1968 USAC Championship Car season

The 1968 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 28 races, beginning in Hanford, California on March 17 and concluding in Riverside, California on December 7. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Bobby Unser. Mike Spence died in an accident while practicing for the 1968 Indianapolis 500. Ronnie Duman died of burns suffered during the Rex Mays Classic.

1968 USAC Championship Car season
USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races28
Start dateMarch 17
End dateDecember 1
Awards
National champion Bobby Unser
Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser

Schedule and results
Rnd Date Race Name Track Location Type Pole Position Winning Driver
1 March 17 California 200 Hanford Motor Speedway Hanford, California Paved Bobby Unser Gordon Johncock
2 March 31 Stardust 150 Stardust International Raceway Las Vegas, Nevada Road Dan Gurney Bobby Unser
3 April 7 Jimmy Bryan Memorial Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Paved Bobby Unser Bobby Unser
4 April 21 Trenton 150 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved Mario Andretti Bobby Unser
5 May 30 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana Paved Joe Leonard Bobby Unser
6 June 8 Rex Mays Classic Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Paved Roger McCluskey Lloyd Ruby
7 June 15 Telegraph Trophy 200A Mosport Park Bowmanville, Ontario Road Dan Gurney Dan Gurney
8 Dan Gurney Dan Gurney
9 June 23 Langhorne 150 Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Paved Gordon Johncock Gordon Johncock
10 June 29 Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb Pikes Peak Highway Pikes Peak, Colorado Hill Bobby UnserB Bobby Unser
11 July 7 Rocky Mountain 150 Continental Divide Raceways Castle Rock, Colorado Road Ronnie Bucknum A. J. Foyt
12 July 13 Nazareth 100 Nazareth Speedway Nazareth, Pennsylvania Dirt Bill Vukovich II Al Unser
13 July 21 Indy 200C Indianapolis Raceway Park Clermont, Indiana Road Mario Andretti Al Unser
14 Al Unser Al Unser
15 July 28 Langhorne Twin 100C Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Paved Gordon Johncock Al Unser
16 Al Unser Al Unser
17 August 4 Saint-Jovite 200C Circuit Mont-Tremblant Saint-Jovite, Quebec Road Mario Andretti Mario Andretti
18 Mario Andretti Mario Andretti
19 August 17 Tony Bettenhausen 100 Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield, Illinois Dirt Al Unser Roger McCluskey
20 August 18 Tony Bettenhausen 200 Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Paved Art Pollard Lloyd Ruby
21 September 2 Ted Horn Memorial DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Du Quoin, Illinois Dirt Al Unser Mario Andretti
22 September 7 Hoosier Hundred Indiana State Fairgrounds Indianapolis, Indiana Dirt Mario Andretti A. J. Foyt
23 September 22 Trenton 200 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved Al Unser Mario Andretti
24 September 29 Golden State 100 California State Fairgrounds Sacramento, California Dirt Mario Andretti A. J. Foyt
25 October 13 Michigan Inaugural 250 Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, Michigan Paved Mario Andretti Ronnie Bucknum
26 November 3 Hanford 250 Hanford Motor Speedway Hanford, California Paved Joe Leonard A. J. Foyt
27 November 17 Bobby Ball 150 Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Paved Mario Andretti Gary Bettenhausen
28 December 7 Rex Mays 300 Riverside International Raceway Riverside, California Road Dan Gurney Dan Gurney
  Paved/Dirt Oval
  Road Course/Hill Climb
^A Run in two heats of 98 miles (158 kilometers) each.
^B No pole is awarded for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, in this schedule on the pole is the driver who started first. No lap led was awarded for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, however, a lap was awarded to the drivers that completed the climb.
^C Run in two heats of 100 miles (161 kilometers) each.

Final points standings
Pos Driver HAN1
 LVG
 PHX1
 TRE1
 INDY
 MIL1
 MOS
 LAN1
 PIP
 CDR
 NAZ
 IRP
 LAN2
 MTR
 SPR
 MIL2
 DQSF
 ISF
 TRE2
 SAC
 MIC
 HAN2
 PHX2
 RIV
 Pts
1 Bobby Unser 5 1 1 1 1 21 17 2 1 11 7 3 21 2 16 2 11 DNQ 4 18 16 7 DNQ 17 2 19 2 4330
2 Mario Andretti 23 2 15 2 33 2 2 2 17 4 15 2 2 2 23 1 1 18 2 1 2 1 4 2 3 24 18 4319
3 Al Unser 2 14 16 17 26 3 4 5 12 22 4 1 1 1 1 1 9 15 12 3 7 15 22 3 18 15 15 26 2895
4 Lloyd Ruby 3 4 2 12 5 1 15 12 21 2 17 23 15 10 6 19 14 DNQ 1 DNQ DNQ 16 15 18 2 3 2799
5 Bill Vukovich II 26 6 19 5 7 13 9 7 14 9 3 13 6 6 4 4 7 3 5 6 16 19 6 4 7 2410
6 A. J. Foyt 4 13 23 21 20 14 1 4 3 18 17 24 2 1 24 1 14 1 23 20 1860
7 Dan Gurney 16 2 1 1 1 1800
8 Gary Bettenhausen 10 10 13 24 DNS 10 13 3 7 4 21 12 13 12 13 13 13 5 4 4 12 2 21 21 1 19 1595
9 Mel Kenyon 8 3 10 3 DNQ DNQ 22 DNQ DNQ 4 24 13 DNP 1355
10 Jim Malloy DNQ 9 11 22 10 8 8 20 3 17 10 5 3 4 3 5 8 15 14 11 18 24 11 22 24 1265
11 Sam Sessions 9 11 16 12 22 19 4 11 6 4 7 8 5 25 1260
12 Gordon Johncock 1 7 18 4 27 12 13 DNS 1 25 5 16 21 15 15 19 DNQ DNQ 7 11 1257
13 Roger McCluskey 6 12 14 16 29 20 3 14 9 17 19 7 22 1 23 5 12 2 12 25 10 11 12 1228
14 Bud Tingelstad 18 7 DNS 16 9 DNQ 19 13 13 16 5 15 2 8 18 DNQ DNQ 3 8 9 7 10 1016
15 Wally Dallenbach Sr. 7 4 3 17 7 15 DNQ 11 3 5 20 7 20 DNQ 13 18 9 22 23 25 29 960
16 George Snider 9 5 6 6 31 8 8 3 10 3 DNQ 13 3 DNP 919
17 Larry Dickson 12 28 6 11 5 DNQ 6 2 DNQ 7 DNQ 7 8 26 8 890
18 Johnny Rutherford 20 11 17 18 4 DNQ 20 DNQ 24 20 25 5 5 11 5 16 25 17 6 890
19 Mike Mosley 8 19 16 9 4 14 9 17 DNS 3 13 9 14 860
20 Joe Leonard 22 3 22 8 12 18 7 6 8 14 DNS 16 4 17 850
21 Jim McElreath 14 DNQ 22 10 11 7 17 7 10 9 15 DNQ 5 6 28 771
22 Ronnie Bucknum 21 5 3 19 6 4 3 4 1 20 14 13 760
23 Art Pollard 16 8 5 13 13 16 14 18 5 7 9 26 DNQ 14 14 10 10 10 6 DNQ 20 16 696
24 Sonny Ates  R  15 DNQ 22 DNQ 6 8 13 26 5 9 16 520
25 Rick Muther DNQ 7 DNQ 6 DNQ 21 5 510
26 Ronnie Duman DNP 6 22 400
27 Bruce Walkup 13 20 DNQ 5 11 12 18 18 9 7 15 13 DNQ DNQ 5 390
28 Max Dudley  R  17 DNQ 9 15 DNQ 7 18 16 10 11 7 12 21 26 12 285
29 Bill Puterbaugh DNQ 17 8 9 12 9 6 11 265
30 George Follmer 11 15 24 DNQ 11 10 DNS 8 240
31 Arnie Knepper 24 DNQ DNP 25 DNS 24 15 11 22 18 11 10 16 6 14 20 12 15 206
32 George Benson 25 9 8 6 22 170
33 Carl Williams 15 5 17 8 DNS 13 13 15 19 150
34 Bobby Grim 10 DNQ 150
35 Jerry Daniels 10 8 9 DNQ 120
36 Wib Spalding  R  8 100
37 Bob Veith 11 100
38 Chuck Booth DNQ DNQ 10 18 11 18 14 DNQ 11 DNQ 85
39 Tom Bigelow  R  6 DNQ 14 80
40 Keith Rachwitz 12 9 DNQ 17 DNQ DNQ 80
41 Rollie Beale 15 DNQ 19 DNQ DNQ 9 DNQ DNQ 80
42 Chuck Hulse 21 DNQ 8 DNQ 75
43 Jigger Sirois  R  16 21 DNQ 25 10 75
44 Bob Harkey DNQ DNQ 13 20 17 12 8 DNQ 23 13 60
45 Denny Zimmerman  R  20 11 DNS 50
46 Bob Hurt DNQ DNQ 10 DNQ 45
47 Ralph Liguori DNQ 16 20 9 17 18 40
48 Roger West  R  10 19 DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 30
49 Bruce Jacobi 19 21 19 DNQ 22 DNQ 15 13 DNQ 19 12 DNQ DNQ 11 16 18 30
50 Dempsey Wilson 14 17 11 DNQ DNQ DNQ 30
51 Al Smith DNQ 12 25
52 Ted Foltz 2 24
53 Wes Vandervoort 3 21
54 Paul Kleinschmidt 5 15
55 Malcolm Brazier 6 12
56 Bob Herring 7 9
57 Grier Manning 8 8
58 Ralph Bruning 9 6
59 Charles Louderman 10 5
- John Cannon  R  10 8 8 6 2 9 0
- Mark Donohue  R  6 4 21 0
- Denny Hulme 4 0
- Skip Scott  R  4 0
- Lothar Motschenbacher 17 6 0
- Bud Morley R  16 8 DNQ 0
- Jack Eiteljorg  R  23 10 9 0
- Peter Revson 10 0
- Bob Daly 11 0
- George Fejer  R  12 15 DNS 14 12 0
- Lou Sell  R  21 12 14 16 30 0
- Thurel Novotny 12 0
- Dick Heikes  R  13 0
- Gene Willbanks  R  14 0
- Greg Weld DNQ 14 24 DNQ DNQ 17 14 DNQ 0
- Gig Stephens DNQ 23 14 14 DNQ 0
- Bay Darnell 14 23 DNQ DNQ 0
- Don Thomas  R  DNQ 15 0
- Butch Earley  R  15 0
- Clark Yowell 16 0
- Henry Pens  R  DNQ 17 0
- Jerry Colton  R  17 0
- Don Meacham  R  17 0
- Gene Bergin  R  DNQ 18 DNQ DNQ 0
- Tom Dillon  R  18 0
- Graham Hill 19 DNQ 0
- LaVerne Ravenstein  R  19 0
- Chuck Arnold 20 0
- Walter Miller 20 0
- Gene Pacheco 21 0
- Jerry Titus DNQ 22 0
- Jerry Grant 23 DNS 23 0
- Orville Nance 23 0
- Mickey Shaw 23 0
- Jack Brabham 23 0
- Norm Brown 24 0
- Larry Overholser 24 0
- Bill Simpson  R  27 0
- Jim Hurtubise 30 0
- Jochen Rindt 32 0
- Dusty Smith DNQ DNS 0
- Billy Wilkerson DNS 0
- Jim Reynard DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
- Les Scott DNQ DNQ DNQ DNP DNQ 0
- Karl Busson DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
- Danny Ongais DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
- Dee Jones DNQ DNQ 0
- Ernie Koch DNQ DNQ 0
- Al Miller DNQ DNQ 0
- Norm Ellefson DNQ DNQ 0
- Hamilton Vose DNQ DNQ 0
- Don Schisler DNQ DNQ 0
- Otto Becker DNQ DNP 0
- Bill Cheesbourg DNQ 0
- Masten Gregory DNQ 0
- Bobby Johns DNQ 0
- Bruce McLaren DNQ 0
- Mike Spence DNQ 0
- Chuck Stevenson DNQ 0
- LeeRoy Yarbrough DNQ 0
- Scott Brazier DNQ 0
- Bob Tattersall DNQ 0
- Earl Smith DNQ 0
- Don Brown DNQ 0
- Earl Dykes DNQ 0
- Ludwig Heimrath Jr. DNQ 0
- Jackie Stewart Wth 0
- Jim Clark DNP 0
- Bob Herst DNP 0
- Stew McMillan DNP 0
Pos Driver HAN1
 LVG
 PHX1
 TRE1
 INDY
 MIL1
 MOS1
 MOS2
 LAN1
 PIP
 CDR
 NAZ
 IRP1
 IRP2
 LAN2
 LAN3
 MTR1
 MTR2
 SPR
 MIL2
 DQSF
 ISF
 TRE2
 SAC
 MIC
 HAN2
 PHX2
 RIV
 Pts

Note1: John Cannon, George Fejer, Lou Sell, Mark Donohue, Jack Eiteljorg, Bud Morley, Lothar Motschenbacher, Jochen Rindt, Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, Denis Hulme, Skip Scott and Peter Revson are not eligible for points.
Note2: Ronnie Bucknum did not compete with a USAC license until after the events at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Color Gold Silver Bronze Green Light Blue Dark Blue Purple Red Brown Black White Blank
Results Winner 2nd place 3rd place 4th & 5th place 6th-10th place Finished
(Outside Top 10)		 Did not finish
(Ret)		 Did not qualify
(DNQ)		 Withdrawn
(Wth)		 Disqualified
(DSQ)		 Did not start
(DNS)		 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

References
  • Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1968". Driver Database. Archived from the original on 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
  • "1968 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
  • http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf (p. 244-249)

See also
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