1968 USAC Championship Car season

Sports season August 2023 USAC Championship Car 1968 USAC National Championship Trail 28 March 17 December 1 National champion USA Bobby Unser USA Bobby Unser 1967 1969 The 1968 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 28 races, beginning in Hanford, California on March 17 and concluding in Riverside, California on December 7. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Bobby Unser. Mike Spence died in an accident while practicing for the 1968 Indianapolis 500. Ronnie Duman died of burns suffered during the Rex Mays Classic. Schedule and results Rnd Date Race name Track Location Type Pole position Winning driver 1 March 17 USA California 200 Hanford Motor Speedway Hanford, California Paved USA Bobby Unser USA Gordon Johncock 2 March 31 USA Stardust 150 Stardust International Raceway Las Vegas, Nevada Road USA Dan Gurney USA Bobby Unser 3 April 7 USA Jimmy Bryan Memorial Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Paved USA Bobby Unser USA Bobby Unser 4 April 21 USA Trenton 150 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved USA Mario Andretti USA Bobby Unser 5 May 30 USA International 500 Mile Sweepstakes Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana Paved USA Joe Leonard USA Bobby Unser 6 June 8 USA Rex Mays Classic Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Paved USA Roger McCluskey USA Lloyd Ruby 7 June 15 CAN Telegram Trophy 200A A Mosport Park Bowmanville, Ontario Road USA Dan Gurney USA Dan Gurney 8 USA Dan Gurney USA Dan Gurney 9 June 23 USA Langhorne 150 Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Paved USA Gordon Johncock USA Gordon Johncock 10 June 29 USA Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb Pikes Peak Highway Pikes Peak, Colorado Hill USA Bobby UnserB B USA Bobby Unser 11 July 7 USA Rocky Mountain 150 Continental Divide Raceways Castle Rock, Colorado Road USA Ronnie Bucknum USA A. J. Foyt 12 July 13 USA Nazareth 100 Nazareth Speedway Nazareth, Pennsylvania Dirt USA Bill Vukovich II USA Al Unser 13 July 21 USA Indy 200C C Indianapolis Raceway Park Clermont, Indiana Road USA Mario Andretti USA Al Unser 14 USA Al Unser USA Al Unser 15 July 28 USA Langhorne Twin 100C C Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Paved USA Gordon Johncock USA Al Unser 16 USA Al Unser USA Al Unser 17 August 4 CAN Saint-Jovite 200C C Circuit Mont-Tremblant Saint-Jovite, Quebec Road USA Mario Andretti USA Mario Andretti 18 USA Mario Andretti USA Mario Andretti 19 August 17 USA Tony Bettenhausen 100 Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield, Illinois Dirt USA Al Unser USA Roger McCluskey 20 August 18 USA Tony Bettenhausen 200 Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Paved USA Art Pollard USA Lloyd Ruby 21 September 2 USA Ted Horn Memorial DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Du Quoin, Illinois Dirt USA Al Unser USA Mario Andretti 22 September 7 USA Hoosier Hundred Indiana State Fairgrounds Indianapolis, Indiana Dirt USA Mario Andretti USA A. J. Foyt 23 September 22 USA Trenton 200 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved USA Al Unser USA Mario Andretti 24 September 29 USA Golden State 100 California State Fairgrounds Sacramento, California Dirt USA Mario Andretti USA A. J. Foyt 25 October 13 USA Michigan Inaugural 250 Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, Michigan Paved USA Mario Andretti USA Ronnie Bucknum 26 November 3 USA Hanford 250 Hanford Motor Speedway Hanford, California Paved USA Joe Leonard USA A. J. Foyt 27 November 17 USA Bobby Ball 150 Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Paved USA Mario Andretti USA Gary Bettenhausen 28 December 7 USA Rex Mays 300 Riverside International Raceway Riverside, California Road USA Dan Gurney USA Dan Gurney #FFFFFF Paved/Dirt Oval solid 1px #AAAAAA #D0E7FF Road Course/Hill Climb solid 1px #AAAAAA A A Run in two heats of 98 miles (158 kilometers) each. B B No pole is awarded for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, in this schedule on the pole is the driver who started first. No lap led was awarded for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, however, a lap was awarded to the drivers that completed the climb. C C Run in two heats of 100 miles (161 kilometers) each. Final points standings List of American Championship car racing point scoring systems Pos Driver HAN1USA STRUSA PHX1USA TRE1USA INDYUSA MIL1USAMOSCAN LHS1USA PIKUSA CDRUSA NAZUSAIRPUSALHS2USACMTCAN SPRUSA MIL2USA DQSFUSA ISFUSA TRE2USA CSFUSA MISUSA HAN2USA PHX2USA RIVUSA Pts 1USA Bobby Unser 5 1 1 1 1 21 17 2 1 11 7 3 21 2 16 2 11 DNQ 4 18 16 7 DNQ 17 2 19 2 4330 2USA Mario Andretti 23 2 15 2 33 2 2 2 17 4 15 2 2 2 23 1 1 18 2 1 2 1 4 2 3 24 18 4319 3USA Al Unser 2 14 16 17 26 3 4 5 12 22 4 1 1 1 1 1 9 15 12 3 7 15 22 3 18 15 15 26 2895 4USA Lloyd Ruby 3 4 2 12 5 1 15 12 21 2 17 23 15 10 6 19 14 DNQ 1 DNQ DNQ 16 15 18 2 3 2799 5USA Bill Vukovich II 26 6 19 5 7 13 9 7 14 9 3 13 6 6 4 4 7 3 5 6 16 19 6 4 7 2410 6USA A. J. Foyt 4 13 23 21 20 14 1 4 3 18 17 24 2 1 24 1 14 1 23 20 1860 7USA Dan Gurney 16 2 1 1 1 1800 8USA Gary Bettenhausen 10 10 13 24 DNS 10 13 3 7 4 21 12 13 12 13 13 13 5 4 4 12 2 21 21 1 19 1595 9USA Mel Kenyon 8 3 10 3 DNQ DNQ 22 DNQ DNQ 4 24 13 DNP 1355 10USA Jim Malloy DNQ 9 11 22 10 8 8 20 3 17 10 5 3 4 3 5 8 15 14 11 18 24 11 22 24 1265 11USA Sam Sessions 9 11 16 12 22 19 4 11 6 4 7 8 5 25 1260 12USA Gordon Johncock 1 7 18 4 27 12 13 DNS 1 25 5 16 21 15 15 19 DNQ DNQ 7 11 1257 13USA Roger McCluskey 6 12 14 16 29 20 3 14 9 17 19 7 22 1 23 5 12 2 12 25 10 11 12 1228 14USA Bud Tingelstad 18 7 DNS 16 9 DNQ 19 13 13 16 5 15 2 8 18 DNQ DNQ 3 8 9 7 10 1016 15USA Wally Dallenbach Sr. 7 4 3 17 7 15 DNQ 11 3 5 20 7 20 DNQ 13 18 9 22 23 25 29 960 16USA George Snider 9 5 6 6 31 8 8 3 10 3 DNQ 13 3 DNP 919 17USA Larry Dickson 12 28 6 11 5 DNQ 6 2 DNQ 7 DNQ 7 8 26 8 890 18USA Johnny Rutherford 20 11 17 18 4 20 24 20 25 5 5 11 5 16 25 17 6 890 19USA Mike Mosley 8 19 16 9 4 14 9 17 DNS 3 13 9 14 860 20USA Joe Leonard 22 3 22 8 12 18 7 6 8 14DNS 16 4 17 850 21USA Jim McElreath 14 DNQ 22 10 11 7 17 7 10 9 15 DNQ 5 6 28 771 22USA Ronnie Bucknum 21 5 3 19 6 4 3 4 1 20 14 13 760 23USA Art Pollard 16 8 5 13 13 16 14 18 5 7 9 26 DNQ 14 14 10 10 10 6 DNQ 20 16 696 24USA Sonny Ates orange R silver 15 DNQ 22 DNQ 6 8 13 26 5 9 16 520 25USA Rick Muther DNQ 7 DNQ 6 DNQ 21 5 510 26USA Ronnie Duman DNP 6 22 400 27USA Bruce Walkup 13 20 DNQ 5 11 12 18 18 9 7 15 13 DNQ DNQ 5 390 28USA Max Dudley orange R silver 17 DNQ 9 15 DNQ 7 18 16 10 11 7 12 21 26 12 285 29USA Bill Puterbaugh DNQ 17 8 9 12 9 6 11 265 30USA George Follmer 11 15 24 DNQ 11 10 DNS 8 240 31USA Arnie Knepper 24 DNQ DNP 25 DNS 24 15 11 22 18 11 10 16 6 14 20 12 15 206 32USA George Benson 25 9 8 6 22 170 33USA Carl Williams 15 5 17 8 DNS 13 13 15 19 150 34USA Bobby Grim 10 DNQ 150 35USA Jerry Daniels 10 8 9 DNQ 120 36USA Wib Spalding orange R silver 8 100 37USA Bob Veith 11 100 38USA Chuck Booth DNQ DNQ 10 18 11 18 14 DNQ 11 DNQ 85 39USA Tom Bigelow orange R silver 6 DNQ 14 80 40USA Keith Rachwitz 12 9 DNQ 17 DNQ DNQ 80 41USA Rollie Beale 15 DNQ 19 DNQ DNQ 9 DNQ DNQ 80 42USA Chuck Hulse 21 DNQ 8 DNQ 75 43USA Jigger Sirois orange R silver 16 21 DNQ 25 10 75 44USA Bob Harkey DNQ DNQ 13 20 17 12 8 DNQ 23 13 60 45USA Denny Zimmerman orange R silver 20 11 DNS 50 46USA Bob Hurt DNQ DNQ 10 DNQ 45 47USA Ralph Liguori DNQ 16 20 9 17 18 40 48USA Roger West orange R silver 10 19 DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 30 49USA Bruce Jacobi 19 21 19 DNQ 22 DNQ 15 13 DNQ 19 12 DNQ DNQ 11 16 18 30 50USA Dempsey Wilson 14 17 11 DNQ DNQ DNQ 30 51USA Al Smith DNQ 12 25 52USA Ted Foltz 2 24 53USA Wes Vandervoort 3 21 54USA Paul Kleinschmidt 5 15 55USA Malcolm Brazier 6 12 56USA Bob Herring 7 9 57USA Grier Manning 8 8 58USA Ralph Bruning 9 6 59USA Charles Louderman 10 5 -CAN John Cannon orange R silver 10 8 8 6 2 9 0 -USA Mark Donohue orange R silver 6 4 21 0 -NZL Denny Hulme 4 0 -USA Skip Scott orange R silver 4 0 -DEU Lothar Motschenbacher 17 6 0 -USA Bud Morleyorange R silver 16 8 DNQ 0 -USA Jack Eiteljorg orange R silver 23 10 9 0 -USA Peter Revson 10 0 -USA Bob Daly 11 0 -CAN George Fejer orange R silver 12 15 DNS 14 12 0 -USA Lou Sell orange R silver 21 12 14 16 30 0 -USA Thurel Novotny 12 0 -USA Dick Heikes orange R silver 13 0 -USA Gene Willbanks orange R silver 14 0 -USA Greg Weld DNQ 14 24 DNQ DNQ 17 14 DNQ 0 -USA Gig Stephens DNQ 23 14 14 DNQ 0 -USA Bay Darnell 14 23 DNQ DNQ 0 -USA Don Thomas orange R silver DNQ 15 0 -USA Butch Earley orange R silver 15 0 -USA Clark Yowell 16 0 -USA Henry Pens orange R silver DNQ 17 0 -USA Jerry Colton orange R silver 17 0 -USA Don Meacham orange R silver 17 0 -USA Gene Bergin orange R silver DNQ 18 DNQ DNQ 0 -USA Tom Dillon orange R silver 18 0 -GBR Graham Hill 19 DNQ 0 -USA LaVerne Ravenstein orange R silver 19 0 -USA Chuck Arnold 20 0 -USA Walter Miller 20 0 -USA Gene Pacheco 21 0 -USA Jerry Titus DNQ 22 0 -USA Jerry Grant 23 DNS 23 0 -USA Orville Nance 23 0 -USA Mickey Shaw 23 0 -AUS Jack Brabham 23 0 -USA Norm Brown 24 0 -USA Larry Overholser 24 0 -USA Bill Simpson orange R silver 27 0 -USA Jim Hurtubise 30 0 -AUT Jochen Rindt 32 0 -USA Dusty Smith DNQ DNS 0 -USA Billy Wilkerson DNS 0 -USA Jim Reynard DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0 -USA Les Scott DNQ DNQ DNQ DNP DNQ 0 -USA Karl Busson DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0 -USA Danny Ongais DNQ DNQ DNQ 0 -USA Dee Jones DNQ DNQ 0 -USA Ernie Koch DNQ DNQ 0 -USA Al Miller DNQ DNQ 0 -CAN Norm Ellefson DNQ DNQ 0 -USA Hamilton Vose DNQ DNQ 0 -USA Don Schisler DNQ DNQ 0 -USA Otto Becker DNQ DNP 0 -USA Bill Cheesbourg DNQ 0 -USA Masten Gregory DNQ 0 -USA Bobby Johns DNQ 0 -NZL Bruce McLaren DNQ 0 -GBR Mike Spence DNQ 0 -USA Chuck Stevenson DNQ 0 -USA LeeRoy Yarbrough DNQ 0 -USA Scott Brazier DNQ 0 -USA Bob Tattersall DNQ 0 -USA Earl Smith DNQ 0 -USA Don Brown DNQ 0 -USA Earl Dykes DNQ 0 -CAN Ludwig Heimrath Jr. DNQ 0 -GBR Jackie Stewart Wth 0 -GBR Jim Clark DNP 0 -USA Bob Herst DNP 0 -USA Stew McMillan DNP 0 Pos Driver HAN1USA STRUSA PHX1USA TRE1USA INDYUSA MIL1USA MOS1CAN MOS2CAN LHS1USA PIKUSA CDRUSA NAZUSA IRP1USA IRP2USA LHS2USA LHS3USA CMT1CAN CMT2CAN SPRUSA MIL2USA DQSFUSA ISFUSA TRE2USA CSFUSA MISUSA HAN2USA PHX2USA RIVUSA Pts Note 1: John Cannon, George Fejer, Lou Sell, Mark Donohue, Jack Eiteljorg, Bud Morley, Lothar Motschenbacher, Jochen Rindt, Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, Denis Hulme, Skip Scott and Peter Revson are not eligible for points. Note 2: Ronnie Bucknum did not compete with a USAC license until after the events at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Color Gold Silver Bronze Green Light Blue Dark Blue Purple Red Brown Black White Blank Results Winner 2nd place 3rd place 4th & 5th place 6th-10th place Finished(Outside Top 10) Did not finish(Ret) Did not qualify(DNQ) Withdrawn(Wth) Disqualified(DSQ) Did not start(DNS) Did notparticipate(DNP)Not competing In-line notationBoldPole positionItalicsRan fastest race lap*Led most race lapsgold RY silver Rookie of the Yearorange R silver Rookie References http://www.driverdb.com/standings/980-1968/ USAC National Championship 1968 Åberg, Andreas Driver Database 2010-12-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20120910235048/http://www.driverdb.com/standings/980-1968/ 2012-09-10 live http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1968.htm 1968 USAC National Championship Trail ChampCarStats.com 2010-12-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20120224080044/http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1968.htm 2012-02-24 live http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053905/http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf 2016-03-04 (p. 244–249) See also 1968 Indianapolis 500 USAC Championship Car season Category:USAC Championship Car Category:1968 in American motorsport