1982 CART PPG Indy Car World Series

1982 CART season
1982 CART season
PPG Indy Car World Series
Season
Races	11
Start date	March 28
End date	November 6
Awards
Drivers' champion	Rick Mears
Constructors' Cup	March
Manufacturers' Cup	Cosworth
Nations' Cup	United States
Rookie of the Year	Bobby Rahal
	← 1981 1983 →

Last updated August 16, 2025

The 1982 CART PPG Indy Car World Series season, the fourth in the CART era of U.S. open-wheel racing, consisted of 11 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 28 and concluding at the same location on November 6. The PPG Indy Car World Series Drivers' Champion was Rick Mears. Rookie of the Year was Bobby Rahal.

Drivers and constructors

The following teams and drivers competed for the 1982 CART World Series.

Team/Car Owner	No	Drivers	Rounds
Alex Morales Motorsports	3	Pancho Carter	All
Alsup Racing	2	Bill Alsup	All
Alsup Racing	27	Spike Gehlhausen	7
Arciero Racing	66	Pete Halsmer	8-9, 11
Armstrong Mould Racing Team	43	Greg Leffler	2
Bettenhausen Racing	8	Gary Bettenhausen	6, 11
Bettenhausen Racing w/ H&R Racing	6	Tony Bettenhausen Jr.	1-3, 5-11
Bignotti-Cotter Racing	7	Tom Sneva	All
Bignotti-Cotter Racing	21	Geoff Brabham	All
Brayton Racing	36	Patrick Bedard	1-2, 5
	36	Scott Brayton	3, 7, 10
	37	Scott Brayton	1, 5
BVC Racing	75	Dennis Firestone	1
Caliva Racing	38	Phil Caliva	8, 11
Chaparral Racing	5	Johnny Rutherford	1-9, 11
Circle Bar Auto Racing	39	Chet Fillip	11
Doug Shierson Racing	30	Howdy Holmes	All
Fletcher Racing	35	Gordon Smiley	2
Fletcher Racing	35	George Snider	5, 7
Forsythe Racing	32	Héctor Rebaque	2-5, 8-9
	33	Danny Sullivan	2-3
	33	Al Unser Jr.	8
Frantz Racing w/ Burger King	77	Tom Frantz	1, 5, 8
Garza Racing	55	Josele Garza	All
Gilmore Racing	14	A. J. Foyt	3-5, 7, 10
Gohr Racing	56	Joe Saldana	3-4
Gohr Racing	56	Gary Bettenhausen	5, 7-10
Grant King Racers	65	Todd Tuttle	4
GTS Racing	86	Al Loquasto	1, 7
Hamilton Racing	17	Ken Hamilton	5
HBK Racing	72	Tom Bigelow	3-7, 10
HBK Racing	72	Bill Whittington	9
Hodgson-Curb	29	Bobby Olivero	1
Hoffman Racing	69	Jerry Sneva	10
Hoffman Racing w/ Rattlesnake Racing	42	Jim Hickman	2-6
Jamieson Racing	49	Chip Mead	1, 3
Jamieson Racing	49	Spike Gehlhausen	3, 5
Jet Engineering	64	Steve Chassey	1
		Bob Frey	3
		Greg Leffler	6, 8-11
Joe Hunt Magneto	89	Phil Krueger	1-2
		Dick Ferguson	8
		Jerry Sneva	11
Joel McCray Racing	46	Leroy van Conett	1
Joel McCray Racing	46	Jerry Karl	4-8
Kraco Enterprises	18	Dick Ferguson	1-2
		Bill Vukovich II	3
		Mike Mosley	5-7, 10-11
	99	Vern Schuppan	4, 8-9
Leader Card Racers	22	Dick Simon	1-8, 10-11
Leader Card Racers	24	Bill Vukovich II	7
Longhorn Racing	10	Al Unser	1-10
Luxury Racers	65	Bob Brutto	1
Luxury Racers	65	Phil Krueger	5, 7, 9-11
Machinists Union Racing	31	Roger Mears	All
McElreath Racing	23	Jim McElreath	1, 7-8
Menard Racing	28	Herm Johnson	1-6, 8-9
Metametrix	47	Chris Kneifel	8-9
Metametrix	47	Jacques Villeneuve Sr.	11
Newman Freeman Racing	68	Mike Chandler	8, 11
Patrick Racing	20	Gordon Johncock	All
Patrick Racing	40	Mario Andretti	All
Rattlesnake Racing	11	Dick Ferguson	10-11
Ray W Lipper Racing	73	Ray Lipper	1
Rhoades Racing	12	Chip Ganassi	1-2, 4-5, 7, 10
Team Penske	1	Rick Mears	All
Team Penske	4	Kevin Cogan	All
Tempero Racing	15	Bill Tempero	1, 4, 6, 8-9, 11
Truesports	19	Bobby Rahal	1, 3-11
Whittington Racing	91	Don Whittington	5
Wysard Racing	34	Hurley Haywood	1-2
		Johnny Parsons	3-5, 7-8, 10
		John Paul Jr.	9
		Derek Daly	11

Schedule

New to the schedule was the temporary road course at Burke Lakefront Airport, and the permanent road course named Road America. Returning to the schedule after a one year absence (1981 was a USAC race) was Pocono Raceway, the 2.5 mile superspeedway would host a 500 mile race in 1982.

The schedule was originally set to feature a doubleheader with Formula One at Las Vegas on October 17.^[1] After the F1 Grand Prix on Saturday, the track would be converted to an oval for an Indy car race on Sunday. This was cancelled after FISA rescheduled the Grand Prix for September and instituted a rule that banned two open-wheel series with engines over two liters from competing at the same venue on the same weekend.^[2]

A race in Mexico City for October 31 was cancelled.^[3]


Rd	Date	Name	Circuit	Location
1	March 28	Kraco Car Stereo 150	O Phoenix International Raceway	Avondale, Arizona
2	May 1*	Stroh's 200	O Atlanta Motor Speedway	Hampton, Georgia
NC	May 30	Indianapolis 500	O Indianapolis Motor Speedway	Indianapolis, Indiana
3	June 13	Gould Rex Mays Classic	O Milwaukee Mile	West Allis, Wisconsin
4	July 4	Budweiser Cleveland 500	R Burke Lakefront Airport	Cleveland, Ohio
5	July 18	Norton Michigan 500	O Michigan International Speedway	Brooklyn, Michigan
6	August 1	Tony Bettenhausen 200	O Milwaukee Mile	West Allis, Wisconsin
7	August 15	Domino's Pizza Pocono 500	O Pocono International Raceway	Long Pond, Pennsylvania
8	August 29	AirCal 500K	R Riverside International Raceway	Riverside, California
9	September 19	Road America 200	R Road America	Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
10	September 26	Detroit News Grand Prix	O Michigan International Speedway	Brooklyn, Michigan
11	November 6	Miller High Life 150	O Phoenix International Raceway	Avondale, Arizona

O Oval/Speedway
R Road course
Non-championship event

*The Stroh's 200 was scheduled for April 25, but postponed a week due to rain. NBC planned to cover on April 25, but did not return for the May 1 running.

Season summary

Race results

Rd	Race	Pole Position	Winning driver	Winning team	Race time	Report
1	Phoenix 1	Rick Mears	Rick Mears	Team Penske	1:15:48	Report
2	Atlanta	Rick Mears	Rick Mears	Team Penske	1:13:10	Report
NC	Indianapolis 500	Rick Mears	Gordon Johncock	Patrick Racing	3:05:09	Report
3	Milwaukee 1	Gordon Johncock	Gordon Johncock	Patrick Racing	1:10:52	Report
4	Cleveland	Kevin Cogan	Bobby Rahal	Truesports	3:03:44	Report
5	Michigan 1	Rick Mears / Mario Andretti	Gordon Johncock	Patrick Racing	3:14:54	Report
6	Milwaukee 2	Rick Mears	Tom Sneva	Bignotti-Cotter Racing	1:49:57	Report
7	Pocono	Rick Mears	Rick Mears	Team Penske	3:25:39	Report
8	Riverside	Kevin Cogan	Rick Mears	Team Penske	2:42:14	Report
9	Road America	Rick Mears	Héctor Rebaque	Forsythe Racing	1:49:56	Report
10	Michigan 2	Rick Mears	Bobby Rahal	Truesports	1:04:03	Report
11	Phoenix 2	Rick Mears	Tom Sneva	Bignotti-Cotter Racing	1:21:05	Report

Mario Andretti was credited with winning the pole position for the Michigan 500, although he started 33rd due to a pre-race practice accident. Rick Mears started on the pole and both he and Andretti were credited with pole positions.

Non-championship event

Final points standings

Pos	Driver	PHX1	ATL	MIL	CLE	MIS1	MIL	POC	RIV	ROA	MIS2	PHX2	Pts
1	Rick Mears	1*	1*	3	4	15*	12*	1*	1*	5	25	2	294
2	Bobby Rahal RY	18		20	1	3	2	3	15	3*	1*	5	242
3	Mario Andretti	2	11	9	2	2	3	14	23	14	2	3	188
4	Gordon Johncock	5	2	1*	5	1	11	6	26	22	15	23	186
5	Tom Sneva	7	17	4	20	32	1	19	2	9	19	1*	144
6	Kevin Cogan	3	18	5	10*	14	5	2	10	25	22	4	136
7	Al Unser	21	8	17	3	4	DNS	23	17	2	18		125
8	Geoff Brabham	15	15	7	6	7	10	4	28	15	3	20	110
9	Roger Mears	8	4	22	21	17	14	9	4	8	8	7	103
10	Tony Bettenhausen Jr.	12	19	12		10	20	5	18	7	4	6	80
11	Bill Alsup	11	5	16	12	13	9	13	8	16	6	8	70
12	Johnny Rutherford	4	DNS	15	23	28	17	12	3	12	DNS	21	62
13	Howdy Holmes	16		10	16	12	4	27	16	10	5	10	56
14	Josele Garza	13	16	8	14	22	8	15	13	4	9	18	56
15	Héctor Rebaque R		13	DNS	18	25			20	1			48
16	Gary Bettenhausen					6	13	8	DNQ	20	17	9	48
17	Pancho Carter	6	10	13	19	18	6	28	19	11	12	11	47
18	Johnny Parsons			6	9	16		7	25		DNS		41
19	Mike Mosley					8	7	16			7	12	37
20	Tom Bigelow			18	DNQ	5	22	25			20		32
21	Al Unser Jr. R								5				30
22	Danny Sullivan R		3	21									28
23	Phil Krueger	DNQ	12		DNQ	30		11		6	11	17	27
24	Greg Leffler		DNQ			DNQ	21		6	13	24	13	27
25	Dick Simon	DNQ	DNS	19	17	21	15	22	7	DNQ	13	19	26
26	Herm Johnson	19	6	23	13	34	16		22	17			24
27	Jim Hickman R		7	DNQ	24	9	DNQ						24
28	A. J. Foyt			2	22	20		20			23		22
29	Bill Tempero	DNQ			8		19		14	18		DNQ	22
30	Vern Schuppan				7				27	24			18
31	Jerry Karl				15	24	18	10	12				17
32	Mike Chandler								9			16	13
33	Scott Brayton	14		14		11		24			10		11
34	Chip Ganassi R	22			11	31		17			16		10
35	Gordon Smiley		9										8
36	Chris Kneifel R								11	23			6
37	Chip Mead	9		DNQ									4
38	Hurley Haywood	10	DNQ										3
39	Jim McElreath	DNQ						18	DNQ				3
40	George Snider					19		21					3
41	Bill Vukovich II			11				29					2
42	Patrick Bedard		14			29							2
43	Pete Halsmer R								24	19		24	2
44	Jerry Sneva										14	DNQ	1
45	Jacques Villeneuve Sr. R											14	1
46	Chet Fillip R											15	1
47	Dick Ferguson	17							21		21	22	1
48	Dennis Firestone	20											1
49	John Paul Jr. R									21			0
50	Spike Gehlhausen			DNQ		23		30					0
51	Derek Daly R											25	0
52	Al Loquasto	DNQ						26					0
53	Don Whittington					26							0
54	Ken Hamilton R					27							0
55	Tom Frantz	DNQ				33			DNQ				0
-	Rich Vogler											DNS	0
-	Bill Whittington									DNS			0
-	Richard Hubbard									DNQ		DNQ	0
-	Bob Frey			DNQ	DNQ								0
-	Joe Saldana			DNQ	DNQ								0
-	Rick DeLorto						DNQ			DNQ			0
-	Phil Caliva								DNQ			DNQ	0
-	Bob Brutto	DNQ											0
-	Steve Chassey	DNQ											0
-	Ray Lipper	DNQ											0
-	Bobby Olivero	DNQ											0
-	Leroy van Conett	DNQ											0
-	Tod Tuttle				DNQ								0
Pos	Driver	PHX1	ATL	MIL	CLE	MIS1	MIL	POC	RIV	ROA	MIS2	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
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

References

↑ "CART Schedule Includes Vegas". The Indianapolis Star. November 24, 1981. p. 24. Retrieved November 11, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
↑ Vierra, Dan (December 25, 1981). "Wrench in CART's Works". Sacramento Bee. p. 53. Retrieved November 11, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
↑ "CART Schedule Includes Vegas". The Indianapolis Star. November 24, 1981. p. 24. Retrieved November 11, 2023– via Newspapers.com.

Åberg, Andreas. "PPG Indy Car World Series 1982". Driver Database. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
"1982 PPG Indy Car World Series". Champ Car Stats. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
"Standings after Phoenix". Champ Car World Series. Archived from the original on October 22, 2008. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine (p. 198-199)

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[1] "CART Schedule Includes Vegas". The Indianapolis Star. November 24, 1981. p. 24. Retrieved November 11, 2023– via Newspapers.com.

[2] Vierra, Dan (December 25, 1981). "Wrench in CART's Works". Sacramento Bee. p. 53. Retrieved November 11, 2023– via Newspapers.com.

[3] "CART Schedule Includes Vegas". The Indianapolis Star. November 24, 1981. p. 24. Retrieved November 11, 2023– via Newspapers.com.

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