List of USAC Championship Car seasons

From 1956 to 1978, USAC Championship Car seasons featured the top teams and drivers in U.S. open-wheel racing. Until 1971, the Championship contained road courses, ovals, dirt courses, and, on occasion, a hill climb. Thereafter, the schedule consisted mainly of paved ovals. In 1979, the majority of car owners left USAC to race in the Indy Car World Series, sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America and CART. This led to a decline in the number of events in the schedule, and by the 1984–85 season, the Championship comprised only one race, the Indianapolis 500. The era of USAC Championship Cars concluded with the formation of the Indy Racing League (IRL) in 1995, which was sanctioned by USAC until June 1997 when the IRL assumed officiating duties after the controversial finish of the 81st Indianapolis 500 and the scoring mistake that marred the following event.[1] The most successful driver in USAC Championship Car history was A. J. Foyt with seven National Championships and four Indianapolis 500 victories. Foyt competed in every season from 1957 to 1992–93.

A. J. Foyt driving a Championship Car in 1984

Seasons
# Year Races National Champion Indianapolis 500 Drivers Notes
Dirt Oval Hill Climb Paved Oval Road Total Ranked Fatalities
USAC National Championship Trail
1 1956 8 (1) (1) 4 (1) - 12 (3) United States Jimmy Bryan United States Pat Flaherty 36 - [2][3]
2 1957 9 (1) (1) 4 (3) - 13 (5) United States Jimmy Bryan United States Sam Hanks 41 1 [4][5]
3 1958 8 (1) (1) 5 (3) - 13 (5) United States Tony Bettenhausen United States Jimmy Bryan 38 3 [6][7]
4 1959 7 (1) (1) 6 (1) - 13 (3) United States Rodger Ward 50 7 [8][9]
5 1960 7 (1) (1) 5 - 12 (2) United States A. J. Foyt United States Jim Rathmann 45 1 [10][11]
6 1961 7 (1) 5 - 12 (1) United States A. J. Foyt 43 2 [12][13]
7 1962 7 (1) 6 - 13 (1) United States Rodger Ward 39 1 [14][15]
8 1963 6 (1) 6 - 12 (1) United States A. J. Foyt United States Parnelli Jones 36 - [16][17]
9 1964 5 (1) 8 - 13 (1) United States A. J. Foyt 46 4 [18][19]
10 1965 4 1 12 1 18 United States Mario Andretti United Kingdom Jim Clark 57 - [20][21]
11 1966 4 1 10 1 (1) 16 (1) United States Mario Andretti United Kingdom Graham Hill 57 1 [22][23]
12 1967 4 1 10 6 21 United States A. J. Foyt 62 - [24][25]
13 1968 5 1 13 9 28 United States Bobby Unser 68 2 [26][27]
14 1969 5 1 10 8 24 United States Mario Andretti 72 - [28][29]
15 1970 5 (1) 10 3 18 (1) United States Al Unser 55 - [30][31]
16 1971 - - 12 - 12 United States Joe Leonard United States Al Unser 44 - [32][33]
17 1972 - - 10 - 10 United States Joe Leonard United States Mark Donohue 42 1 [34][35]
18 1973 - - 16 - 16 United States Roger McCluskey United States Gordon Johncock 36 3 [36][37]
19 1974 - - 14 - 14 United States Bobby Unser United States Johnny Rutherford 37 - [38][39]
20 1975 - - 13 - 13 United States A. J. Foyt United States Bobby Unser 38 - [40][41]
21 1976 - - 13 - 13 United States Gordon Johncock United States Johnny Rutherford 39 - [42][43]
22 1977 - - 13 1 14 United States Tom Sneva United States A. J. Foyt 41 - [44][45]
23 1978 - - 15 3 18 United States Tom Sneva United States Al Unser 45 - [46][47]
24 1979 - - 7 - 7 United States A. J. Foyt United States Rick Mears 32 - [48][49]
Championship Racing League
25 1980 - - 4 1 5 United States Johnny Rutherford 57 - [50][51]
USAC Gold Crown Championship
26 1981–82 3 - 3 - 6 United States George Snider United States Bobby Unser* 51 1 [52][53]
United States Gordon Johncock*
27 1982–83 3 - 1 - 4 United States Tom Sneva 39 - [54][55]
28 1983–84 1 - 1 - 2 United States Rick Mears 39 - [56][57]
29 1984–85 - - 1 - 1 United States Danny Sullivan 32 - [58]
30 1985–86 - - 1 - 1 United States Bobby Rahal 33 - [59]
31 1986–87 - - 1 - 1 United States Al Unser 33 - [60]
32 1987–88 - - 1 - 1 United States Rick Mears 33 - [61]
33 1988–89 - - 1 - 1 Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi 33 - [62]
34 1989–90 - - 1 - 1 Netherlands Arie Luyendyk 33 - [63]
35 1990–91 - - 1 - 1 United States Rick Mears 33 - [64]
36 1991–92 - - 1 - 1 United States Al Unser Jr. 33 1 [65]
37 1992–93 - - 1 - 1 Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi 33 - [66]
38 1993–94 - - 1 - 1 United States Al Unser Jr. 33 - [67]
39 1994–95 - - 1 - 1 Canada Jacques Villeneuve 33 - [68]

* The 1981-82 season included both the 65th and 66th Indianapolis 500 races.
( ) Figures in parentheses denote the number of non-championship races in that season.

References
  1. "Indy Racing League takes scoring, timing from USAC". Las Vegas Sun. June 17, 1997. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016.
  2. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1956". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  3. "1956 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  4. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1957". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  5. "1957 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  6. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1958". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  7. "1958 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  8. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1959". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  9. "1959 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  10. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1960". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  11. "1960 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  12. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1961". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  13. "1961 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  14. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1962". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  15. "1962 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  16. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1963". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  17. "1963 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  18. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1964". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  19. "1964 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  20. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1965". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  21. "1965 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  22. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1966". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  23. "1966 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  24. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1967". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  25. "1967 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  26. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1968". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  27. "1968 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  28. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1969". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  29. "1969 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  30. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1970". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  31. "1970 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  32. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1971". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  33. "1971 USAC Marlboro Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  34. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1972". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  35. "1972 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  36. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1973". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  37. "1973 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  38. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1974". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  39. "1974 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  40. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1975". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  41. "1975 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  42. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1976". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  43. "1976 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  44. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1977". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  45. "1977 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  46. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1978". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  47. "1978 USAC National Championship Citicorp Cup". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  48. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1979". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  49. "1979 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  50. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1980". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  51. "1980 Championship Racing League". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  52. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1982". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  53. "1981-82 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  54. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1983". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  55. "1982-83 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  56. Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1984". Driver Database. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  57. "1983-84 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  58. "1984-85 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  59. "1985-86 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  60. "1986-87 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  61. "1987-88 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  62. "1988-89 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  63. "1989-90 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  64. "1990-91 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  65. "1991-92 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  66. "1992-93 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  67. "1993-94 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  68. "1994-95 Gold Crown Championship". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.

See also
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