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 championUnited States Al Unser
Indianapolis 500 winnerUnited States Al Unser

Schedule and results

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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

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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 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 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 19 17 11 2 6 24 1110
9   A. J. Foyt 4 Wth 6 10 24 3 8 12 15 7 15 10 3 DNQ 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 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 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 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 13 570
20   Greg Weld 18 32 DNQ 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 6 21 DNQ 14 420
24   Rick Muther 8 DNQ 14 DNQ 33 8 22 400
25   Sam Sessions 12 DNQ 21 6 17 DNQ 4 11 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 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 Wth 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  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 Wth 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 Wth DNQ 11 DNQ 12 25 DNQ 65
44   Ludwig Heimrath Sr. 23 14 23 DNQ 12 10 60
45   Ronnie Bucknum 16 15 DNQ DNP 20 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 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 Wth 18 13 DNQ DNQ 16 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 23 0
-   John Martin  R  15 DNQ 0
-   Al Miller Wth 15 0
-   Bill Puterbaugh DNQ DNS DNQ DNQ 16 17 0
-   Sonny Ates Wth 16 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 Wth 21 DNQ 0
-   Nick Dioguardi  R  21 0
-   Gig Stephens 22 26 0
-   Bob DeJong  R  DNQ DNQ 22 DNQ DNQ 0
-   Don Brown  R  24 DNQ 0
-   Jim Hurtubise DNQ 32 0
-   Ron Burke DNQ DNQ DNQ DNS 0
-   Ed Marshall DNQ DNS 0
-   Leigh Earnshaw DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
-   Jigger Sirois DNQ DNQ 0
-   Keith Rachwitz DNQ DNQ 0
-   Lee Kunzman Wth DNQ 0
-   Denny Zimmerman DNQ DNQ 0
-   Rollie Beale DNQ DNQ 0
-   Jim Reynard DNQ DNQ 0
-   Bob Gregg DNQ 0
-   Tony Adamowicz DNQ 0
-   Sam Posey DNQ 0
-   Charlie Glotzbach Wth 0
-   Chris Amon Wth 0
-   Denny Hulme Wth 0
-   Carlos Pairetti Wth 0
-   Bob Veith Wth 0
-   Les Scott DNQ 0
-   Gary Ponzini DNQ 0
-   Bob Allen DNQ 0
-   Tom Sneva DNQ 0
-   Dave Strickland DNQ 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

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  • Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1970". Driver Database. Archived from the original on March 25, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
  • "1970 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on November 22, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
  • Harms, Phil. "1970 Championship Driver Summary" (PDF). Motorsport.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 10, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2011.
  • http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine (p. 232-237)

See also

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