Formula One, commonly known as Formula 1 or F1, is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the world's premier forms of racing since its inaugural running in 1950. The word formula in the name refers to the set of rules all participants' cars must follow. A Formula One season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix. Grands Prix take place in multiple countries and continents on either purpose-built circuits or closed public roads.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a motor racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 and formerly the home of the United States Grand Prix and Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix. It is located six miles (9.7 km) west of Downtown Indianapolis.
The Belgian Grand Prix is a motor racing event which forms part of the Formula One World Championship. The first national race of Belgium was held in 1925 at the Spa region's race course, an area of the country that had been associated with motor sport since the very early years of racing. To accommodate Grand Prix motor racing, the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps race course was built in 1921 but until 1924 it was used only for motorcycle racing. After the 1923 success of the new 24 hours of Le Mans in France, the Spa 24 Hours, a similar 24-hour endurance race, was run at the Spa track.
Rodger Morris Ward was an American racing driver best known for his open-wheel career. He is generally regarded as one of the finest drivers of his generation, and is best known for winning two National Championships, and two Indianapolis 500s, both in 1959 and 1962. He also won the AAA National Stock Car Championship in 1951.
James Garland Reece Sr. was an American racecar driver. He died in an accident during a 1958 Champ Car race at Trenton Speedway.
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.
Joseph Paul Leonard was an American professional motorcycle racer and racecar driver.
The Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams (SMART) Tour is a Modified stock car racing series racing in the Southeastern region of The United States. The series began in 1989, NASCAR took over the series in 2005. During it's time as a NASCAR sanctioned series it followed identical regulations to the Northern NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin has hosted American open-wheel car racing events dating back to 1937. The AAA Contest Board, USAC, CART, Champ Car World Series, and the IndyCar Series have all sanctioned races at the facility. The Milwaukee Mile has a long history of Championship/Indy car racing, and for many years, traditionally held a race the weekend after the Indianapolis 500.
Sandown International Raceway is a motor racing circuit in the suburb of Springvale in Melbourne, Victoria, approximately 25 km (16 mi) south east of the city centre. Sandown is considered a power circuit with its "drag strip" front and back straights being 899 m (983 yd) and 910 m (1,000 yd) long respectively.
The Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart and Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade are IndyCar Series races held at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. The first event was held in 2007. From 2007 to 2013, it was a 250-lap race; beginning in 2014, the race was increased to 300 laps. For 2020, the race reverted to 250 laps, with consecutive 250-lap races on Friday and Saturday night. After being left off of the calendar for 2021, it returned to the 2022 schedule with the 250/300 format held in years previous.
The 1979 SCCA/CART Indy Car Series was the inaugural Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) American open wheel racing championship series. The season consisted of 14 races. Rick Mears was the national champion, and the rookie of the year was Bill Alsup. The 1979 Indianapolis 500 was sanctioned by USAC, but counted towards the CART points championship. Rick Mears won the Indy 500, his first of four victories in the event.
Trenton Speedway was a racing facility located near Trenton, New Jersey at the New Jersey State Fairgrounds. Races for the United States' premier open-wheel and full-bodied racing series of the times were held at Trenton Speedway.
The IZOD IndyCar World Championship Presented by Honda was an IndyCar Series race on the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) Las Vegas Motor Speedway, held from 1996 to 2000, and again in 2011. It was first known as the Las Vegas 500k. The Champ Car World Series held a race at the track during the 2004 and 2005 seasons as doubleheaders with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and a street race was held in Las Vegas at the Fremont Street Experience in 2007.
The Northern 300 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car race held in 1958, 1959, and from 1967 to 1972 at Trenton Speedway in Trenton, New Jersey. The debut race in 1958 was 500 laps and 500 miles (804.7 km) in length, which was cut down to 150 laps, 150 miles (241.4 km) for 1959. The 1967 and 1968 races were both 300 laps, covering 300 miles (482.8 km). The track was lengthened from 1 mile to 1.5 miles for 1969, and the final four races were cut down from 300 to 200 laps, while still covering a 300-mile distance.
The 1977 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 14 races, beginning in Ontario, California on March 6 and concluding in Avondale, Arizona on October 29. The USAC National Champion was Tom Sneva and the Indianapolis 500 winner was A. J. Foyt. The schedule included a road course for the first time since 1970.
The 1958 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on March 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 11. There were also five non-championship events. The USAC National Champion was Tony Bettenhausen and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Jimmy Bryan. There were three fatalities during the season. Pat O'Connor lost his life in a first lap accident during the Indy 500. Art Bisch died of injuries suffered during the race at Lakewood Speedway. Jimmy Reece was killed in a late-race incident at the second Trenton 100. Bettenhausen became the first USAC champion without a single race win during the season until Tom Sneva did so 20 years later.
The 1959 USAC Championship Car season 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 was killed in a practice accident, and on May 19 death Bob Cortner 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.
The 1960 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 10 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 20. There were also two non-championship events at Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and Pikes Peak, Colorado. This was the final year that the Indianapolis 500 was a part of the Formula One World Championship. The USAC National Champion was A. J. Foyt and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Jim Rathmann. Three time USAC/AAA National Champion, and 1958 Indianapolis 500 winner Jimmy Bryan, was killed in an accident during the Langhorne 100 at Langhorne Speedway; he was 34 years old.
The 1949 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 14 races, beginning in Arlington, Texas on April 24 and concluding in Del Mar, California on November 6. There were also two non-championship events. The AAA National Champion was Johnnie Parsons, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Bill Holland. The season was marred by George Metzler's death at Indianapolis in practice, Bill Sheffler's death at Trenton also in practice, and Rex Mays's death in the final race at Del Mar.
