 1961. Chuck Daigh campaigned one of the cars in Europe, now powered by an Offenhauser engine, recording eighth place in the Lavant Cup at Goodwood and seventh in the International Trophy.
The programme came to an abrupt end later that season when Daigh suffered a heavy accident at Silverstone, destroying the car.
Rear-Engined Development
Recognising the future direction of Formula One, Scarab developed a completely new rear-engined car for 1962. The design featured a lightweight aluminium Buick V8 fitted with bespoke intake and exhaust systems engineered by Phil Remington.
However, changes to FIA engine regulations rendered the necessary modifications illegal before the car could compete in Formula One. As a result, it never raced in Europe.
Its only competitive appearance came in the 1962 Sandown International Cup in Australia, where Chuck Daigh finished fourth after an entertaining duel with Stirling Moss. While the Scarab’s V8 delivered superior straight-line speed, Moss repeatedly regained the advantage through the corners in one of the race’s standout battles.
The Final Scarab
The final Scarab produced was a mid-engined two-seat sports racing car, again powered by a Buick V8. Reventlow famously had the uncompromising racing machine registered for road use in California after fitting a temporary silencer to satisfy licensing requirements.
He raced the car on three occasions, achieving a best finish of second place at Santa Barbara.
As Reventlow prepared to close the Scarab programme, the car was sold to Texan racer John Mecom Jr., who replaced the Buick engine with a Traco-built Chevrolet 327 V8. Driven by A.J. Foyt, the Scarab claimed two victories at Nassau in the Bahamas during 1963.
The car continued to enjoy success after another engine change, with Walt Hansgen winning the 1964 Bridgehampton 500. It was later purchased by Augie Pabst, who remained its owner for many years, preserving one of American motorsport’s most significant racing cars.
Legacy
Although Scarab’s Formula One adventure was short-lived, its impact on American motorsport remains considerable. The marque demonstrated that an American constructor could build competitive international racing cars and challenge Europe’s established manufacturers. Its sports cars achieved major success in the United States, while its ambitious Formula One programme paved the way for later American teams and constructors to compete on the world stage.
Scarab Stats by Season
| Year | Engine | Drivers | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Scarab | Chuck Daigh, Lance Reventlow, Richie Ginther | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 0 | NC |
