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The 'United States Automobile Club' (USAC) is an open-wheel auto racing sanctioning body. From 1956 to 1979 the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 it sanctioned the Indianapolis 500.

Contents

History

1978 Plane Crash

End of Championship car sanctioning

CART/IRL split

USAC Championship Car Series

USAC Silver Crown Series

USAC Sprint Car Series

USAC National Midget Series

USAC Stock Cars

References

External link

History

USAC was formed by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman when the American Automobile Association (AAA) withdrew from auto racing following the 1955 Le Mans disaster. USAC became the arbiter of rules, car design, and other matters for what it termed ''Championship'' automobile racing. This term, which sounds rather generic, in fact became a term of art describing a car built to be used in the highest level of USAC racing. For a while there was a separate series of specifications for Championship cars designed to be run on dirt, rather than paved, tracks.
USAC also became the sanctioning body for many lower levels of motor racing, including sports cars, sprint cars, midget cars, and others. Some of these series were used somewhat as a developmental league for Championship racing. USAC sanctioned stock car racing from 1956 to 1984."USAC Stock Car Championship History", Retrieved September 7 2007

1978 Plane Crash

On April 23, 1978, eight key members of USAC, plus the pilot, were killed when their 10-seat Piper Navajo Chieftain crashed during a thunderstorm 25 miles southeast of Indianapolis.^[2]
Killed were:

★ Ray Marquette, USAC's vice-president of public affairs and a former sportswriter for the Indianapolis Star

★ Frank Delroy, chairman of the USAC technical committee

★ Shim Malone, starter for USAC races and head of its midget racer division

★ Judy Phillips, graphic artist and publication director of USAC's newsletter

★ Stan Worley, chief registrar

★ Ross Teeguarden, assistant technnical chairman

★ Don Peabody, head of the sprint division

★ Dr. Bruce White, assistant staff doctor

★ Don Mullendore, owner and pilot of the plane.
The effect on USAC, and for open wheel racing in the USA, was devastating, especially since it closely followed the death of Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman.

End of Championship car sanctioning

Unfortunately, the crash came at a time when Indy car owners and drivers were demanding changes from USAC. Aside from the Indy 500, USAC events were not well attended, and the owners felt that USAC poorly negotiated TV rights. The owners also wanted increases in payouts, especially Indy.^[3]
Also unpopular were USAC's attempts to keep the aging Offenhauser engine competitive with the newer, and much more expensive, Cosworth DFV engine using boost-limiting "pop off valves" and limiting the amount of fuel that could be used.^[4]
Finally, most car owners banded together to form Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) in 1979. USAC tried unsuccessfully to ban all CART owners from the 1979 Indy 500, finally losing in court before the race began. Both USAC and CART ran race schedules in 1979.
IMS Speedway President John Cooper was instrumental in forming a joint body of CART and USAC with the creation of the Championship Racing League in March, 1980. However, in mid 1980, Cooper forced USAC to renounce their agreement with the CRL if they wanted to keep officiating the Indy 500.^[5] After USAC's disastrous attempt at a 500-mile races at Pocono -- which was boycotted by the CART teams, forcing USAC to fill the field with sprint cars -- USAC and CART eventually settled into a relatively peaceful co-existence, with the USAC continuing to sanction to Indianapolis 500, and CART including the race in its schedule.

CART/IRL split

In 1996, when CART and the newly formed Indy Racing League split open-wheel racing into two different series, USAC remained the sanctioning body for the IRL.
At the end of the 1997 Indianapolis 500, a caution flag came out. It was unclear as to whether the race would end under caution or under green flag conditions. The decision was made to go green at lap 199 of 200. When Arie Luyendyk, the race leader, arrived in turn one, the yellow caution lights still flashed even though he had been given the green and white flags by the starter. Runner-up Scott Goodyear claimed that he had assumed the race would end under caution and was surprised to see the green flag.
At the IRL's next race in Texas, Luyendyk was incorrectly scored as being two laps down from the apparent winner Billy Boat. While Boat and car owner A.J. Foyt celebrated in victory lane, Luyendyk walked onto the scene and confronted officials. Foyt slapped Luyendyk, and he fell over a flower bed. In review, Luyendyk was scored as the race winner by nearly a lap, and USAC was subsequently removed as the IRL's sanctioning body.
While USAC did not disappear, its influence was greatly lessened. It still continues today as a sanctioning body for some of the medium levels of motor racing, including the ''USAC Silver Crown'' series for tube-framed, alcohol-fueled open-wheel cars racing on dirt and paved ovals, as well as national championships for sprint and midget cars.

USAC Championship Car Series

'USAC Championship Car Season Champions: (1956-1979)'

★ 1956 - Jimmy Bryan Phoenix, AZ

★ 1957 - Jimmy Bryan Phoenix, AZ

★ 1958 - Tony Bettenhausen Tinley Park, IL

★ 1959 - Rodger Ward Beloit, KS

★ 1960 - A.J. Foyt Houston, TX

★ 1961 - A.J. Foyt Houston, TX

★ 1962 - Rodger Ward Beloit, KS

★ 1963 - A.J. Foyt Houston, TX

★ 1964 - A.J. Foyt Houston, TX

★ 1965 - Mario Andretti Montona, Italy

★ 1966 - Mario Andretti Montona, Italy

★ 1967 - A.J. Foyt Houston, TX

★ 1968 - Bobby Unser Colorado Springs, CO

★ 1969 - Mario Andretti Montona, Italy

★ 1970 - Al Unser Albuquerque, NM

★ 1971 - Joe Leonard San Diego, CA

★ 1972 - Joe Leonard San Diego, CA

★ 1973 - Roger McCluskey San Antonio, TX

★ 1974 - Bobby Unser Colorado Springs, CO

★ 1975 - A.J. Foyt Houston, TX

★ 1976 - Gordon Johncock Hastings, MI

★ 1977 - Tom Sneva Spokane, WA

★ 1978 - Tom Sneva Spokane, WA

★ 1979 - A.J. Foyt Houston, TX

USAC Silver Crown Series

'USAC Silver Crown Series Champions'

★ 1971 - George Snider Fresno, CA

★ 1972 - A.J. Foyt Houston, TX

★ 1973 - Al Unser 'Albuquerque, NM'

★ 1974 - Mario Andretti 'Montona, Italy'

★ 1975 - Jimmy Caruthers Anaheim, CA

★ 1976 - Billy Cassella

★ 1977 - Larry Rice Linden, IN

★ 1978 - Pancho Carter Racine, WI

★ 1979 - Bobby Olivero Lakewood, CA

★ 1980 - Gary Bettenhausen Tinley Park, IL

★ 1981 - Larry Rice Linden, IN

★ 1982 - Ken Schrader Fenton, MO ''Fortune #39''

★ 1983 - Gary Bettenhausen Tinley Park, IL

★ 1984 - Dave Blaney 'Wooster, OH'

★ 1985 - Rick Hood ''Fortune #39''

★ 1986 - Jack Hewitt 'Troy, OH' ''Hampshire #63''

★ 1987 - Jack Hewitt 'Troy, OH' ''Hampshire #63''

★ 1988 - Steve Butler 'Kokomo, IN'

★ 1989 - Chuck Gurney Heyward, CA

★ 1990 - Jimmy Sills 'Placerville, CA'

★ 1991 - Jeff Gordon 'Vallejo, CA' ''Ede #35''

★ 1992 - Steve Butler 'Kokomo, IN' ''Jarrett #10''

★ 1993 - Mike Bliss 'Milwaukie, OR'

★ 1994 - Jimmy Sills 'Placerville, IN'

★ 1995 - Tony Stewart 'Columbus, IN' ''Boles #25''

★ 1996 - Jimmy Sills 'Placerville, CA' ''Stanton #75''

★ 1997 - Dave Darland 'Lincoln, IN' ''Foxco #56''

★ 1998 - Jason Leffler 'Long Beach, CA' ''Goetz #9''

★ 1999 - Ryan Newman 'South Bend, IN' ''Ede #14''

★ 2000 - Tracy Hines 'New Castle, IN' ''Riggs #37''

★ 2001 - Paul White 'Temple, TX' ''Cook #10''

★ 2002 - J. J. Yeley 'Phoenix, AZ' ''Stewart/East #9''

★ 2003 - J. J. Yeley 'Phoenix, AZ' ''Stewart/East #9''

★ 2004 - Dave Steele 'Tampa, FL' ''Stewart/East #9''

★ 2005 - Dave Steele 'Tampa, FL' ''Stewart/East #9''

★ 2006 - Bud Kaeding 'Campbell, CA' ''BK/Leffler #29''

USAC Sprint Car Series

'USAC Sprint Car Series Champions'
''From 1956-1960 the USAC National Sprint Car Championship was divided into two divisions (Midwest and East).''

★ 1956 - Pat O'Connor North Vernon, IN (Midwest Champion)

★ 1956 - Tommy Hinnershitz Muhlenberg, PA (East Champion)

★ 1957 - Elmer George Hockerville, OK (Midwest Champion)

★ 1957 - Bill Randall North Reading, MA (East Champion)

★ 1958 - Eddie Sachs Allentown, PA (Midwest Champion)

★ 1958 - Johnny Thomson Lowell, MA (East Champion)

★ 1959 - Don Branson Rantoul, IL (Midwest Champion)

★ 1959 - Tommy Hinnershitz Muhlenberg, PA (East Champion)

★ 1960 - Parnelli Jones Texarkana, AR (Midwest Champion)

★ 1960 - A.J. Foyt Houston, TX (East Champion)

★ 1961 - Parnelli Jones Texarkana, AR

★ 1962 - Parnelli Jones Texarkana, AR

★ 1963 - Roger McCluskey San Antonio, TX

★ 1964 - Don Branson Rantoul, IL

★ 1965 - Johnny Rutherford Coffeyville, KS

★ 1966 - Roger McCluskey San Antonio, TX

★ 1967 - Greg Weld Kansas City, MO

★ 1968 - Larry Dickson Marietta, OH

★ 1969 - Gary Bettenhausen Tinley Park, IL

★ 1970 - Larry Dickson Marietta, OH

★ 1971 - Gary Bettenhausen Tinley Park, IL

★ 1972 - Sammy Sessions Nashville, MI

★ 1973 - Rollie Beale Toledo, OH

★ 1974 - Pancho Carter Racine, WI

★ 1975 - Larry Dickson Marietta, OH

★ 1976 - Pancho Carter Racine, WI

★ 1977 - Sheldon Kinser Bloomington, IN

★ 1978 - Tom Bigelow Whitewater, WI

★ 1979 - Greg Leffler Winchester, IN

★ 1980 - Rich Vogler Chicago, IL

★ 1981 - Sheldon Kinser Bloomington, IN

★ 1982 - Sheldon Kinser Bloomington, IN

★ 1983 - Ken Schrader Fenton, MO ''Fortune #39''

★ 1984 - Rick Hood ''Fortune #39''

★ 1985 - Rick Hood ''Fortune #39''

★ 1986 - Steve Butler 'Kokomo, IN' ''Stoops #6''

★ 1987 - Steve Butler 'Kokomo, IN' ''Stoops #1''

★ 1988 - Steve Butler 'Kokomo, IN' ''Stoops #1''

★ 1989 - Rich Vogler Chicago, IL ''Hoffman #69''

★ 1990 - Steve Butler 'Kokomo, IN' ''Hoffman #69''

★ 1991 - Robbie Stanley ''Stanley #7''

★ 1992 - Robbie Stanley ''Stanley #1''

★ 1993 - Robbie Stanley ''Hoffman #69''

★ 1994 - Doug Kalitta 'Ypsilanti, MI' ''Kalitta #22k''

★ 1995 - Tony Stewart 'Columbus, IN' ''Niebel #20''

★ 1996 - Brian Tyler 'Parma, MI' ''Contos #4c''

★ 1997 - Brian Tyler 'Parma, MI' ''Contos #4c''

★ 1998 - Tony Elliott 'Warsaw, IN' ''Walker/Vance #2'' & ''Conroy #12''

★ 1999 - Dave Darland 'Lincoln, IN' ''Hoffman #69''

★ 2000 - Tony Elliott 'Warsaw, IN' ''Walker #66''

★ 2001 - J. J. Yeley 'Phoenix, AZ' ''GT #76''

★ 2002 - Tracy Hines 'New Castle, IN' ''Hoffman #69''

★ 2003 - J. J. Yeley 'Phoenix, AZ' ''Stewart #20''

★ 2004 - Jay Drake 'Santa Maria, CA' ''Stewart #20''

★ 2005 - Levi Jones 'Olney, IL' ''Benic #2B''

★ 2006 - Josh Wise 'Riverside, CA' ''Stewart #20''

USAC National Midget Series

'USAC National Midget Series Champions'

★ 1956 - Shorty Templeman Pueblo, CA

★ 1957 - Shorty Templeman Pueblo, CA

★ 1958 - Shorty Templeman Pueblo, CA

★ 1959 - Gene Hartley Roanoke, IN

★ 1960 - Jimmy Davies Glendale, CA

★ 1961 - Jimmy Davies Glendale, CA

★ 1962 - Jimmy Davies Glendale, CA

★ 1963 - Bob Wente St. Louis, MO

★ 1964 - Mel Kenyon Lacon, IL

★ 1965 - Mike McGreevy Hoosick, NY

★ 1966 - Mike McGreevy Hoosick, NY

★ 1967 - Mel Kenyon Lacon, IN

★ 1968 - Mel Kenyon Lacon, IN

★ 1969 - Bob Tattersall Pennsbury, PA

★ 1970 - Jimmy Caruthers Anaheim, CA

★ 1971 - Danny Caruthers

★ 1972 - Pancho Carter Racine, WI

★ 1973 - Larry Rice Linden, IN

★ 1974 - Mel Kenyon Lacon, IL

★ 1975 - Sleepy Tripp

★ 1976 - Sleepy Tripp

★ 1977 - Mel Kenyon Lacon, IL

★ 1978 - Rich Vogler Chicago, IL

★ 1979 - Steve Lotshaw

★ 1980 - Rich Vogler Chicago, IL

★ 1981 - Mel Kenyon Lacon, IL

★ 1982 - Kevin Olson Machesney Park, IL

★ 1983 - Rich Vogler Chicago, IL

★ 1984 - Tom Bigelow Whitewater, WI

★ 1985 - Mel Kenyon Lacon, IL

★ 1986 - Rich Vogler Chicago, IL

★ 1987 - Kevin Olson Machesney Park, IL

★ 1988 - Rich Vogler 'Chicago, IL' ''Jonathan Byrd''

★ 1989 - Russ Gamester 'Peru, IN' ''Gamester #46''

★ 1990 - Jeff Gordon 'Vallejo, CA' ''Helmling #4''

★ 1991 - Mike Streicher ''Streicher #8''

★ 1992 - Stevie Reeves 'Speedway, IN' ''Wilke #11''

★ 1993 - Stevie Reeves 'Speedway, IN' ''Lewis #9''

★ 1994 - Tony Stewart 'Columbus, IN' ''Potter #6''

★ 1995 - Tony Stewart 'Columbus, IN' ''Lewis #9''

★ 1996 - Kenny Irwin, Jr. 'Indianapolis, IN' ''Lewis #91''

★ 1997 - Jason Leffler 'Long Beach, CA' ''Willoughby #71''

★ 1998 - Jason Leffler 'Long Beach, CA' ''Lewis #9''

★ 1999 - Jason Leffler 'Long Beach, CA' ''Lewis #9''

★ 2000 - Kasey Kahne 'Enumclaw, WA' ''Lewis #91''

★ 2001 - Dave Darland 'Lincoln, IN' ''Lewis #9''

★ 2002 - Dave Darland 'Lincoln, IN' ''Lewis #9''

★ 2003 - J. J. Yeley 'Phoenix, AZ' ''Lewis #9''

★ 2004 - Bobby East 'Brownsburg, IN' ''Lewis #9''

★ 2005 - Josh Wise 'Riverside, CA' ''Stewart #20w''

★ 2006 - Jerry Coons Jr. 'Tucson, Ariz' ''Wilke #11 ''

USAC Stock Cars

'USAC Stock Car Champions'

★ 1956 Johnny Mantz

★ 1957 Jerry Unser

★ 1958 Fred Lorenzen

★ 1959 Fred Lorenzen

★ 1960 Norm Nelson

★ 1961 Paul Goldsmith

★ 1962 Paul Goldsmith

★ 1963 Don White

★ 1964 Parnelli Jones

★ 1965 Norm Nelson

★ 1966 Norm Nelson

★ 1967 Don White

★ 1968 A. J. Foyt

★ 1969 Roger McCluskey

★ 1970 Roger McCluskey

★ 1971 Butch Hartman

★ 1972 Butch Hartman

★ 1973 Butch Hartman

★ 1974 Butch Hartman

★ 1975 Ramo Stott

★ 1976 Butch Hartman

★ 1977 Paul Feldner

★ 1978 A.J. Foyt

★ 1979 A.J. Foyt

★ 1980 Joe Ruttman

★ 1981 Dean Roper

★ 1982 Dean Roper

★ 1983 Dean Roper

★ 1984 David Goldsberry

References

1. USAC Information ''insmkt.com.'' Retrieved on August 19 2007.
2. Indiana plane crashes ''indystar.com, published May 1 2002.''
3. The battles wage on and off the tracks ''automedia.com.''
4. The CART-USAC War: part 1 ''oreopolis.com. Originally published in NUVO Newsweekly - January 25 1996.''
5. The CART-USAC War: part 2 ''oreopolis.com. Originally published in NUVO Newsweekly - January 25 1996.''

External link

★ Official website