1970 USAC Championship Car season

The 1970 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 18 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 28 and concluding at the same location on November 21. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Al Unser. After this season, dirt courses did not reappear in the USAC Championship until 1981-82. Road courses after this season did not reappear in the USAC Championship until 1977. The Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb was the only non-championship event.

1970 USAC Championship Car season
USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races18
Start dateMarch 28
End dateNovember 21
Awards
National champion Al Unser
Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser

Schedule and results

Rnd Date Race Name Length Track Location Type Pole Position Winning Driver
1 March 28 Phoenix 150 150 mi (240 km) Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Paved Mario Andretti Al Unser
2 April 4 Golden Gate 150 151.38 mi (243.62 km) Sears Point Raceway Sonoma, California Road Mark Donohue Dan Gurney
3 April 26 Trenton 200 201 mi (323 km) Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved Al Unser Lloyd Ruby
4 May 30 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes 500 mi (800 km) Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana Paved Al Unser Al Unser
5 June 7 Rex Mays Classic 150 mi (240 km) Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway West Allis, Wisconsin Paved Mario Andretti Joe Leonard
6 June 14 Langhorne 150 150 mi (240 km) Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Paved Bobby Unser Bobby Unser
7 June 28 Rocky Mountain 150 151.62 mi (244.01 km) Continental Divide Raceways Mead, Colorado Road Al Unser Mario Andretti
8 July 4 Michigan Twin 200s 200 mi (320 km) Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, Michigan Paved Gary Bettenhausen Gary Bettenhausen
NC July 4 Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb 12.42 mi (19.99 km) Pikes Peak Highway Pikes Peak, Colorado Hill Orville NanceA Ted Foltz
9 July 26 Indy 150 150 mi (240 km) Indianapolis Raceway Park Clermont, Indiana Road Mario Andretti Al Unser
10 August 22 Tony Bettenhausen 100 100 mi (160 km) Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield, Illinois Dirt Larry Dickson Al Unser
11 August 23 Tony Bettenhausen 200 200 mi (320 km) Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway West Allis, Wisconsin Paved Al Unser Al Unser
12 September 6 California 500 500 mi (800 km) Ontario Motor Speedway Ontario, California Paved Lloyd Ruby Jim McElreath
13 September 7 Ted Horn Memorial 100 100 mi (160 km) DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Du Quoin, Illinois Dirt Al Unser Al Unser
14 September 12 Hoosier Hundred 100 mi (160 km) Indiana State Fairgrounds Indianapolis, Indiana Dirt Johnny Parsons Al Unser
15 September 19 Sedalia 100 100 mi (160 km) State Fair Raceway Sedalia, Missouri Dirt Al Unser Al Unser
16 October 3 Trenton 300 264 mi (425 km)B Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved Al Unser Al Unser
17 October 4 Golden State 100 100 mi (160 km) California State Fairgrounds Sacramento, California Dirt Mario Andretti Al Unser
18 November 21 Bobby Ball 150 150 mi (240 km) Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Paved Al Unser Swede Savage
  Paved/Dirt Oval
  Road Course/Hill Climb
  Non-championship race

^A 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.
^B Scheduled for 300 miles, stopped early due to rain.

Final points standings

Note: Mark Donohue, Kevin Bartlett, Peter Revson, LeeRoy Yarbrough, John Cannon, Donnie Allison, Ron Grable, Jack Eiteljorg and Jack Brabham are not eligible for points.

Pos Driver PHX1
SON
TRE1
INDY
MIL1
LAN
CDR
MIC
IRP
SPR
MIL2
ONT
DQSF
ISF
SED
TRE2
SAC
PHX2
Pts
1 Al Unser 1 3 3 1 3 2 5 18 1 1 1 9 1 1 1 1 1 2 5130
2 Bobby Unser 2 18 4 11 6 1 4 2 24 9 19 22 2 DNQ DNQ 2 6 17 2260
3 Jim McElreath 6 7 5 DNS 3 1 Wth 10 13 DNP 16 5 2060
4 Mike Mosley 5 7 5 21 7 3 15 4 14 10 5 14 18 5 4 3 8 20 1900
5 Mario Andretti 13 2 2 6 5 8 1 21 18 24 24 10 17 11 2 21 14 8 1890
6 Roger McCluskey DNQ DNQ 25 2 Wth 7 9 DNP 2 25 10 5 5 3 1380
7 Gordon Johncock 18 4 15 28 12 10 7 12 3 4 DNQ 1160
8 Art Pollard 11 21 30 18 DNP 19 17 DNP 11 2 6 24 1110
9 A. J. Foyt 4 Wth 6 10 24 3 8 12 15 7 15 10 3 DNQ Wth 23 1105
10 Dick Simon  R  24 6 9 14 11 9 11 19 13 3 DNQ DNQ 9 1080
11 Dan Gurney 1 3 18 1000
12 Johnny Rutherford DNP 5 20 18 14 DNQ 3 17 11 21 31 11 DNQ 12 4 13 6 960
13 Mel Kenyon 16 DNQ 10 3 6 9 860
14 Lloyd Ruby 3 1 27 4 DNP 17 20 23 22 16 790
15 Bentley Warren  R  DNQ 8 DNQ 10 6 5 4 DNQ 8 5 20 11 775
16 Gary Bettenhausen 17 21 12 26 9 5 1 22 20 17 19 9 DNQ 16 DNQ 9 19 710
17 Wally Dallenbach Sr. 10 17 17 8 7 DNP 16 5 9 28 DNS 15 4 620
18 Swede Savage 2 8 27 1 615
19 Jim Malloy 33 19 4 5 16 22 DNQ 11 DNQ 12 7 13 DNP 13 570
20 Greg Weld 18 32 DNQ DNP 27 7 15 7 8 DNQ 4 530
21 George Snider 7 20 23 23 14 DNQ 4 14 15 18 2 7 460
22 Carl Williams 9 2 12 DNQ 15 DNQ 10 440
23 Jerry Grant 22 7 17 DNP 6 21 DNQ 14 420
24 Rick Muther 8 400
25 Sam Sessions 12 DNQ 21 6 17 DNQ 4 11 DNP 12 365
26 Steve Krisiloff 8 15 10 DNQ 22 13 18 DNQ 29 7 DNS 315
27 Larry Dickson DNQ 25 DNQ 3 DNQ 3 DNS 11 310
28 John Mahler  R  13 16 DNQ 15 8 9 6 14 12 DNQ 305
29 Joe Leonard 24 1 13 300
30 Bill Simpson 22 10 19 DNQ 20 19 14 7 6 DNQ 19 21 295
31 Ralph Liguori DNQ 13 5 2 DNQ 15 260
32 Bill Vukovich II DNS 20 DNP 23 13 12 DNP DNQ 3 10 200
33 Max Dudley 8 22 9 DNQ 10 DNQ 195
34 Bruce Jacobi 19 9 DNQ 20 20 4 15 DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 180
35 Tom Bigelow DNQ DNQ 17 DNQ 7 13 7 DNQ 6 17 17 DNQ 180
36 Bob Harkey 12 16 17 6 13 9 DNQ DNQ 130
37 Merle Bettenhausen  R  DNP 8 7 110
38 Dee Jones DNQ 8 DNQ 100
39 Karl Busson  R  9 11 DNS 18 22 23 DNS DNQ DNQ DNQ 14 15 100
40 Bud Tingelstad DNQ 25 24 16 DNQ 10 18 90
41 Bruce Walkup 16 29 21 16 DNS 13 26 23 16 14 6 14 DNQ DNQ DNQ 80
42 Jimmy Caruthers  R  6 DNP 80
43 Jerry Karl 12 24 13 DNQ DNQ 11 DNQ DNP 12 25 DNQ 65
44 Ludwig Heimrath Jr. 23 14 23 DNQ 12 10 60
45 Ronnie Bucknum 16 15 DNQ DNP 20 DNP 11 60
46 Dick Tobias  R  19 8 50
47 Will Cagle  R  21 DNQ 9 DNQ DNQ 40
48 Arnie Knepper DNQ 15 11 18 22 DNQ DNQ DNQ 40
49 Johnny Parsons DNQ 16 12 17 18 DNQ DNQ 10
50 Johnny Anderson 20 12 10
- Mark Donohue 25 2 2 30 0
- John Cannon 11 DNQ DNP 4 DNQ 0
- Donnie Allison  R  4 0
- Peter Revson 22 5 0
- LeeRoy Yarbrough 19 8 0
- Jack Eiteljorg 10 DNQ 0
- Ron Grable  R  11 0
- Kevin Bartlett 12 DNQ 16 26 0
- Ned Spath 14 17 13 DNQ 0
- Larry Cannon  R  DNQ DNQ 18 13 DNQ DNQ 16 DNP DNQ 0
- Jack Brabham 13 DNQ 0
- Darrell Dockery  R  15 23 14 DNQ 23 23 DNQ DNQ 0
- Al Loquasto 24 DNQ DNQ 14 DNP 23 0
- John Martin  R  15 DNQ 0
- Al Miller 15 0
- Bill Puterbaugh DNQ DNS DNQ DNQ 16 17 DNP 0
- Sonny Ates DNQ 16 DNP 0
- Salt Walther  R  DNS 18 0
- Jerry Poland  R  DNQ 18 DNQ 0
- Crockey Peterson  R  19 20 DNQ 0
- Scooter Patrick  R  19 0
- George Follmer 31 21 20 0
- Bud Morley 21 DNQ 0
- Nick Dioguardi  R  21 0
- Gig Stephens 22 22 0
- Bob DeJong  R  DNP DNQ DNQ 22 DNQ DNQ 0
- Don Brown  R  24 DNQ 0
- Jim Hurtubise DNQ 32 0
- Ron Burke DSQ DNQ DNQ DNS 0
- Ed Marshall DNQ DNS 0
- Leigh Earnshaw DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
- Jigger Sirois DNQ DNP DNQ 0
- Keith Rachwitz DNQ DNP DNQ 0
- Lee Kunzman DNQ DNQ 0
- Denny Zimmerman DNQ DNQ 0
- Rollie Beale DNQ DNQ 0
- Jim Reynard DNQ DNQ 0
- Bob Gregg DNP DNQ 0
- Tony Adamowicz DNQ 0
- Chris Amon DNQ 0
- Charlie Glotzbach DNQ 0
- Denny Hulme DNQ 0
- Bruce McLaren DNQ 0
- Butch Morley DNQ 0
- Carlos Pairetti DNQ 0
- Sam Posey DNQ 0
- Bob Veith DNQ 0
- Les Scott DNQ 0
- Gary Ponzini DNQ 0
- Bob Allen DNQ 0
- Tom Sneva DNQ 0
- Dave Strickland DNQ 0
- Carl Adams DNP 0
Pos Driver PHX1
SON
TRE1
INDY
MIL1
LAN
CDR
MIC
IRP
SPR
MIL2
ONT
DQSF
ISF
SED
TRE2
SAC
PHX2
Pts
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

References

  • Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1970". Driver Database. Archived from the original on 2009-05-14. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
  • "1970 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on 2009-05-14. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
  • Harms, Phil. "1970 Championship Driver Summary" (PDF). Motorsport.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-04. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  • http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf (p. 232-237)

See also

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