1976 USAC Championship Car season

Last updated

1976 USAC Championship Car season
USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races13
Start dateMarch 14
End dateNovember 7
Awards
National champion Flag of the United States.svg Gordon Johncock
Indianapolis 500 winner Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Rutherford
  1975
1977  

The 1976 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 14 and concluding at the same location on November 7. The USAC National Champion was Gordon Johncock and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Johnny Rutherford.

Contents

Schedule and results

All races running on Oval/Speedway.

RndDateRace NameTrackLocationPole PositionWinning Driver
1March 14 Jimmy Bryan 150 Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Flag of the United States.svg Al Unser Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Unser
2May 2Trenton 200 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Rutherford
3May 30 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes A Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Rutherford Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Rutherford
4June 13 Rex Mays Classic Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway West Allis, Wisconsin Flag of the United States.svg Gordon Johncock Flag of the United States.svg Mike Mosley
5June 27 Schaefer 500 Pocono International Raceway Long Pond, Pennsylvania Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Parsons Flag of the United States.svg Al Unser
6July 18 Norton Twin 200s Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, Michigan Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt Flag of the United States.svg Gordon Johncock
7August 1Texas 150 Texas World Speedway College Station, Texas Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt
8August 15Trenton 200 B Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt Flag of the United States.svg Gordon Johncock
9August 22 Tony Bettenhausen 200 Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway West Allis, Wisconsin Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Rutherford Flag of the United States.svg Al Unser
10September 5 California 500 Ontario Motor Speedway Ontario, California Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Unser
11September 18 Michigan 150 Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, Michigan Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt
12October 31Benihana World Series of Auto Racing Texas World Speedway College Station, Texas Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Rutherford
13November 7 Bobby Ball 150 Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Unser Flag of the United States.svg Al Unser
^A Scheduled for 500 miles, stopped early due to rain.
^B Scheduled for 200 miles, stopped early due to rain.

Final points standings

Note: David Hobbs, Danny Ongais and Vern Schuppan were not eligible for points.

PosDriver PHX1
TRE1
INDY
MIL1
POC
MIC1
TXS1
TRE2
MIL2
ONT
MIC2
TXS2
PHX2
Pts
1 Flag of the United States.svg Gordon Johncock 323227151232224240
2 Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Rutherford 18119423732111164220
3 Flag of the United States.svg Wally Dallenbach Sr. 166412320241743643105
4 Flag of the United States.svg Al Unser 47411017213218313020
5 Flag of the United States.svg Mike Mosley 5515122245515722DNQ2120
6 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Unser 1DNQ1033241417212080
7 Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt 2118217313119231111720
8 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Sneva 1736137616313265DNQ1570
9 Flag of the United States.svg Mario Andretti 85431200
10 Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Parsons 6412522418612DNQ131520980
11 Flag of the United States.svg Roger McCluskey DNQ30DNP65DNQ2262110195955
12 Flag of the United States.svg Pancho Carter 275181429DNQ10920
13 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Bigelow 2017141129127217591418820
14 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Vukovich II DNQ223162668152456660
15 Flag of the United States.svg Jan Opperman 16197106580
16 Flag of the United States.svg Rick Mears  RY DNQ899390
17 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Puterbaugh 22DNQ78375
18 Flag of the United States.svg Steve Krisiloff 2481662117370
19 Flag of the United States.svg George Snider 13922710365
20 Flag of the United States.svg Salt Walther 99918DNQ22340
21 Flag of the United States.svg Dick Simon 71632141019131630217330
22 Flag of the United States.svg John Martin 118217219171818300
23 Flag of the United States.svg Todd Gibson 17DNQ139811141613280
24 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Olivero  R 13DNQ10DNQ119DNQ14275
25 Flag of the United States.svg Larry Dickson 1919DNQ11141511DNQ19815240
26 Flag of the United States.svg Al Loquasto 81025151012DNQDNQ12215
27 Flag of the United States.svg Larry Cannon 1730118DNQ818190
28 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Simpson DNQ82381214141520DNQ190
29 Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Grant 222710150
30 Flag of the United States.svg Spike Gehlhausen 1214332125161416913121219130
31 Flag of the United States.svg Lloyd Ruby 111322100
32 Flag of the United States.svg Lee Kunzman DNQ13189DNQ20DNQ1190
33 Flag of the United States.svg Roger Rager  R 2010171660
34 Flag of the United States.svg Sheldon Kinser 19281250
35 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Harkey 2012DNQ2050
36 Flag of the United States.svg Jim McElreath 10DNQDNQ45
37 Flag of the United States.svg Ed Finley DNQ1315DNQ11DNQ40
38 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Frantz 1511DNQDNQDNQ40
39 Flag of the United States.svg Ken Nichols  R DNQ12201814DNQ20
- Flag of the United States.svg Janet Guthrie  R 15DNQ241315DNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Arlene Hiss  R 140
- Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Frank Weiss DNPDNQ16150
- Flag of the United States.svg Larry McCoy 26160
- Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Eldon Rasmussen DNQ201731170
- Flag of Australia (converted).svg Vern Schuppan  R 180
- Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Karl DNQ1921DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Mike Hiss DNQDNQ190
- Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ed Crombie  R DNQ20DNQDNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Jack Owens  R DNQ21DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Billy Scott DNQ23DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg John Mahler DNQ250
- Flag of the United States.svg Gary Bettenhausen DNQ28DNQ3327DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Danny Ongais  R 280
- Flag of the United Kingdom.svg David Hobbs 290
- Flag of the United States.svg Mel Kenyon DNQ330
- Flag of the United States.svg Greg Hodges DNQDNPDNQDNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Gary Allbritain DNQDNQDNP0
- Flag of the United States.svg Butch Harris DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Bill Engelhart DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Woody Fisher DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Jim Hurtubise DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Ed Miller DNQ0
- Flag of the United States.svg Rick Muther DNQ0
PosDriver PHX1
TRE1
INDY
MIL1
POC
MIC1
TXS1
TRE2
MIL2
ONT
MIC2
TXS2
PHX2
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