Sports season
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 theββexception 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-seasonββto 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." However, "the plan never materialized."
Confirmed entriesβ»
Team
|
Chassis
|
Engine
|
No
|
Drivers
|
Rounds
|
Agajanian-King Racers
|
Kingfish 73
|
Chevrolet
|
97
|
Phil Threshie
|
3β5
|
Jerry Miller
|
7
|
98
|
Gary Bettenhausen
|
3β5
|
George Snider
|
7
|
AMI Racing
|
Lola T500B
|
Cosworth
|
43
|
Tom Bigelow
|
All
|
44
|
Roger McCluskey
|
4β7
|
45
|
Janet Guthrie
|
1, 3, 5, 7
|
George Snider
|
1β2
|
Wildcat Mk. II
|
DGS
|
46
|
Gary Bettenhausen
|
1β2, 6β7
|
Howdy Holmes
|
3, 5
|
Greg Leffler
|
4
|
B/M Enterprises
|
Antares 72
|
Offenhauser
|
50
|
Frank Weiss
|
1, 3β5, 7
|
Eldon Rasmussen
|
3
|
Beaudoin Racing
|
Wildcat Mk. II
|
DGS
|
83
|
Billy Engelhart
|
3
|
Beith Racing
|
Eagle 72
|
Offenhauser
|
28
|
Billy Scott
|
3
|
Bruce Crower
|
Eagle 74
|
Chevrolet
|
57
|
Jerry Sneva
|
1β3, 5
|
Fiore Racing
|
McLaren M16C/D
|
Offenhauser
|
88
|
Ken Nichols
|
1
|
Gibson Racing
|
Eagle 74
|
DGS
|
75
|
Todd Gibson
|
1β3
|
Gilmore Racing
|
Parnelli VPJ6CT Coyote IV
|
Cosworth Foyt
|
14
|
A. J. Foyt
|
All
|
Hodgdon Racing
|
McLaren M24
|
Cosworth
|
72
|
Roger McCluskey
|
1, 3
|
Spirit 78
|
AMC
|
73
|
Neil Bonnett
|
3
|
Jerry Sneva
|
3
|
Hucul Racing
|
McLaren M16E
|
Offenhauser
|
29
|
Cliff Hucul
|
All
|
Jim Hurtubise
|
Mallard 71
|
Offenhauser
|
56
|
Jim Hurtubise
|
3
|
Joe Hunt
|
Eagle 73
|
Offenhauser
|
99
|
Bob Harkey
|
1
|
Leader Card
|
Watson 77
|
Offenhauser
|
22
|
Bill Vukovich II
|
All
|
Watson 78
|
24
|
Sheldon Kinser
|
All
|
Watson 79
|
40
|
George Snider
|
3
|
Lindsey Hopkins
|
Lightning Mk1/79 Lightning X-15
|
Offenhauser
|
15
|
Johnny Parsons
|
1β5, 7
|
51
|
Hurley Haywood
|
1, 3
|
George Snider
|
5
|
Loquasto Racing
|
McLaren M16C/D
|
Offenhauser
|
86
|
Al Loquasto
|
5
|
McElreath Racing
|
Eagle 73/74 Penske PC-6/78
|
Chevrolet
|
26
|
Tony Bettenhausen Jr.
|
2
|
Offenhauser Cosworth
|
Jim McElreath
|
5β7
|
23
|
1β3
|
Phil Threshie
|
6
|
Medlin Racing
|
Cicada Mk.IV
|
Offenhauser
|
35
|
Bill Puterbaugh
|
3β4, 7
|
Mergard Racing
|
Eagle 72
|
Offenhauser
|
42
|
Herm Johnson
|
7
|
Polak Racing
|
Penske PC-5/77
|
Cosworth
|
80
|
Larry Dickson
|
3β7
|
Rager Racing
|
Eagle 68
|
Chevrolet
|
66
|
Roger Rager
|
3β4, 6β7
|
Rasmussen Racing
|
Rascar 72
|
Foyt Chevrolet
|
58
|
Eldon Rasmussen
|
1β3, 5
|
Raymond Reimer
|
March 73A
|
Chevrolet
|
93
|
Larry McCoy
|
3
|
Dana Carter
|
6
|
Jan Sneva
|
7
|
Rhoades Competition
|
McLaren M16E
|
Offenhauser
|
20
|
John Martin
|
3, 5
|
Robert LaWarre
|
Eagle 68
|
Chevrolet
|
60
|
Tony Bettenhausen Jr.
|
4β5
|
McLaren M16C/D
|
Offenhauser
|
86
|
6β7
|
Thunder Racing
|
McLaren M16C/D
|
Offenhauser
|
30
|
Larry Dickson
|
1β2
|
Dana Carter
|
3β5
|
Vollstedt Racing
|
Vollstedt 77
|
Offenhauser
|
17
|
Dick Simon
|
1, 3β7
|
Vollstedt 73
|
27
|
John Martin
|
1
|
AMC
|
George Snider
|
4
|
Bob Harkey
|
5
|
Wayne Woodward
|
Eagle 72
|
Offenhauser
|
42
|
Dick Ferguson
|
1
|
Eagle 74
|
81
|
Dana Carter
|
1
|
Dick Ferguson
|
2β3
|
Jerry Sneva
|
4β7
|
William R. Compton
|
McLaren M16C/D
|
Offenhauser
|
38
|
Jerry Karl
|
All
|
CART entrants - ineligibleββto score points.
|
Alex Morales Co.
|
Lightning Mk1/77
|
Offenhauser
|
10
|
Pancho Carter
|
3
|
All American Racers
|
Eagle 78 MkII
|
Cosworth
|
36
|
Mike Mosley
|
3
|
Cannon Racing Team
|
Wildcat Mk. I
|
DGS
|
95
|
Larry Cannon
|
3
|
Chaparral Racing
|
Chaparral 2K
|
Cosworth
|
2
|
Al Unser
|
3
|
Conqueste Racing
|
Parnelli VPJ6CT
|
Cosworth
|
89
|
Lee Kunzman
|
3
|
Fletcher Racing
|
Lightning Mk1/77
|
Cosworth
|
7
|
Steve Krisiloff
|
3
|
Frantz Auto Body
|
Wildcat Mk. I
|
DGS
|
16
|
Tom Frantz
|
3
|
Gehlhausen-Reath Racing
|
Wildcat Mk. I
|
Cosworth
|
19
|
Spike Gehlhausen
|
3
|
Eagle 74
|
Offenhauser
|
Bob Harkey
|
3
|
Bill Alsup
|
3
|
39
|
Al Loquasto
|
3
|
Hoffman Auto Racing
|
Lightning Mk1/77
|
Offenhauser
|
59
|
George Snider
|
3
|
Eagle 72
|
Offenhauser
|
69
|
Joe Saldana
|
3
|
Intercomp Racing
|
Eagle 72
|
Offenhauser
|
92
|
John Mahler
|
3
|
Interscope Racing
|
Parnelli VPJ6CT
|
Cosworth
|
25
|
Danny Ongais
|
3, 5
|
Jerry O'Connell Racing
|
McLaren M24
|
Cosworth
|
1
|
Tom Sneva
|
3
|
Longhorn Racing
|
Penske PC-6/78
|
Cosworth
|
11
|
Tom Bagley
|
3
|
Patrick Racing
|
Penske PC-6/78
|
Cosworth
|
3
|
Gordon Johncock
|
3
|
6
|
Wally Dallenbach
|
3
|
Penske Racing
|
Penske PC-6/78
|
Cosworth
|
9
|
Rick Mears
|
3
|
Penske PC-7/79
|
12
|
Bobby Unser
|
3
|
68
|
Bill Alsup
|
3
|
S&M Electric
|
Lightning Mk1/77
|
Offenhauser
|
31
|
Larry Rice
|
3
|
Team McLaren
|
McLaren M24B
|
Cosworth
|
4
|
Johnny Rutherford
|
3
|
Walmotor
|
Penske PC-6/78
|
Cosworth
|
77
|
Salt Walther
|
3
|
WASP Racing
|
McLaren M16C/D
|
Offenhauser
|
41
|
Bill Alsup
|
3
|
Wysard Motor Co.
|
Wildcat Mk. II
|
DGS
|
34
|
Vern Schuppan
|
3
|
Schedule and resultsβ»
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
|
Rick Mears
|
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
|
California 500
|
500 mi (800 km)
|
Ontario Motor Speedway
|
Ontario, California
|
β
|
β
|
^A Non-USAC drivers
^B Originally scheduled as a USAC race. But was switched mid-season to a CART series race.
Final points standingsβ»
The CART drivers were not eligible for points.
|
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 not participate (DNP)
|
Not competing
|
|
In-line notation
|
Bold
|
Pole position
|
Italics
|
Ran fastest race lap
|
*
|
Led most race laps
|
RY Rookie of the Year
|
R Rookie
|
|
|
See alsoβ»
Footnotesβ»
- ^ Raced as #44 at the Indianapolis 500.
- ^ Jerry Sneva switched to Hodgdon Racing for the second weekend of Indy 500 time trials. And to Wayne Woodward for the Pocono 500 qualifying.
- ^ Used at the first Texas World race.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Used by Parsons at the 500 events and "both Milwaukee races."
- ^ Used by McElreath at the Indy 500.
- ^ Used by McElreath at the Indy 500, and by Threshie.
- ^ Used at Pocono.
- ^ Rasmussen switched to B/M Enterprises after a crash during Indy 500 practice.
- ^ Jan Opperman took some laps for his refresher test at the Indy 500.
- ^ Car loaned by Patrick Racing at the Indy 500 for Gehlhausen.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Eligible to score points at the Indy 500, as he had competed with USAC teams earlier in the year.
- ^ George Snider practiced with the car at Indianapolis as a standby for a possible qualifying attempt after Ongais suffered a concussion in a crash.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Alsup switched to a Penske Racing back-up car for Bump Day at the Indy 500.
Referencesβ»
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Seasons | |
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Indianapolis 500s | |
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National Champions | |
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Tracks | |
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