1979 USAC Championship Car season | |
---|---|
USAC National Championship Trail | |
Season | |
Races | 7 |
Start date | March 25 |
End date | August 12 |
Awards | |
National champion | A. J. Foyt |
Indianapolis 500 winner | Rick Mears |
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. [1] [2] However, the plan never materialized.
All races running on Oval/Speedway.
Rnd | Date | Race Name | Length | Track | Location | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | March 25 | Datsun Twin 200 | 200 mi (320 km) | Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
2 | April 8 | Coors 200 | 200 mi (320 km) | Texas World Speedway | College Station, Texas | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
3 | May 27 | International 500 Mile Sweepstakes | 500 mi (800 km) | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Rick Mears A | Rick Mears A |
4 | June 10 | Rex Mays Classic | 150 mi (240 km) | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
5 | June 24 | Music 500 at Pocono | 500 mi (800 km) | Pocono International Raceway | Long Pond, Pennsylvania | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
6 | August 5 | Lubrilon Grand Prix | 200 mi (320 km) | Texas World Speedway | College Station, Texas | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
7 | August 12 | Tony Bettenhausen 200 | 200 mi (320 km) | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Tom Bigelow | Roger McCluskey |
September 2 B | California 500 | 500 mi (800 km) | Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California | — | — |
^A Non-USAC drivers
^B Originally scheduled as a USAC race, but was switched mid-season to a CART series race.
The CART drivers were not eligible for points.
|
|
1979 USAC Championship Car season | |
---|---|
USAC National Championship Trail | |
Season | |
Races | 7 |
Start date | March 25 |
End date | August 12 |
Awards | |
National champion | A. J. Foyt |
Indianapolis 500 winner | Rick Mears |
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. [1] [2] However, the plan never materialized.
All races running on Oval/Speedway.
Rnd | Date | Race Name | Length | Track | Location | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | March 25 | Datsun Twin 200 | 200 mi (320 km) | Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
2 | April 8 | Coors 200 | 200 mi (320 km) | Texas World Speedway | College Station, Texas | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
3 | May 27 | International 500 Mile Sweepstakes | 500 mi (800 km) | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Rick Mears A | Rick Mears A |
4 | June 10 | Rex Mays Classic | 150 mi (240 km) | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
5 | June 24 | Music 500 at Pocono | 500 mi (800 km) | Pocono International Raceway | Long Pond, Pennsylvania | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
6 | August 5 | Lubrilon Grand Prix | 200 mi (320 km) | Texas World Speedway | College Station, Texas | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
7 | August 12 | Tony Bettenhausen 200 | 200 mi (320 km) | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Tom Bigelow | Roger McCluskey |
September 2 B | California 500 | 500 mi (800 km) | Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California | — | — |
^A Non-USAC drivers
^B Originally scheduled as a USAC race, but was switched mid-season to a CART series race.
The CART drivers were not eligible for points.
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