1979 USAC Championship Car season

Sports season August 2023 USAC Championship Car 1979 USAC National Championship Trail 7 March 25 August 12 National champion United States A. J. Foyt United States Rick Mears 1978 1980 The 1979 USAC Championship Car season consisted of seven races, beginning in Ontario, California on March 25 and concluding in West Allis, Wisconsin on August 12. The USAC National Champion was A. J. Foyt and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Rick Mears. With the exception of the Indianapolis 500, most top drivers instead competed in races sanctioned by CART. During the summer of 1979, after the California 500 switched alliances mid-season to become a CART series race, USAC proposed a Labor Day weekend race meet that would consist of a USAC Stock Car/Championship Car doubleheader at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A 250-mile stock car race on Saturday would be followed by a 250-mile Indy car race on Sunday.September Race At Speedway? https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16614348/1979_in_cart/ Robin Miller Robin Miller (journalist) The Indianapolis Star 1 Newspapers.com July 10, 1979 July 3, 2019Labor Day Show At IMS Just A Joke - Or Is It? https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33492991/ Robin Miller Robin Miller (journalist) The Indianapolis Star 34 Newspapers.com July 12, 1979 July 3, 2019 However, the plan never materialized. Confirmed entries TeamChassisEngineNoDriversRoundsAgajanian-King RacersKingfish 73Chevrolet 97 USA Phil Threshie 3–5USA Jerry Miller 7 98USA Gary Bettenhausen 3–5USA George Snider7 AMI RacingLola T500BCosworth 43Bigelow N Raced as #44 at the Indianapolis 500. USA Tom BigelowAll44 USA Roger McCluskey4–745USA Janet Guthrie1, 3, 5, 7USA George Snider1–2Wildcat Mk. IIDGS46USA Gary Bettenhausen1–2, 6–7USA Howdy Holmes3, 5USA Greg Leffler4B/M EnterprisesAntares 72Offenhauser50CAN Frank Weiss1, 3–5, 7CAN Eldon Rasmussen3 Beaudoin Racing Wildcat Mk. II DGS83USA Billy Engelhart3 Beith RacingEagle 72 Offenhauser28USA Billy Scott3 Bruce CrowerEagle 74Chevrolet57USA Jerry Sneva1–3, 5Sneva N Jerry Sneva switched to Hodgdon Racing for the second weekend of Indy 500 time trials, and to Wayne Woodward for the Pocono 500 qualifying. Fiore Racing McLaren M16C/D Offenhauser88USA Ken Nichols1Gibson RacingEagle 74DGS75USA Todd Gibson1–3 Gilmore Racing Parnelli VPJ6CTCoyote IVFoyt N Used at the first Texas World race.CosworthFoytFoyt N 14USA A. J. FoytAllHodgdon Racing McLaren M24Cosworth72USA Roger McCluskey1, 3Spirit 78AMC73USA Neil Bonnett3USA Jerry Sneva3Hucul RacingMcLaren M16EOffenhauser29CAN Cliff HuculAllJim HurtubiseMallard 71Offenhauser56USA Jim Hurtubise3 Joe HuntEagle 73Offenhauser99USA Bob Harkey1Leader Card Watson 77Offenhauser 22USA Bill Vukovich II All Watson 78 24USA Sheldon Kinser All Watson 79 40USA George Snider 3Snider N Snider switched to Hoffman Auto Racing for a special qualifying session for bumped cars at the Indy 500, after the #40 was withdrawn due to a blown engine.Lindsey HopkinsLightning Mk1/79Lightning X-15X15 N Used by Parsons at the 500 events and both Milwaukee races.Offenhauser15USA Johnny Parsons1–5, 751USA Hurley Haywood1, 3USA George Snider5 Loquasto Racing McLaren M16C/D Offenhauser 86USA Al Loquasto 5 McElreath Racing Eagle 73/74Penske PC-6/78McElreathPC6 N Used by McElreath at the Indy 500. Chevrolet26USA Tony Bettenhausen Jr.2OffenhauserCosworthMcElreathCosworth N Used by McElreath at the Indy 500, and by Threshie.USA Jim McElreath5–7231–3USA Phil Threshie6Medlin RacingCicada Mk.IVOffenhauser35USA Bill Puterbaugh3–4, 7Menard Racing Eagle 72 Offenhauser 42USA Herm Johnson7 Polak Racing Penske PC-5/77 Cosworth 80USA Larry Dickson3–7 Rager Racing Eagle 68 Chevrolet 66USA Roger Rager3–4, 6–7 Rasmussen Racing Rascar 72 FoytChevroletRasmussenChevy N Used at Pocono. 58CAN Eldon Rasmussen1–3, 5Rasmussen500 N Rasmussen switched to B/M Enterprises after a crash during Indy 500 practice.Raymond ReimerMarch 73AChevrolet93USA Larry McCoy3USA Dana Carter6USA Jan Sneva7Rhoades CompetitionMcLaren M16EOffenhauser20USA John Martin3, 5 Robert LaWarre Eagle 68 Chevrolet 60 USA Tony Bettenhausen Jr.4–5 McLaren M16C/D Offenhauser 866–7Thunder RacingMcLaren M16C/DOffenhauser 30USA Larry Dickson1–2USA Dana Carter3–5Vollstedt Racing Vollstedt 77Offenhauser 17USA Dick Simon1, 3–7Vollstedt 7327USA John Martin1AMCUSA George Snider4 USA Bob Harkey5Wayne Woodward Eagle 72Offenhauser 42USA Dick Ferguson1Eagle 7481USA Dana Carter1USA Dick FergusonOpperman N Jan Opperman took some laps for his refresher test at the Indy 500.2–3USA Jerry Sneva4–7William R. ComptonMcLaren M16C/DOffenhauser38USA Jerry KarlAllCART entrants - ineligible to score points.Alex Morales Co.Lightning Mk1/77Offenhauser10USA Pancho Carter3All American RacersEagle 78 MkIICosworth36USA Mike Mosley3Cannon Racing Team Wildcat Mk. I DGS95USA Larry Cannon3Chaparral RacingChaparral 2KCosworth2USA Al Unser3Conqueste RacingParnelli VPJ6CTCosworth89USA Lee Kunzman3Fletcher RacingLightning Mk1/77Cosworth7USA Steve Krisiloff3Frantz Auto Body Wildcat Mk. I DGS16USA Tom Frantz3 Gehlhausen-Reath Racing Wildcat Mk. IPatrickBackup N Car loaned by Patrick Racing at the Indy 500 for Gehlhausen. Cosworth 19Gehlhausen N Gehlhausen was bumped from the Indy 500 field and loaned the #90 car from Patrick Racing, which he qualified. Later, the #19 was allowed to requalify in a special session, but it also failed to qualify with other drivers. For race day, the #90 was renumbered as #19.USA Spike Gehlhausen3 Eagle 74 OffenhauserUSA Bob Harkey3USA Bill Alsup3 39USA Al Loquasto3Hoffman Auto RacingLightning Mk1/77Offenhauser 59USA George Snider3Elegible N Eligible to score points at the Indy 500, as he had competed with USAC teams earlier in the year. Eagle 72 Offenhauser 69USA Joe Saldana3Intercomp Racing Eagle 72 Offenhauser92USA John Mahler3Interscope RacingParnelli VPJ6CTCosworth25USA Danny OngaisOngais N George Snider practiced with the car at Indianapolis as a standby for a possible qualifying attempt after Ongais suffered a concussion in a crash.3, 5Jerry O'Connell RacingMcLaren M24Cosworth1USA Tom Sneva3Longhorn RacingPenske PC-6/78Cosworth11USA Tom Bagley3Patrick RacingPenske PC-6/78Cosworth3USA Gordon Johncock36USA Wally Dallenbach3Penske Racing Penske PC-6/78Cosworth9USA Rick Mears3Penske PC-7/7912USA Bobby Unser368USA Bill Alsup3Penske N Alsup switched to Gehlhausen-Reath at the special qualifying session for bumped cars at the Indy 500, after his Penske ride was disqualified for a technical infringement.S&M ElectricLightning Mk1/77Offenhauser31USA Larry Rice3Team McLarenMcLaren M24BCosworth4USA Johnny Rutherford3WalmotorPenske PC-6/78Cosworth77USA Salt Walther3WASP Racing McLaren M16C/D Offenhauser41USA Bill Alsup3Wasp N Alsup switched to a Penske Racing back-up car for Bump Day at the Indy 500.Wysard Motor Co. Wildcat Mk. II DGS34AUS Vern Schuppan3 Schedule and results All races running on Oval/Speedway. Rnd Date Race name Length Track Location Pole position Winning driver 1 March 25 USA Datsun Twin 200 200 mi km on Ontario Motor Speedway Ontario, California USA A. J. Foyt USA A. J. Foyt 2 April 8 USA Coors 200 200 mi km on Texas World Speedway College Station, Texas USA A. J. Foyt USA A. J. Foyt 3 May 27 USA International 500 Mile Sweepstakes 500 mi km on Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana USA Rick MearsA A USA Rick MearsA A 4 June 10 USA Rex Mays Classic 150 mi km on Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway West Allis, Wisconsin USA A. J. Foyt USA A. J. Foyt 5 June 24 USA Music 500 at Pocono 500 mi km on Pocono International Raceway Long Pond, Pennsylvania USA A. J. Foyt USA A. J. Foyt 6 July 29 USA Lubrilon Grand Prix 200 mi km on Texas World Speedway College Station, Texas USA A. J. Foyt USA A. J. Foyt 7 August 12 USA Tony Bettenhausen 200 200 mi km on Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway West Allis, Wisconsin USA Tom Bigelow USA Roger McCluskey September 2A B California 500 500 mi km on Ontario Motor Speedway Ontario, California — — A A Non-USAC driversA B Originally scheduled as a USAC race, but was switched mid-season to a CART series race. Final points standings The CART drivers were not eligible for points. List of American Championship car racing point scoring systems Pos Driver ONTUSA TWS1USA INDYUSA MIL1USA POCUSA TWS2USA MIL2USA Pts 1USA A. J. Foyt 1* 1* 2 1* 1* 1* 12* 3320 2USA Bill Vukovich II 3 6 8 2 6 6 3 1770 3USA Tom Bigelow 6 12 14 3 8 2 2 1305 4USA Larry Dickson 16 3 24 4 3 11 Wth 1225 5USA Gary Bettenhausen 18 2 DNQ 6 9 5 6 1008 6USA Jim McElreath 9 14 35 2 9 Wth 975 7USA Jerry Sneva 21 13 31 5 4 12 10 851 8USA Dick Simon 7 26 13 5 7 17 766 9USA Roger McCluskey 12 13 17 14 4 1 716 10USA Sheldon Kinser 4 8 28 15 15 3 14 673 11CAN Cliff Hucul 5 4 29 7 11 16 19 653 12USA Howdy Holmes gold RY silver 7 7 600 13USA Johnny Parsons 2 16 32 14 21 4 598 14USA George Snider 8 5 33 18 25 11 361 15USA Janet Guthrie Wth 34 19 5 225 16CAN Frank Weiss 20 Wth 8 23 7 218 17USA Tony Bettenhausen Jr. orange R silver 9 9 13 13 15 185 18USA Dana Carter orange R silver 10 DNQ 11 22 10 165 19USA Phil Threshie 17 16 16 8 153 20USA Al Loquasto DNQ 10 150 21USA Todd Gibson 14 7 DNQ 130 22USA Jerry Karl DNS 10 DNQ 12 17 14 18 113 23USA Herm Johnson 8 100 24CAN Eldon Rasmussen 11 15 23 20 85 25USA Jerry Miller orange R silver 9 80 26USA Roger Rager DNQ 10 15 16 65 27USA Dick Ferguson orange R silver 17 11 DNQ 48 28USA John Martin 15 DNQ 18 30 29USA Bob Harkey 19 Wth 24 23 30USA Bill Puterbaugh DNQ 19 13 10 31USA Ken Nichols 13 10 32USA Jan Sneva orange R silver 20 8 -USA Rick Mears 1 0 -USA Mike Mosley 3 0 -USA Danny Ongais 4 12 0 -USA Bobby Unser 5* 0 -USA Gordon Johncock 6 0 -USA Tom Bagley 9 0 -USA Spike Gehlhausen 10 0 -USA Steve Krisiloff 11 0 -USA Salt Walther 12 0 -USA Tom Sneva 15 0 -USA Joe Saldana 16 0 -USA Johnny Rutherford 18 0 -USA Larry Rice 19 0 -USA Pancho Carter 20 0 -AUS Vern Schuppan 21 0 -USA Al Unser 22 0 -USA John Mahler 25 0 -USA Wally Dallenbach Sr. 27 0 -USA Lee Kunzman 30 0 -USA Larry McCoy DNQ 0 -USA Bill Alsup DNQ 0 -USA Larry Cannon DNQ 0 -USA Billy Engelhart DNQ 0 -USA Tom Frantz DNQ 0 -USA Hurley Haywood DNQ 0 -USA Jim Hurtubise DNQ 0 -USA Billy Scott DNQ 0 -USA Neil Bonnett Wth 0 -USA Greg Leffler Wth 0 Pos Driver ONTUSA TWS1USA INDYUSA MIL1USA POCUSA TWS2USA MIL2USA Pts Color Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green 4th & 5th place Light Blue 6th-10th place Dark Blue Finished(Outside Top 10) Purple Did not finish(Ret) Red Did not qualify(DNQ) Brown Withdrawn(Wth) Black Disqualified(DSQ) White Did not start(DNS) Blank 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 See also 1979 Indianapolis 500 1979 SCCA/CART Indy Car Series Footnotes N References http://www.driverdb.com/standings/980-1979/ USAC National Championship 1979 Åberg, Andreas Driver Database 2009-05-11 https://web.archive.org/web/20120908075537/http://www.driverdb.com/standings/980-1979/ 2012-09-08 live http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1979u.htm 1979 USAC National Championship Trail ChampCarStats.com 2009-05-11 https://web.archive.org/web/20081122121625/http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1979u.htm 2008-11-22 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. 212-213) * USAC Championship Car season Category:USAC Championship Car Category:1979 in American motorsport