1980 USAC Mini-Indy Series season

Last updated

The 1980 USAC Mini Indy Series season was the fourth and final season of the USAC sanctioned Formula Super Vee championship. All rounds were sanctioned by the USAC and a part of the 1980 SCCA Formula Super Vee season.

Contents

Race calendar and results

RoundCircuitLocationDatePole positionFastest lapWinner
1 [1] The Milwaukee Mile Flag of the United States.svg West Allis, Wisconsin 8 June Flag of New Zealand.svg Dave McMillan Flag of the United States.svg Billy Scyphers, Jr.
2 [2] Pocono International Raceway Flag of the United States.svg Long Pond, Pennsylvania 22 June Flag of the United States.svg John Kalagian Flag of Mexico.svg Josele Garza
3 [3] Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Flag of the United States.svg Lexington, Ohio 13 July Flag of New Zealand.svg Dave McMillan Flag of New Zealand.svg Dave McMillan
4 [4] Minnesota State Fair Flag of the United States.svg St. Paul, Minnesota 23 August Flag of the United States.svg Pete Halsmer Flag of the United States.svg Peter Kuhn
5 [5] 24 August Flag of the United States.svg Dick Moody Flag of the United States.svg Peter Kuhn
6 [6] Ontario Motor Speedway Flag of the United States.svg Ontario, California 30 August Flag of the United States.svg Billy Scyphers, Jr. Flag of the United States.svg Peter Halsmer

Teams and drivers

No.DriverOwnerCarEngine
1 Dennis Firestone Championship Racing Stables March Volkswagen
2 Mike Chandler Championship Racing Stables March 80SV Volkswagen
4 Pete Halsmer Frank Arciero Ralt RT5 Volkswagen
5 Dave McMillan David Psachie Ralt RT5 Volkswagen
6 Ron Gregg Volkswagen
9 Paul Tavilla Volkswagen
11 Josele Garza David Psachie Ralt RT1 Volkswagen
14 Domenick Billera Lexa Billera Modus Volkswagen
15 Doug Clark Fleet Power Racing Ralt RT1 Volkswagen
17 Billy Scyphers, Jr. Billy Scyphers Ralt RT5 Volkswagen
18 Peter Kuhn Driftwood Racing Ralt RT1 Volkswagen
19 John Kalagian Beth Ardisana March 80SV Volkswagen
21 Richard Hubbard Hubbard Enterprises Ralt RT1 Volkswagen
23 Dick Moody J. Richard Moody Ralt RT5 Volkswagen
26 Bruno Beilcke Crown Auto Body Air March 80SV Volkswagen
28 Jim Harvey Jim Harvey March 79SV Volkswagen
29 Pat Jesmore Volkswagen
30 Roy Kischell Don Kischell Volkswagen
39 Richard Tallon TII RacingPheasant Volkswagen
45 Jeff Brown J.X. Palms Co. Volkswagen
46 Stuart Moore Janet Moore Ralt RT1 Volkswagen
47 Ray Lipper Center Line Tool Company Autoresearch Volkswagen
49 Joe Gimpel, Jr. Gimpel Racing March Volkswagen
55 Ed Pimm Fleet Power Racing Ralt RT1 Volkswagen
56 Craig Carter Peerless Racing Enterprises Lola Volkswagen
57 Mike Martz Volkswagen
70 Ron Drew Ronald Drew Lola Volkswagen
72 Gary Pratt Richard Selix MRA Riley Volkswagen
77 Bob Cicconi Bertil's Racing Engines March 79SV Volkswagen
94 David Bruns David Bruns Autoresearch Volkswagen
97 Dave Manzolini Dave Manzolini Zink Z14 Volkswagen
98 John Schiesser Lola Volkswagen

Final standings

ColorResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
Green4th & 5th place
Light Blue6th–10th place
Dark Blue11th place or lower
PurpleDid not finish
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
BrownWithdrawn (Wth)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
BlankDid not participate (DNP)
Driver replacement (Rpl)
Injured (Inj)
No race held (NH)
Pos.Driver Flag of the United States.svg
MIL
Flag of the United States.svg
POC
Flag of the United States.svg
MDO
Flag of the United States.svg
MIN1
Flag of the United States.svg
MIN2
Flag of the United States.svg
ONT
Points
1 Flag of the United States.svg Peter Kuhn 2067113684
2 Flag of the United States.svg Pete Halsmer 32234141628
3 Flag of Mexico.svg Josele Garza 191162224532
4 Flag of the United States.svg Billy Scyphers, Jr. 1121832514
5 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Cicconi 451448395
6 Flag of New Zealand.svg Dave McMillan 211116385
7 Flag of the United States.svg Mike Chandler 18434384
8 Flag of the United States.svg John Kalagian 615551510320
9 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dennis Firestone 57318304
10 Flag of the United States.svg Ed Pimm 22318227210
11 Flag of the United States.svg Dick Moody 10171285194
12 Flag of the United States.svg David Bruns 47180
13 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Lazier 2160
13 Flag of the United States.svg Roger S. Penske Jr. 1159160
15 Flag of the United States.svg Gary Pratt 249196127
16 Flag of the United States.svg Stuart Moore 78110
17 Flag of the United States.svg Bruno Beilcke 8820104
18 Flag of the United States.svg Jan Slesinki 1961788
19 Flag of the United States.svg Peter Moodie 680
19 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Wood 680
21 Flag of the United States.svg Steve Thomson 71270
21 Flag of the United States.svg Pat Bedard 81170
23 Flag of the United States.svg John Schiesser 261791651
24 Flag of the United States.svg Jerrill Rice 1792147
24 Flag of the United States.svg Ray Lipper 1216102547
26 Flag of the United States.svg Dave Manzolini 940
26 Flag of the United States.svg Carl Whitney 940
28 Flag of the United States.svg Ron Drew 17251036
29 Flag of the United States.svg Roger Rager 131035
30 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Gimpel, Jr. 101834
31 Flag of the United States.svg Richard Hubbard 111230
32 Flag of the United States.svg Craig Carter 25221125
33 Flag of the United States.svg Ken Nichols 1120
34 Flag of the United States.svg Mike Martz 13142113
35 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Harvey 311212
36 Flag of the United States.svg Roy Kischell 16242311
37 Flag of the United States.svg Dan Park 151310
37 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Brown 23142510
39 Flag of the United States.svg Richard Tallon 14209
39 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Tavilla 15209
41 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Vermeer 32157
41 Flag of the United States.svg Randy Gilmore 19247
43 Flag of the United States.svg Doug Clark 135
43 Flag of the United States.svg Dr. Curt Erwin 135
43 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Zinnagl 135
43 Flag of the United States.svg Don Breidenbach 145
43 Flag of the United States.svg Mike McHugh 155
43 Flag of the United States.svg Gary Howard 165
43 Flag of the United States.svg Pat Jesmore 21305
43 Flag of the United States.svg Domenick Billera 28225
51 Flag of the United States.svg Dean Thompson174
51 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Ward 184
51 Flag of the United States.svg Mike Follmer 194
51 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Pomeroy 204
55 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Boffi 213
55 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Giffin 213
55 Flag of the United States.svg Richard Shirey 223
55 Flag of the United States.svg Tom D'Eath 233
59 Flag of the United States.svg A.J. Manning 262
59 Flag of the United States.svg Ronn Gregg 272
59 Flag of the United States.svg Don Maguire 272
59 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Cruse 292

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Championship Auto Racing Teams</span> Defunct North American open wheel auto racing organization

Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) was a sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing that operated from 1979 to 2003. It sanctioned the PPG Indy Car World Series from 1979 until dissolving after the 2003 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Auto Club</span> Auto racing sanctioning body in the United States

The United States Auto Club (USAC) is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500. Today, USAC serves as the sanctioning body for a number of racing series, including the Silver Crown Series, National Sprint Cars, National Midgets, Speed2 Midget Series, .25 Midget Series, Stadium Super Trucks, and Pirelli World Challenge. Seven-time USAC champion Levi Jones is USAC's Competition Director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Andretti</span> American racing driver

Michael Mario Andretti is an American semi-retired auto racing driver and current team owner. Statistically one of the most successful drivers in the history of American open-wheel car racing, Andretti won the 1991 CART PPG Indy Car World Series and amassed 42 race victories, the most in the CART era and fourth-most all time. Since his retirement from active racing, Andretti has owned Andretti Autosport, which has won four IndyCar Series championships and five Indianapolis 500 races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American open-wheel car racing</span> Category of professional-level automobile racing in North America

American open-wheel car racing, also known as Indy car racing, is a category of professional automobile racing in the United States. As of 2022, the top-level American open-wheel racing championship is sanctioned by IndyCar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chip Ganassi</span> American racing team owner

Floyd Ganassi Jr. better known as Chip Ganassi, is an American businessman, former racing driver, current team owner and member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. He has been involved with the North American auto racing scene for over 30 years. He is owner and CEO of Chip Ganassi Racing which operates teams in the IndyCar Series, WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and Extreme E. He is the only team owner in history to have won the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and most recently the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indy Lights</span> American automobile racing series

Indy Lights is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires for sponsorship reasons. Indy Lights is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a program of racing series leading up to the IndyCar Series. The Indy Lights series has been promoted by Anderson Promotions since 2014, which also manages the Road to Indy program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Alsup</span> American open-wheel racing driver

Bill Alsup was an American race car driver. He was the first Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) Rookie of the Year in 1979 and competed in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, finishing 11th. He made 57 CART & USAC Champ Car starts in his career. His best race finish of third came 3 times and he was the 1981 CART Championship runner-up, putting in a winless but consistent season for Penske Racing, his only effort with a top-level team. He returned to his own team the next year and struggled until leaving Champ Car following the 1984 Sanair Super Speedway race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Bagley</span>

Tom Bagley, is a former driver in the USAC, CART Championship Car, IMSA, Formula Atlantic, and Trans-Am Series. He raced Indycars in the 1978-1980 and 1983 seasons, with 42 combined career starts, including the 1978-1980 Indianapolis 500, finishing in the top ten 23 times, with a best finish, three times, of 4th position. He was USAC Rookie of the Year in 1978, and did not finish worse than 11th in points during his three full-time seasons. He did not begin wheel-to-wheel racing until age 31, after earning a master's degree in Physics from Pennsylvania State University. While in college, Bagley became interested in fuel mileage competitions and then autocross, rising to the attention of Bill Scott, operator of the racing school at Summit Point Motorsports Park. Scott lent Bagley a Formula Ford car to begin his career. Bagley and Janet Guthrie were the only physicists to compete in Indycar in the 1970s. Bagley rose to fame driving Formula Super Vee cars, winning the SCCA championship in 1976, and was USAC co-champion in 1977. Bagley owned and maintained his own race cars in this part of his career. He next joined the Indycar ranks with sponsorship from Kent Oil, driving for Longhorn Racing and Patrick Racing. After retiring from racing full-time, Bagley worked as a physicist for longtime series sponsor PPG Industries, developing new methods for creating powder paints. From 2004 to 2020 he worked at Autobahn Country Club as the Director of Racing Instruction, responsible for designing the safety features at the track and overseeing the instruction, licensing, and racing activities. Bagley still competes in club and endurance races in his Spec Miata and vintage events including the Indy Legends Charity Pro–Am race on occasion. Bagley was described by the SVRA in 2019 as a "driver who accomplished much with limited resources" and "the driver to beat in Formula Super Vee"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1993 PPG Indy Car World Series</span> Sports season

The 1993 PPG Indy Car World Series season was the 15th national championship season of American open wheel racing sanctioned by CART under the name "IndyCar". The season consisted of 16 races. Nigel Mansell was the national champion as well as the Rookie of the Year. The 1993 Indianapolis 500 was sanctioned by USAC, but counted towards the CART points championship. Emerson Fittipaldi won the Indy 500, his second career victory in that event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Smith (American racing driver)</span> American former race car driver born 1967

Mark Smith is a former American racing driver who competed in the CART IndyCar Series. Smith won the 1989 United States Formula Super Vee Championship and was the 1991 Indy Lights National Championship runner-up.

The 1983 CART PPG Indy Car World Series season was the 5th national championship season of American open wheel racing sanctioned by CART. The season consisted of 13 races. Al Unser was the national champion, and the rookie of the year was Teo Fabi. The 1983 Indianapolis 500 was sanctioned by USAC, but an arrangement was made such that it counted towards the CART points championship. Tom Sneva won the Indy 500, after three previous runner-up finishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1989 CART PPG Indy Car World Series</span> Sports season

The 1989 CART PPG Indy Car World Series season was the 11th national championship season of American open wheel racing sanctioned by CART. The season consisted of 15 races, and one non-points exhibition event. Emerson Fittipaldi was the national champion, and the rookie of the year was Bernard Jourdain. Fittipaldi became the second driver after Mario Andretti to win the Formula One World Championship and the CART championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 PPG Indy Car World Series</span> Sports season

The 1992 PPG Indy Car World Series season was the 14th national championship season of American open wheel racing sanctioned by CART. The season consisted of 16 races. Bobby Rahal was the national champion, his third and final career CART title. Stefan Johansson was named the Rookie of the Year. The 1992 Indianapolis 500 was sanctioned by USAC, but counted towards the CART points championship. Al Unser Jr. won the Indy 500 in the closest finish in the history of that event.

Dave McMillan is a New Zealand former racing driver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IndyCar</span> Auto racing sanctioning body for North American open wheel racing

INDYCAR, LLC, is an American-based auto racing sanctioning body for Indy car racing and other disciplines of open wheel car racing. The organization sanctions five racing series: the premier IndyCar Series with its centerpiece the Indianapolis 500, developmental series Indy Lights, the Indy Pro 2000 Championship and the U.S. F2000 National Championship, which are all a part of the Road to Indy and the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup. IndyCar is recognized as a member organization of the FIA through ACCUS.

The 1977 USAC Mini Indy Series season was the first season of the USAC sanctioned Formula Super Vee championship which would later be called Indy Lights. The season contested of four races which was held from the 30 April to the 29 October with all of them being support races for the 1977 USAC Championship Car season.

The 1978 USAC Mini Indy Series season was the second season of the USAC sanctioned Formula Super Vee championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Thompson (racing driver)</span> American racing driver

Tommy Thompson was an American racing driver of Afro-American descent. Thompson competed in various racing series most notably in the SCCA Formula Super Vee and USAC Mini-Indy series.

The SCCA Formula Super Vee was one of the longest running Formula Super Vee championships in the world. Twenty racing season were contested. Most of the races were sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America in some occasions the races were sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association.

The 1979 USAC Mini Indy Series season was the third and final full season of the USAC sanctioned Formula Super Vee championship.

References

  1. "1980 Milwaukee". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  2. "1980 Pocono". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  3. "1980 Mid-Ohio". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  4. "1980 St. Paul 1". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  5. "1980 St. Paul 2". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  6. "1980 Ontario". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 28 July 2015.