IROC IX
IROC IX was the ninth year of IROC competition, which took place in 1985. It saw the use of the Chevrolet Camaro in all races, was the second straight season that television coverage was on CBS, and continued the format introduced in IROC VIII. Race one took place on the Daytona International Speedway, race two took place at Mid-Ohio, race three was rained out at Talladega Superspeedway, and race four concluded the year at Michigan International Speedway. Harry Gant won the championship and $158,200 in a tie-breaker with Darrell Waltrip.
The roster of drivers and final points standings were as follows: [1]
Race results
Race One, Daytona International Speedway
Friday, February 15, 1985
| Finish | Grid | Car no. |
Driver | Car Make | Car Color | Laps | Status | Laps Led |
Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | 5 |  Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet Camaro | Light Blue | 40 | 0:32:55 | 1 | 23 (2) |
| 2 | 6 | 1 | Tom Sneva | Chevrolet Camaro | White | 40 | Flagged | 17 | |
| 3 | 9 | 4 | A. J. Foyt | Chevrolet Camaro | Cream | 40 | Flagged | 35 | 19 (5) |
| 4 | 4 | 8 |  Derek Bell | Chevrolet Camaro | Orange | 40 | Flagged | 12 | |
| 5 | 12 | 7 | Harry Gant | Chevrolet Camaro | Blue | 40 | Flagged | 10 | |
| 6 | 7 | 3 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet Camaro | Pink | 40 | Flagged | 4 | 12 (3) |
| 7 | 8 | 17 |  Jochen Mass | Chevrolet Camaro | Silver | 40 | Flagged | 8 | |
| 8 | 1 | 2 | John Watson | Chevrolet Camaro | Dark Blue | 40 | Flagged | 7 | |
| 9 | 3 | 12 | Bobby Rahal | Chevrolet Camaro | Red | 39 | Crash | 6 | |
| 10 | 5 | 6 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet Camaro | Yellow | 39 | Flagged | 5 | |
| 11 | 10 | 11 | Tom Gloy | Chevrolet Camaro | Black | 15 | Crash | 4 | |
| 12 | 2 | 9 | Mario Andretti | Chevrolet Camaro | Orange Yellow | 5 | Mechanical | 3 |
(5) Indicates 5 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading the most laps.
(3) Indicates 3 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading the 2nd most laps
(2) Indicates 2 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading the 3rd most laps.
Average speed: 182.278 mph (293.348 km/h)
Cautions: 1 (Lap 15, Tom Gloy accident in the tri-oval.)
Margin of victory: 3 sec
Lead changes: 3
Race Two, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Friday, June 8, 1985
| Finish | Grid | Car no. |
Driver | Car Make | Car Color | Laps | Status | Laps Led |
Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 17 | Bobby Rahal | Chevrolet Camaro | Silver | 29 | 0:49:30 | 2 | 24 (3) |
| 2 | 5 | 7 | John Watson | Chevrolet Camaro | Blue | 29 | Flagged | 17 | |
| 3 | 1 | 3 | Mario Andretti | Chevrolet Camaro | Pink | 29 | Flagged | 27 | 19 (5) |
| 4 | 6 | 8 | Jochen Mass | Chevrolet Camaro | Orange | 29 | Flagged | 12 | |
| 5 | 9 | 2 | Derek Bell | Chevrolet Camaro | Dark Blue | 29 | Flagged | 10 | |
| 6 | 8 | 1 | Harry Gant | Chevrolet Camaro | White | 29 | Flagged | 9 | |
| 7 | 12 | 6 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet Camaro | Yellow | 29 | Flagged | 8 | |
| 8 | 11 | 11 | Tom Sneva | Chevrolet Camaro | Black | 29 | Flagged | 7 | |
| 9 | 3 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet Camaro | Powder Blue | 29 | Flagged | 6 | |
| 10 | 10 | 10 | A. J. Foyt | Chevrolet Camaro | Red | 29 | Flagged | 5 | |
| 11 | 2 | 18 | Tom Gloy | Chevrolet Camaro | Light Blue | 29 | Flagged | 4 | |
| 12 | 7 | 12 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet Camaro | Dark Red | 29 | Flagged | 3 |
(5) Indicates 5 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading the most laps.
(3) Indicates 3 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading the 2nd most laps
(2) Indicates 2 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading the 3rd most laps (Did not occur in this race so not awarded).
Average speed: 84.363 mph (135.769 km/h)
Cautions: none
Margin of victory: 2.4 sec
Lead changes: 1
Race Three, Talladega Superspeedway
This race was scheduled for Saturday July 27th, 1985 but was canceled due to rain
Race Four, Michigan International Speedway
Saturday, August 10, 1985
| Finish | Grid | Car no. |
Driver | Car Make | Car Color | Laps | Status | Laps Led |
Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 18 | Harry Gant | Chevrolet Camaro | Light Blue | 50 | 0:39:09 | 33 | 26 (5) |
| 2 | 10 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet Camaro | Powder Blue | 50 | Flagged | 13 | 20 (3) |
| 3 | 9 | 12 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet Camaro | Dark Red | 50 | Flagged | 14 | |
| 4 | 1 | 2 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet Camaro | Dark Blue | 50 | Flagged | 4 | 14 (2) |
| 5 | 2 | 1 | Bobby Rahal | Chevrolet Camaro | White | 50 | Flagged | 10 | |
| 6 | 6 | 11 | Derek Bell | Chevrolet Camaro | Black | 50 | Flagged | 9 | |
| 7 | 3 | 6 | Tom Sneva | Chevrolet Camaro | Yellow | 50 | Flagged | 8 | |
| 8 | 7 | 17 | Jochen Mass | Chevrolet Camaro | Silver | 50 | Flagged | 7 | |
| 9 | 4 | 8 | John Watson | Chevrolet Camaro | Orange | 50 | Flagged | 6 | |
| 10 | 11 | 3 | Tom Gloy | Chevrolet Camaro | Pink | 49 | Flagged | 5 | |
| 11 | 5 | 7 | A. J. Foyt | Chevrolet Camaro | Blue | 27 | Mechanical | 4 | |
| 12 | X | X | Mario Andretti 3 | Chevrolet Camaro | Not Assigned | 0 | Did Not Start, Injured | 3 |
(5) Indicates 5 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading the most laps.
(3) Indicates 3 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading the 2nd most laps
(2) Indicates 2 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading the 3rd most laps.
Average speed: 153.257 mph (246.643 km/h)
Cautions: none
Margin of victory: 4 feet
Lead changes: 8
Notes
- Harry Gant and Darrell Waltrip tied for the championship, but Gant was awarded the title due to a higher finishing position in the final race.
- Terry Labonte and Derek Bell tied for fifth place, but Labonte was awarded the position due a higher finish in the final race.
- Mario Andretti did not compete in the final race due to injury.
References
- IROC season statistics at racing-reference.info, Retrieved March 8, 2007