1961 USAC Championship Car season

Last updated

1961 USAC Championship Car season
USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races12
Start dateApril 9
End dateNovember 19
Awards
National champion Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt
Indianapolis 500 winner Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt
  1960
1962  

The 1961 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 9 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 19. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was A. J. Foyt. The season was marred by the deaths of 1951 and 1958 season champion Tony Bettenhausen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Al Keller at Phoenix.

Contents

Schedule and results

RndDateRace NameTrackLocationTypePole PositionWinning Driver
1April 9 Flag of the United States.svg Trenton 100 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved Flag of the United States.svg Tony Bettenhausen Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Sachs
2May 30 Flag of the United States.svg International 500 Mile Sweepstakes Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana Paved Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Sachs Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt
3June 4 Flag of the United States.svg Rex Mays Classic Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Paved Flag of the United States.svg Dick Rathmann Flag of the United States.svg Rodger Ward
4June 18 Flag of the United States.svg Langhorne 100 Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Dirt Flag of the United States.svg Al Keller Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt
NCJuly 4 Flag of the United States.svg Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb Pikes Peak Highway Pikes Peak, Colorado Hill Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Unser A Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Unser
5August 20 Flag of the United States.svg Tony Bettenhausen 200 Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Paved Flag of the United States.svg Don Branson Flag of the United States.svg Lloyd Ruby
6August 21 Flag of the United States.svg Tony Bettenhausen Memorial Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield, Illinois Dirt Flag of the United States.svg Parnelli Jones Flag of the United States.svg Jim Hurtubise
7September 4 Flag of the United States.svg Ted Horn Memorial DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Du Quoin, Illinois Dirt Flag of the United States.svg Jim Hurtubise Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt
8September 9 Flag of the United States.svg Syracuse 100 New York State Fairgrounds Syracuse, New York Dirt Flag of the United States.svg Rodger Ward Flag of the United States.svg Rodger Ward
9September 16 Flag of the United States.svg Hoosier Hundred Indiana State Fairgrounds Indianapolis, Indiana Dirt Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt
10September 24 Flag of the United States.svg Trenton 100 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Sachs Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Sachs
11October 29 Flag of the United States.svg Golden State 100 California State Fairgrounds Sacramento, California Dirt Flag of the United States.svg Shorty Templeman Flag of the United States.svg Rodger Ward
12November 19 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Ball Memorial Arizona State Fairgrounds Phoenix, Arizona Dirt Flag of the United States.svg Al Keller Flag of the United States.svg Parnelli Jones
  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.

Final points standings

PosDriver TRE1
Flag of the United States.svg
INDY
Flag of the United States.svg
MIL1
Flag of the United States.svg
LAN
Flag of the United States.svg
MIL2
Flag of the United States.svg
SPR
Flag of the United States.svg
DQSF
Flag of the United States.svg
SYR
Flag of the United States.svg
ISF
Flag of the United States.svg
TRE2
Flag of the United States.svg
SAC
Flag of the United States.svg
PHX
Flag of the United States.svg
Pts
1 Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt 512213211811412152150
2 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Sachs 12Wth35DNS3DNQDNQ1DNQ61760
3 Flag of the United States.svg Rodger Ward 1831196171173121680
4 Flag of the United States.svg Shorty Templeman 4DNQ1052251616121190
5 Flag of the United States.svg Al Keller 521512185416518171000
6 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Hurtubise 222587118318214DNS939
7 Flag of the United States.svg Len Sutton DNQ1942109941148860
8 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Marshman  RY 177191115987219311769
9 Flag of the United States.svg Parnelli Jones 15122231112512921750
10 Flag of the United States.svg Dick Rathmann 4133643DNQ1020750
11 Flag of the United States.svg Lloyd Ruby 8211161611DNQ18DNQ670
12 Flag of the United States.svg Don Branson 163361424156178473530
13 Flag of the United States.svg Elmer George 884DNQ81461569470
14 Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Stevenson 6400
15 Flag of the United States.svg Roger McCluskey 627175DNQ158147117370
16 Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Shepherd 1126DNQ64715DNQ360
17 Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Hulse 12DNQ141817134DNQ66DNQ14302
18 Flag of the United States.svg Jim McElreath  R 321104290
19 Flag of the United States.svg Al Farmer DNQDNQDNQ1671316DNQDNQ55260
20 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jack Brabham  R 9200
21 Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Boyd 2178DNQ15160
22 Flag of the United States.svg Norm Hall  R 10DNQDNQDNQ150
23 Flag of the United States.svg Troy Ruttman 32016140
24 Flag of the United States.svg Don Davis 29DNQ13131410121388DNQ140
25 Flag of the United States.svg Ronnie Duman  R DNQ15DNS11DNQDNQ10DNQ139DNQ128
26 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Christie 1720910110
27 Flag of the United States.svg Gene Hartley 11100
28 Flag of the United States.svg Red Riegel  R DNQ7DNQDNQDNQDNQ131860
29 Flag of the United States.svg Ralph Liguori DNQDNQ7DNQDNQDNQ60
30 Flag of the United States.svg Len Duncan 760
31 Flag of the United States.svg Jiggs Peters 912DNQDNQDNQDNQ50
32 Flag of the United States.svg Danny JonesDNQ149DNQ40
33 Flag of the United States.svg Don Freeland DNQ9DNQ40
34 Flag of the United States.svg Allen Crowe  R 161713DNQ12DNQ1040
35 Flag of the United States.svg Bruce Jacobi 14DNQDNQ1030
36 Flag of the United States.svg Wayne Weiler DNQ151030
37 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Cleberg 10DNQDNQDNQ30
38 Flag of the United States.svg Rex Easton DNQDNQ9DNQ22
39 Flag of the United States.svg Bud Tingelstad DNQDNQ14DNQ11DNQDNQDNQDNQ20
40 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Johnson 1811DNQDNQ20
41 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Mathouser  R DNQ11DNQDNQ20
42 Flag of the United States.svg Dempsey Wilson 161220DNQDNQDNQ15DNQ10
43 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Turner 252112DNQDNQ10
- Flag of the United States.svg Bill Cheesbourg 2813DNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Don Horvath  R 13DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Leroy Neumayer  R DNQ130
- Flag of the United States.svg Paul Goldsmith 14180
- Flag of the United States.svg Keith Rachwitz  R DNQ160
- Flag of the United States.svg Jack Rounds 20DNQ170
- Flag of the United States.svg Bob Veith DNQ25170
- Flag of the United States.svg Ray Wearne  R DNQ17DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Leon Clum  R DNQDNQ18DNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Tony Bettenhausen 19DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Tommy Copp  R 21DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Coy  R 22DNQ220
- Flag of the United States.svg Ernie Koch DNQDNQ22DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Ebb Rose  R 23260
- Flag of the United States.svg Cliff Griffith 240
- Flag of the United States.svg Jim Rathmann DNQ30DNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Daywalt 310
- Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Grim 32DNQDNQDNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Beau Clerke DNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Jim McWithey DNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Jim Hemmings DNQDNQDNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Harry BeckDNPDNQDNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Tony Bonadies DNQDNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Vern Harriman DNQDNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Ray Crawford DNQDNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Bill RandallDNQDNQ0
- Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg Bert Brooks DNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Jack Conely DNQDNQ0
- Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg Ed Kostenuk DNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Arnold DNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Al Pombo DNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Tony Romit DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Duane Carter DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Russ Congdon DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Jack Ensley DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Mike Magill DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Rodee DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Paul Russo DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Bud Sterrett DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Bob Wente DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Weyant DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Cliff Spalding DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Ray Brown DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Hal Rettberg DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Bill Hyde DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Russ Long DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Davies DNQ0
PosDriver TRE1
Flag of the United States.svg
INDY
Flag of the United States.svg
MIL1
Flag of the United States.svg
LAN
Flag of the United States.svg
MIL2
Flag of the United States.svg
SPR
Flag of the United States.svg
DQSF
Flag of the United States.svg
SYR
Flag of the United States.svg
ISF
Flag of the United States.svg
TRE2
Flag of the United States.svg
SAC
Flag of the United States.svg
PHX
Flag of the United States.svg
Pts
ColorResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
Green4th & 5th place
Light Blue6th-10th place
Dark BlueFinished
(Outside Top 10)
PurpleDid not finish
(Ret)
RedDid not qualify
(DNQ)
BrownWithdrawn
(Wth)
BlackDisqualified
(DSQ)
WhiteDid not start
(DNS)
BlankDid not
participate
(DNP)
Not competing
In-line notation
Bold Pole position
ItalicsRan fastest race lap
*Led most race laps
 RY  Rookie of the Year
 R  Rookie

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References

See also