1969 USAC Championship Car season

1969 USAC Championship Car season
USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races	24
Start date	March 30
End date	December 7
Awards
National champion	Mario Andretti
Indianapolis 500 winner	Mario Andretti

The 1969 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 24 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 30 and concluding in Riverside, California on December 7. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Mario Andretti.

Schedule and results

In the IZOD IndyCar Series 2011 Historical Record Book the winner of the Rex Mays Classic was declared to be only Art Pollard, because Greg Weld vacated the car on lap 2 of 150.

Rnd	Date	Race Name	Track	Location	Type	Pole Position	Winning Driver
1	March 30	Jimmy Bryan 150	Phoenix International Raceway	Avondale, Arizona	Paved	Al Unser	George Follmer
2	April 13	California 200	Hanford Motor Speedway	Hanford, California	Paved	Mario Andretti	Mario Andretti
3	May 30	International 500 Mile Sweepstakes	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	Speedway, Indiana	Paved	A. J. Foyt	Mario Andretti
4	June 8	Rex Mays Classic	Milwaukee Mile	West Allis, Wisconsin	Paved	Mario Andretti	Art Pollard^A
5	June 15	Langhorne 150	Langhorne Speedway	Langhorne, Pennsylvania	Paved	Mario Andretti	Bobby Unser
6	June 29	Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb	Pikes Peak Highway	Pikes Peak, Colorado	Hill	Orville Nance^B	Mario Andretti
7	July 6	Rocky Mountain 150	Continental Divide Raceways	Mead, Colorado	Road	Dan Gurney	Gordon Johncock
8	July 12	Nazareth 100	Nazareth Speedway	Nazareth, Pennsylvania	Dirt	Bill Vukovich II	Mario Andretti
9	July 19	Trenton 200	Trenton International Speedway	Trenton, New Jersey	Paved	Mario Andretti	Mario Andretti
10	July 27	Indy 200^C	Indianapolis Raceway Park	Clermont, Indiana	Road	Dan Gurney	Dan Gurney
11						Dan Gurney	Peter Revson
12	August 17	Tony Bettenhausen 200	Milwaukee Mile	West Allis, Wisconsin	Paved	Al Unser	Al Unser
13	August 18	Tony Bettenhausen 100	Illinois State Fairgrounds	Springfield, Illinois	Dirt	Greg Weld	Mario Andretti
14	August 24	Delaware 200	Dover Downs International Speedway	Dover, Delaware	Paved	Bobby Unser	Art Pollard
15	September 1	Ted Horn Memorial	DuQuoin State Fairgrounds	Du Quoin, Illinois	Dirt	Greg Weld	Al Unser
16	September 6	Hoosier Hundred	Indiana State Fairgrounds	Indianapolis, Indiana	Dirt	Greg Weld	A. J. Foyt
17	September 14	Brainerd 200^D	Donnybrooke Speedway	Brainerd, Minnesota	Road	Al Unser	Gordon Johncock
18						Gordon Johncock	Dan Gurney
19	September 21	Trenton 300	Trenton International Speedway	Trenton, New Jersey	Paved	Bobby Unser	Mario Andretti
20	September 28	Golden State 100	California State Fairgrounds	Sacramento, California	Dirt	Greg Weld	Al Unser
21	October 19	Dan Gurney 200^E	Pacific Raceways	Kent, Washington	Road	Dan Gurney	Mario Andretti
22						Mario Andretti	Al Unser
23	November 21	Bobby Ball 150	Phoenix International Raceway	Avondale, Arizona	Paved	Al Unser	Al Unser
24	December 7	Rex Mays 300	Riverside International Raceway	Riverside, California	Road	Dan Gurney	Mario Andretti

  Paved/Dirt Oval

  Road Course/Hill Climb

^A Pollard relieved Greg Weld on lap 2 of 150.

^B 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.

^C Run in two heats of 100 miles (160 kilometers) each.

^D Run in two heats of 96.3 miles (155 kilometers) each.

^E Run in two heats of 99 miles (159 kilometers) each.

Final points standings

Note 1: Sam Posey, Mark Donohue, Swede Savage, Peter Revson, John Cannon, Jerry Hansen, David Hobbs, Jack Brabham, Denis Hulme and LeeRoy Yarbrough are not eligible for points.

Note 2: Art Pollard qualified fifth for the Milwaukee event and was eliminated in a 10-car accident at the start of the race. His original car was scored in 15th. Pollard then took over the car of Greg Weld and went on to win the race. Weld gets credit for a start but has no finishing position.

Further information: List of American Championship car racing point scoring systems

Pos Driver PHX1 HAN INDY MIL1 LAN PIP CDR NAZ TRE1 IRP MIL2 SPR DDIS DQSF ISF BRN TRE2 SAC KEN PHX2 RIV Pts 1 Mario Andretti 16 1 1 7 5 1 10 1 1 9 2 4 1 11 2 6 4 3 1 15 1 2 21 1 5025 2 Al Unser 22 13 Wth 9 25 2 19 1 8 12 1 4 3 9 21 1 2 1 1 2 2630 3 Bobby Unser 8 7 3 16 1 16 23 24 2 10 22 5 3 13 11 7 3 17 5 22 4 2585 4 Dan Gurney 2 2 1 21 2 1 3 4 3 2280 5 Gordon Johncock 10 3 19 8 20 1 4 10 14 19 2 1 2 6 10 9 2070 6 Wally Dallenbach Sr. 2 5 21 20 3 8 5 2 DNS 18 7 14 Wth DNQ 10 9 3 7 1795 7 A. J. Foyt 21 25 8 3 3 10 5 4 9 5 19 3 1 8 8 13 25 DNS 1570 8 Bill Vukovich II 4 8 32 17 4 19 13 6 22 5 3 4 14 DNQ 24 13 9 17 6 27 1280 9 Mike Mosley 6 12 13 6 16 14 3 19 7 17 4 18 17 9 5 23 17 6 9 17 11 1220 10 Lloyd Ruby 3 2 20 13 21 15 7 15 3 DNQ 2 DNP 1190 11 Johnny Rutherford DNS 4 29 5 15 11 22 Wth Wth 7 14 DNQ 11 12 19 4 5 1130 12 Art Pollard 19 15 31 1 2 18 DNQ 25 16 6 1 DNQ 18 18 14 14 18 12 19 16 1110 13 Roger McCluskey 14 17 14 9 5 21 4 18 14 15 3 16 15 15 2 DNQ DNQ 22 1090 14 Gary Bettenhausen 20 10 26 21 6 2 16 DNQ 13 6 5 10 2 19 2 20 DNQ 940 15 Bud Tingelstad 15 4 13 DNQ 4 24 11 5 15 13 15 DNQ 9 3 DNS 11 920 16 George Follmer 1 9 27 6 3 11 6 6 15 6 DNQ 14 880 17 George Snider 14 16 DNQ 9 5 20 25 2 7 7 DNQ 5 DNQ 26 18 840 18 Jim Malloy 6 11 2 7 DNS 12 DNQ 26 DNP 16 18 7 780 19 Mel Kenyon 4 12 24 DNP 615 20 Joe Leonard 6 19 20 21 27 DNS 5 19 600 21 Larry Dickson DNP 9 18 6 4 DNQ 6 DNQ 22 10 23 510 22 Sam Sessions DNQ DNP 12 19 10 DNQ 16 DNQ 18 12 23 14 12 DNQ DNQ 4 24 23 475 23 Jim McElreath DNP 28 7 13 20 8 DNQ 18 9 13 DNQ 11 16 9 400 24 Steve Krisiloff  RY  DNQ 12 9 17 8 8 12 15 13 26 355 25 Rick Muther DNQ 11 DNQ 12 6 9 18 28 330 26 Bill Simpson DNQ 11 DNQ 13 12 8 21 DNQ 12 7 DNQ 15 8 320 27 Jerry Grant 17 19 DNQ DNQ 4 DNQ DNQ 13 11 DNQ 10 290 28 Bruce Walkup 33 23 22 DNP DNQ 10 4 8 250 29 Bob Harkey 8 7 11 DNQ DNQ 12 11 215 30 Greg Weld 13 DNS 15 8 16 DNS 17 5 12 210 31 Max Dudley 23 22 DNQ DNQ 6 17 10 DNQ 13 DNQ 10 14 DNP 12 210 32 Al Smith 10 DNQ 8 20 16 9 DNQ 175 33 Jerry Daniels 3 DNQ 11 160 34 Jigger Sirois 5 18 DNQ DNQ DNS 25 14 150 35 Bobby Johns DNP DNP 10 DNQ DNQ 150 36 Carl Williams 25 12 DNQ 11 5 130 37 Bill Puterbaugh 9 15 16 16 6 16 120 38 Tom Bigelow DNQ 7 18 21 17 DNQ DNQ 8 DNQ DNQ 110 39 Arnie Knepper 22 DNQ 15 DNQ DNQ 26 6 11 13 DNQ 100 40 Dave Strickland  R  7 23 DNQ 90 41 Ludwig Heimrath Sr.  R  DNQ DNQ 12 14 14 13 DNQ 17 19 28 8 13 DNQ 15 65 42 Sonny Ates 17 22 24 12 10 61 43 Johnny Parsons  R  DNQ 7 DNQ 30 60 44 Al Loquasto  R  23 14 9 13 16 11 20 DNS 26 DNQ 60 45 Keith Rachwitz 9 16 60 46 Jerry Karl  R  10 15 DNP 60 47 Ralph Liguori 18 DNQ 8 50 48 Johnny Anderson  R  8 DNQ 50 49 Don Schisler  R  15 9 40 50 Les Scott  R  DNQ DNQ 11 23 DNQ 20 40 51 Don Nordhorn  R  10 DNQ DNQ 30 53 Denny Zimmerman 11 DNP DNQ DNQ 30 52 Bobby Grim DNQ 11 30 54 Ted Foltz 2 24 55 Wes Vandervoort 3 21 56 Bob Gregg  R  11 16 DNQ 13 20 57 Lee Kunzman  R  DNQ DNQ 12 20 58 Bob Herring 4 18 59 Malcolm Brazier 5 15 60 George Fejer 12 DNP 15 61 Charles Louderman 6 12 62 Grier Manning 7 9 63 Clark Yowell 8 8 64 Bob Daly 9 6 65 Jack Guynn  R  10 4 66 Rick Vermillion 18 3 67 James Byrd  R  16 2 - Peter Revson 5 3 1 DNP 0 - Sam Posey  R  DNQ 8 7 16 4 3 25 0 - Mark Donohue 7 DNQ 7 4 16 21 0 - Swede Savage  R  5 14 7 6 0 - John Cannon 5 10 DNQ 29 0 - Jerry Hansen  R  17 7 8 DNQ 0 - David Hobbs  R  10 10 0 - Orville Nance 11 0 - Gene Pacheco 12 0 - Butch Earley 13 0 - Jim Reynard  R  DNQ 14 DNQ DNP DNQ DNP 0 - George Benson DNQ 14 0 - LaVerne Ravenstein 14 0 - Hamilton Vose  R  14 0 - Rollie Beale 19 15 DNP DNQ DNQ DNQ 0 - Dempsey Wilson 15 20 DNQ DNQ 0 - Ralph Murdock  R  15 0 - Charlie Masters  R  17 DNS 17 0 - Todd Gibson 24 17 DNQ DNP DNQ DNQ 0 - Ronnie Bucknum DNP DNP 30 DNP DNQ 17 0 - Wib Spalding DNQ DNQ 17 DNP DNQ DNQ DNQ 0 - Larry Overholser 17 0 - Tommy Copp 18 DNQ 18 DNQ 0 - Gig Stephens 18 DNQ DNQ 0 - Denny Hulme 18 0 - Lou Sell 20 0 - Earl Smith  R  DNS 21 DNQ 0 - Mickey Shaw 22 0 - LeeRoy Yarbrough 23 0 - Ned Spath  R  DNQ 24 DNQ DNQ DNQ 0 - Ed Marshall  R  DNQ 24 0 - Jack Brabham 24 0 - Bob Pratt 26 0 - Dick Simon DNS DNQ DNQ 0 - Cy Fairchild DNQ DNQ 0 - Charlie Glotzbach DNQ DNQ 0 - Dee Jones DNQ DNQ 0 - Roger West DNQ DNQ 0 - Chuck Booth DNQ DNQ 0 - Bobby Hogle DNQ DNQ 0 - Karl Busson DNP DNQ 0 - Bud Morley DNQ 0 - Jim Hurtubise DNQ 0 - Al Miller DNQ 0 - Lothar Motschenbacher DNQ 0 - Bob Veith DNQ 0 - Merle Bettenhausen DNQ 0 - Dale Breedlove DNQ 0 - Dino Dioguardi DNQ 0 - Nick Dioguardi DNQ 0 - Scott Carr Wth 0 - Graham Hill Wth 0 - Jochen Rindt Wth 0 - Bob West DNQ 0 - Pat O'Reilly DNP 0 - Jimmy Maguire DNP 0 - Joe Lehman DNP 0 - Roger Veys DNP 0 - Eugene Willbanks DNP 0 - Steve Diulo DNP 0 - George Eaton DNP 0 Pos Driver PHX1 HAN INDY MIL1 LAN PIP CDR NAZ TRE1 IRP1 IRP2 MIL2 SPR DDIS DQSF ISF BRN1 BR2N TRE2 SAC KEN1 KEN2 PHX2 RIV 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 (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Brown Withdrawn (Wth) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Blank Did not participate (DNP) 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

• Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1969". Driver Database. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
• "1969 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
• http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine (p. 238–243)

See also

• 1969 Indianapolis 500