1959 USAC Championship Car season

1959 USAC Championship Car season
1959 USAC Championship Car season
USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races	13
Start date	April 4
End date	October 25
Awards
National champion	Rodger Ward
Indianapolis 500 winner	Rodger Ward
	← 1958 1960 →

Last updated March 24, 2024

The 1959 USAC Championship Car season (officially the 1959 USAC National Championship Trail) ^[1] consisted of 13 races, beginning in Daytona Beach, Florida on April 4 and concluding in Sacramento, California on October 25. There were also three non-championship events. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Rodger Ward. In this tragic season 7 fatal accidents occurred. During the pre-season, Marshall Teague was fatally injured in a crash at Daytona. He was 37 years old. In the first race of the season at Daytona, 34-year-old George Amick was killed in an accident on the last lap. In the second race of the season at Trenton, Dick Linder was killed; he was 36 years old. The third race of the season, the Indy 500, had two fatalities. On May 2, Jerry Unser (26 years old) was killed in a practice accident, and on May 19 death Bob Cortner (32 years old) was also killed in a practice accident. On July 19 at Mechanicsburg in the Indianapolis Sweepstakes non-championship race Van Johnson was killed in an accident; he was 32 years old. On August 30, 32-year-old Ed Elisian was killed at the Milwaukee Mile. The 1959 season could be considered one of the most tragic seasons in American open-wheel car history.

Schedule and results

Rnd	Date	Race Name	Track	Location	Type	Pole Position	Winning Driver
1	April 4	Daytona 100	Daytona International Speedway	Daytona Beach, Florida	Paved	Dick Rathmann	Jim Rathmann
NC	April 4	USAC/FIA Formula Libre Race	Daytona International Speedway	Daytona Beach, Florida	Paved	Dick Rathmann	Jim Rathmann
2	April 19	Race of Champions	Trenton International Speedway	Trenton, New Jersey	Paved	Don Branson	Tony Bettenhausen
3	May 30	International 500 Mile Sweepstakes ^A	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	Speedway, Indiana	Paved	Johnny Thomson	Rodger Ward
4	June 7	Rex Mays Classic	Milwaukee Mile	West Allis, Wisconsin	Paved	Johnny Thomson	Johnny Thomson
5	June 14	Langhorne 100	Langhorne Speedway	Langhorne, Pennsylvania	Dirt	Jud Larson	Van Johnson
NC	July 4	Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb	Pikes Peak Highway	Pikes Peak, Colorado	Hill	Slim Roberts ^B	Bobby Unser
C	July 4	Daytona	Daytona International Speedway	Daytona Beach, Florida	Paved	Cancelled	Cancelled
NC	July 19	Indianapolis Sweepstakes	Williams Grove Speedway	Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania	Dirt	Rodger Ward	Rodger Ward
6	August 22	Springfield 100	Illinois State Fairgrounds	Springfield, Illinois	Dirt	Don Branson	Len Sutton
7	August 30	Milwaukee 200	Milwaukee Mile	West Allis, Wisconsin	Paved	Shorty Templeman	Rodger Ward
8	September 7	Ted Horn Memorial	DuQuoin State Fairgrounds	Du Quoin, Illinois	Dirt	Don Branson	Rodger Ward
9	September 12	Syracuse 100	New York State Fairgrounds	Syracuse, New York	Dirt	Johnny Thomson	Eddie Sachs
10	September 19	Hoosier Hundred	Indiana State Fairgrounds	Indianapolis, Indiana	Dirt	Rodger Ward	Rodger Ward
11	September 27	Trenton 100	Trenton International Speedway	Trenton, New Jersey	Paved	Eddie Sachs	Eddie Sachs
12	October 18	Bobby Ball Memorial	Arizona State Fairgrounds	Phoenix, Arizona	Dirt	Lloyd Ruby	Tony Bettenhausen
13	October 25	Golden State 100	California State Fairgrounds	Sacramento, California	Dirt	Wayne Weiler	Jim Hurtubise

Paved/Dirt Oval

Road Course/Hill Climb

Non-championship race

^A Indianapolis 500 was USAC-sanctioned and counted towards the 1959 FIA World Championship of Drivers title.

^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.

Final points standings

Note: At the Milwaukee 200 started with the car #16 Jim Rathmann, after 29 lap the relieved driver A. J. Foyt led the car the remaining 171 lap and finished 4, so the car completed the 200 lap. The points for this place was 240 points, Jim Rathmann received 34.8 points and A. J. Foyt received 205.2 points; because the method: (the points for the finish place) / (number the lap when completed the car) * (number the lap when completed the driver).

Pos	Driver	DAY	TRE1	INDY	MIL1	LAN	SPR	MIL2	DQSF	SYR	ISF	TRE2	PHX	SAC	Pts
1	Rodger Ward	2	2	1	13		18	1	1	3	1	18	3	17	2400
2	Tony Bettenhausen	18	1	4	17	17	17	16	3	6	15	2	1	8	1430
3	Johnny Thomson	7	20	3	1	DNQ	4	2	16	16	Wth				1400
4	Jim Rathmann	1	4	2	DNQ			4							1154.8
5	A. J. Foyt	8	DNQ	10	3	13	15	25	DNQ	9	3	19	2	DNS	910.2
6	Eddie Sachs	19	19	17	7	18	7	10	18	1	2	1	DNQ	10	797
7	Don Branson	11	13	24	9	9	2		2	2	17	5	5	15	780
8	Johnny Boyd			6	2			5			DNQ				760
9	Len Sutton	20	16	32	10	14	1	19	4	8	5	22	16	11	520
10	Paul Goldsmith			5	22	DNQ									500
11	Don Freeland			22	8	8	9	3	15	17	7				480
12	Bobby Grim		7	26	11	16	16	26	5	5	6	9	6	DNQ	480
13	Gene Force		12	DNQ	20			14	DNQ	7	14	4	4	3	450
14	Jim McWithey			16	DNQ	DNQ	14	DNQ	9	4	4	8	17	4	450
15	Eddie Johnson			8				23				3			390
16	Dick Rathmann	5	DNP	20	DNQ	7	6	7	12	DNP	DNQ				370
17	Bob Veith	DNQ	DNP	12	6	10	8	9	8					18	340
18	Duane Carter			7	DNQ	DNP	12								310
19	Al Keller	13	DNP	18	5		3	DNQ	7						300
20	Jud Larson	16		29	4	2	DNS					DNP			280
21	Jim Hurtubise RY										16	7	DNQ	1	260
22	Shorty Templeman			DNQ	DNQ			11	17	13	12	6	9	6	250
23	Jack Turner			27	12			6	6	DNQ	DNQ			DNQ	250
24	Ed Elisian				15	3	5	22							240
25	Elmer George	6	6	DNQ	DNQ	5									233
26	Van Johnson		10	DNQ		1									230
27	Paul Russo	DNQ		9	DNQ			DNQ							200
28	Wayne Weiler			DNQ	DNQ		10	12	14		DNQ	11	7	7	190
29	Chuck Weyant			28	DNQ	12	11	8	11	11	DNQ				170
30	Bill Homeier			DNQ		DNQ	DNQ	DNP	DNQ	10	9		11	5	165
31	Al Farmer R							DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	20	DNQ	2	160
32	Jimmy Davies	15	3	DNQ		DNQ	DNQ			DNQ		15			140
33	Bob Christie	3	15	25	DNQ										140
34	Ralph Liguori			DNQ		6	DNQ	DNQ		DNQ	8	17			130
35	Rex Easton			DNQ		4									120
36	George Amick	4													120
37	Jim Packard	10	11	DNQ	14	11	13	20	DNQ	15	18	21	8	DNQ	120
38	Chuck Arnold R	DNQ	5	15	DNQ	DNQ		18		DNQ	DNQ	13			100
39	Gene Hartley			11	DNQ			24							100
40	Bill Cheesbourg	12	DNQ	21	21	DNQ	DNQ	21	10	12	DNQ	10	DNQ	DNQ	80
41	Jerry Unser	DNQ	8	DNQ											50
42	Joe Barzda		9		16	DNQ									40
43	Pat Flaherty	9	17	19	19										40
44	Bill Hyde R												DNQ	9	40
45	Buddy Cagle				18	DNP					10	DNQ			30
46	Jack Rounds R												10	DNQ	30
47	Lee Drollinger R						DNQ		DNQ		11	DNQ	13	DNQ	20
48	Dempsey Wilson	17			DNQ	15	DNQ	13			DNQ		12	16	10
49	Johnny Tolan			DNQ	DNQ								DNQ	12	10
50	Len Duncan											12			10
-	Lloyd Ruby						DNQ	DNQ	13	14	13		18	DNQ	0
-	Chuck Hulse												DNQ	13	0
-	Al Herman			13											0
-	Bob Cleberg R												14	14	0
-	Bob McLean R							17				14			0
-	Jimmy Daywalt			14	DNQ										0
-	Bill Randall	14													0
-	Dick Linder		14												0
-	Russ Congdon R			DNQ				15	DNQ		DNQ				0
-	Gig Stephens R											15			0
-	Tony Bonadies		21									16			0
-	Bob Schroeder		18	DNQ											0
-	Johnny Kay									18					0
-	Ray Crawford			23											0
-	Mike Magill	DNQ		30											0
-	Red Amick R			31	DNQ			DNQ							0
-	Jimmy Bryan			33											0
-	Johnny Moorhouse			DNQ									DNQ	DNS	0
-	Bob Wente						DNQ	DNS							0
-	Bob Said	DNS													0
-	Leon Clum								DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ			0
-	Herb Hill						DNQ	DNQ			DNQ			DNQ	0
-	Chuck Rodee			DNQ			DNQ	DNQ							0
-	Earl Motter			DNQ									DNQ	DNQ	0
-	Don Davis												DNQ	DNQ	0
-	Norm Hall												DNQ	DNQ	0
-	Bob Cortner			DNQ											0
-	Chuck Daigh			DNQ											0
-	Don Edmunds			DNQ											0
-	Jack Ensley			DNQ											0
-	Andy Furci			DNQ											0
-	Eddie Russo			DNQ											0
-	George Morris											DNQ			0
-	Johnny Wood												DNQ		0
-	Ernie Koch													DNQ	0
-	Johnnie Parsons			DNP											0
Pos	Driver	DAY	TRE1	INDY	MIL1	LAN	SPR	MIL2	DQSF	SYR	ISF	TRE2	SAC	PHX	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)
Blank	Not competing

In-line notation
Bold	Pole position
Italics	Ran fastest race lap
*	Led most race laps
RY Rookie of the Year
R Rookie

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The 1962 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 8 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 18. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Rodger Ward. Hugh Randall was killed in the first Langhorne 100 at Langhorne Speedway; he was 29 years old.

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The Daytona 100 was a USAC Championship Car race held at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida on Saturday April 4, 1959. It was the first and only Indy car race held on the high banks of Daytona, and saw incredible speeds turned in by the front-engined "roadsters." The race was part of a triple-header weekend featuring races for the USAC Championship Cars, Formula Libre, and a USAC-FIA sports car endurance race.

References

↑ 1959 USAC National Championship Trail, www.champcarstats.com, as archived at web.archive.org

Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1959". Driver Database. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
"1959 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (p. 276-277)

v t e American Championship car racing (Indy car) seasons
AAA	1905 1906–1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
USAC	1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95
CART	1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
CCWS	2004 2005 2006 2007 ~~2008~~
IRL	1996 1996–97 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
INDYCAR	2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Years marked in italics are not official championship years or upcoming seasons.

v t e USAC Championship Cars (1956-1970)
Seasons	1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970
Indianapolis 500s	1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970
National Champions	Mario Andretti (three times) Tony Bettenhausen Jimmy Bryan (twice) A. J. Foyt (five times) Al Unser Bobby Unser Rodger Ward (twice)
Tracks	Arizona State Fair Atlanta Brainerd California State Fair Continental Divide Darlington Daytona Dover DuQuoin State Fair Hanford Illinois State Fair Indianapolis Indianapolis Raceway Park Indiana State Fair Lakewood Langhorne Michigan Michigan State Fair Milwaukee Missouri State Fair Mont-Tremblant Mosport Nazareth New York State Fair Ontario Phoenix Pikes Peak Riverside Stardust Sears Point Seattle Trenton

1959 USAC Championship Car season

Contents

Schedule and results

Final points standings

Related Research Articles

References

See also