1968 USAC Championship Car season

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1968 USAC Championship Car season
USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races28
Start dateMarch 17
End dateDecember 1
Awards
National championUnited States Bobby Unser
Indianapolis 500 winnerUnited States Bobby Unser
← 1967
1969 →

The 1968 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 28 races, beginning in Hanford, California on March 17 and concluding in Riverside, California on December 7. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Bobby Unser. Mike Spence died in an accident while practicing for the 1968 Indianapolis 500. Ronnie Duman died of burns suffered during the Rex Mays Classic.

Schedule and results[edit]

Rnd Date Race Name Track Location Type Pole Position Winning Driver
1 March 17 United States California 200 Hanford Motor Speedway Hanford, California Paved United States Bobby Unser United States Gordon Johncock
2 March 31 United States Stardust 150 Stardust International Raceway Las Vegas, Nevada Road United States Dan Gurney United States Bobby Unser
3 April 7 United States Jimmy Bryan Memorial Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Paved United States Bobby Unser United States Bobby Unser
4 April 21 United States Trenton 150 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Bobby Unser
5 May 30 United States International 500 Mile Sweepstakes Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana Paved United States Joe Leonard United States Bobby Unser
6 June 8 United States Rex Mays Classic Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Paved United States Roger McCluskey United States Lloyd Ruby
7 June 15 Canada Telegraph Trophy 200A Mosport Park Bowmanville, Ontario Road United States Dan Gurney United States Dan Gurney
8 United States Dan Gurney United States Dan Gurney
9 June 23 United States Langhorne 150 Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Paved United States Gordon Johncock United States Gordon Johncock
10 June 29 United States Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb Pikes Peak Highway Pikes Peak, Colorado Hill United States Bobby UnserB United States Bobby Unser
11 July 7 United States Rocky Mountain 150 Continental Divide Raceways Castle Rock, Colorado Road United States Ronnie Bucknum United States A. J. Foyt
12 July 13 United States Nazareth 100 Nazareth Speedway Nazareth, Pennsylvania Dirt United States Bill Vukovich II United States Al Unser
13 July 21 United States Indy 200C Indianapolis Raceway Park Clermont, Indiana Road United States Mario Andretti United States Al Unser
14 United States Al Unser United States Al Unser
15 July 28 United States Langhorne Twin 100C Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Paved United States Gordon Johncock United States Al Unser
16 United States Al Unser United States Al Unser
17 August 4 Canada Saint-Jovite 200C Circuit Mont-Tremblant Saint-Jovite, Quebec Road United States Mario Andretti United States Mario Andretti
18 United States Mario Andretti United States Mario Andretti
19 August 17 United States Tony Bettenhausen 100 Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield, Illinois Dirt United States Al Unser United States Roger McCluskey
20 August 18 United States Tony Bettenhausen 200 Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Paved United States Art Pollard United States Lloyd Ruby
21 September 2 United States Ted Horn Memorial DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Du Quoin, Illinois Dirt United States Al Unser United States Mario Andretti
22 September 7 United States Hoosier Hundred Indiana State Fairgrounds Indianapolis, Indiana Dirt United States Mario Andretti United States A. J. Foyt
23 September 22 United States Trenton 200 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved United States Al Unser United States Mario Andretti
24 September 29 United States Golden State 100 California State Fairgrounds Sacramento, California Dirt United States Mario Andretti United States A. J. Foyt
25 October 13 United States Michigan Inaugural 250 Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, Michigan Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Ronnie Bucknum
26 November 3 United States Hanford 250 Hanford Motor Speedway Hanford, California Paved United States Joe Leonard United States A. J. Foyt
27 November 17 United States Bobby Ball 150 Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Gary Bettenhausen
28 December 7 United States Rex Mays 300 Riverside International Raceway Riverside, California Road United States Dan Gurney United States Dan Gurney
  Paved/Dirt Oval
  Road Course/Hill Climb
^A Run in two heats of 98 miles (158 kilometers) each.
^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 (161 kilometers) each.

Final points standings[edit]

Pos Driver HAN1
United States
LVG
United States
PHX1
United States
TRE1
United States
INDY
United States
MIL1
United States
MOS
Canada
LAN1
United States
PIP
United States
CDR
United States
NAZ
United States
IRP
United States
LAN2
United States
MTR
Canada
SPR
United States
MIL2
United States
DQSF
United States
ISF
United States
TRE2
United States
SAC
United States
MIC
United States
HAN2
United States
PHX2
United States
RIV
United States
Pts
1 United States Bobby Unser 5 1 1 1 1 21 17 2 1 11 7 3 21 2 16 2 11 DNQ 4 18 16 7 DNQ 17 2 19 2 4330
2 United States Mario Andretti 23 2 15 2 33 2 2 2 17 4 15 2 2 2 23 1 1 18 2 1 2 1 4 2 3 24 18 4319
3 United States Al Unser 2 14 16 17 26 3 4 5 12 22 4 1 1 1 1 1 9 15 12 3 7 15 22 3 18 15 15 26 2895
4 United States Lloyd Ruby 3 4 2 12 5 1 15 12 21 2 17 23 15 10 6 19 14 DNQ 1 DNQ DNQ 16 15 18 2 3 2799
5 United States Bill Vukovich II 26 6 19 5 7 13 9 7 14 9 3 13 6 6 4 4 7 3 5 6 16 19 6 4 7 2410
6 United States A. J. Foyt 4 13 23 21 20 14 1 4 3 18 17 24 2 1 24 1 14 1 23 20 1860
7 United States Dan Gurney 16 2 1 1 1 1800
8 United States Gary Bettenhausen 10 10 13 24 DNS 10 13 3 7 4 21 12 13 12 13 13 13 5 4 4 12 2 21 21 1 19 1595
9 United States Mel Kenyon 8 3 10 3 DNQ DNQ 22 DNQ DNQ 4 24 13 DNP 1355
10 United States Jim Malloy DNQ 9 11 22 10 8 8 20 3 17 10 5 3 4 3 5 8 15 14 11 18 24 11 22 24 1265
11 United States Sam Sessions 9 11 16 12 22 19 4 11 6 4 7 8 5 25 1260
12 United States Gordon Johncock 1 7 18 4 27 12 13 DNS 1 25 5 16 21 15 15 19 DNQ DNQ 7 11 1257
13 United States Roger McCluskey 6 12 14 16 29 20 3 14 9 17 19 7 22 1 23 5 12 2 12 25 10 11 12 1228
14 United States Bud Tingelstad 18 7 DNS 16 9 DNQ 19 13 13 16 5 15 2 8 18 DNQ DNQ 3 8 9 7 10 1016
15 United States Wally Dallenbach Sr. 7 4 3 17 7 15 DNQ 11 3 5 20 7 20 DNQ 13 18 9 22 23 25 29 960
16 United States George Snider 9 5 6 6 31 8 8 3 10 3 DNQ 13 3 DNP 919
17 United States Larry Dickson 12 28 6 11 5 DNQ 6 2 DNQ 7 DNQ 7 8 26 8 890
18 United States Johnny Rutherford 20 11 17 18 4 20 24 20 25 5 5 11 5 16 25 17 6 890
19 United States Mike Mosley 8 19 16 9 4 14 9 17 DNS 3 13 9 14 860
20 United States Joe Leonard 22 3 22 8 12 18 7 6 8 14 DNS 16 4 17 850
21 United States Jim McElreath 14 DNQ 22 10 11 7 17 7 10 9 15 DNQ 5 6 28 771
22 United States Ronnie Bucknum 21 5 3 19 6 4 3 4 1 20 14 13 760
23 United States Art Pollard 16 8 5 13 13 16 14 18 5 7 9 26 DNQ 14 14 10 10 10 6 DNQ 20 16 696
24 United States Sonny Ates  R  15 DNQ 22 DNQ 6 8 13 26 5 9 16 520
25 United States Rick Muther DNQ 7 DNQ 6 DNQ 21 5 510
26 United States Ronnie Duman DNP 6 22 400
27 United States Bruce Walkup 13 20 DNQ 5 11 12 18 18 9 7 15 13 DNQ DNQ 5 390
28 United States Max Dudley  R  17 DNQ 9 15 DNQ 7 18 16 10 11 7 12 21 26 12 285
29 United States Bill Puterbaugh DNQ 17 8 9 12 9 6 11 265
30 United States George Follmer 11 15 24 DNQ 11 10 DNS 8 240
31 United States Arnie Knepper 24 DNQ DNP 25 DNS 24 15 11 22 18 11 10 16 6 14 20 12 15 206
32 United States George Benson 25 9 8 6 22 170
33 United States Carl Williams 15 5 17 8 DNS 13 13 15 19 150
34 United States Bobby Grim 10 DNQ 150
35 United States Jerry Daniels 10 8 9 DNQ 120
36 United States Wib Spalding  R  8 100
37 United States Bob Veith 11 100
38 United States Chuck Booth DNQ DNQ 10 18 11 18 14 DNQ 11 DNQ 85
39 United States Tom Bigelow  R  6 DNQ 14 80
40 United States Keith Rachwitz 12 9 DNQ 17 DNQ DNQ 80
41 United States Rollie Beale 15 DNQ 19 DNQ DNQ 9 DNQ DNQ 80
42 United States Chuck Hulse 21 DNQ 8 DNQ 75
43 United States Jigger Sirois  R  16 21 DNQ 25 10 75
44 United States Bob Harkey DNQ DNQ 13 20 17 12 8 DNQ 23 13 60
45 United States Denny Zimmerman  R  20 11 DNS 50
46 United States Bob Hurt DNQ DNQ 10 DNQ 45
47 United States Ralph Liguori DNQ 16 20 9 17 18 40
48 United States Roger West  R  10 19 DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 30
49 United States Bruce Jacobi 19 21 19 DNQ 22 DNQ 15 13 DNQ 19 12 DNQ DNQ 11 16 18 30
50 United States Dempsey Wilson 14 17 11 DNQ DNQ DNQ 30
51 United States Al Smith DNQ 12 25
52 United States Ted Foltz 2 24
53 United States Wes Vandervoort 3 21
54 United States Paul Kleinschmidt 5 15
55 United States Malcolm Brazier 6 12
56 United States Bob Herring 7 9
57 United States Grier Manning 8 8
58 United States Ralph Bruning 9 6
59 United States Charles Louderman 10 5
- Canada John Cannon  R  10 8 8 6 2 9 0
- United States Mark Donohue  R  6 4 21 0
- New Zealand Denny Hulme 4 0
- United States Skip Scott  R  4 0
- Germany Lothar Motschenbacher 17 6 0
- United States Bud Morley R  16 8 DNQ 0
- United States Jack Eiteljorg  R  23 10 9 0
- United States Peter Revson 10 0
- United States Bob Daly 11 0
- Canada George Fejer  R  12 15 DNS 14 12 0
- United States Lou Sell  R  21 12 14 16 30 0
- United States Thurel Novotny 12 0
- United States Dick Heikes  R  13 0
- United States Gene Willbanks  R  14 0
- United States Greg Weld DNQ 14 24 DNQ DNQ 17 14 DNQ 0
- United States Gig Stephens DNQ 23 14 14 DNQ 0
- United States Bay Darnell 14 23 DNQ DNQ 0
- United States Don Thomas  R  DNQ 15 0
- United States Butch Earley  R  15 0
- United States Clark Yowell 16 0
- United States Henry Pens  R  DNQ 17 0
- United States Jerry Colton  R  17 0
- United States Don Meacham  R  17 0
- United States Gene Bergin  R  DNQ 18 DNQ DNQ 0
- United States Tom Dillon  R  18 0
- United Kingdom Graham Hill 19 DNQ 0
- United States LaVerne Ravenstein  R  19 0
- United States Chuck Arnold 20 0
- United States Walter Miller 20 0
- United States Gene Pacheco 21 0
- United States Jerry Titus DNQ 22 0
- United States Jerry Grant 23 DNS 23 0
- United States Orville Nance 23 0
- United States Mickey Shaw 23 0
- Australia Jack Brabham 23 0
- United States Norm Brown 24 0
- United States Larry Overholser 24 0
- United States Bill Simpson  R  27 0
- United States Jim Hurtubise 30 0
- Austria Jochen Rindt 32 0
- United States Dusty Smith DNQ DNS 0
- United States Billy Wilkerson DNS 0
- United States Jim Reynard DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
- United States Les Scott DNQ DNQ DNQ DNP DNQ 0
- United States Karl Busson DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
- United States Danny Ongais DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
- United States Dee Jones DNQ DNQ 0
- United States Ernie Koch DNQ DNQ 0
- United States Al Miller DNQ DNQ 0
- Canada Norm Ellefson DNQ DNQ 0
- United States Hamilton Vose DNQ DNQ 0
- United States Don Schisler DNQ DNQ 0
- United States Otto Becker DNQ DNP 0
- United States Bill Cheesbourg DNQ 0
- United States Masten Gregory DNQ 0
- United States Bobby Johns DNQ 0
- New Zealand Bruce McLaren DNQ 0
- United Kingdom Mike Spence DNQ 0
- United States Chuck Stevenson DNQ 0
- United States LeeRoy Yarbrough DNQ 0
- United States Scott Brazier DNQ 0
- United States Bob Tattersall DNQ 0
- United States Earl Smith DNQ 0
- United States Don Brown DNQ 0
- United States Earl Dykes DNQ 0
- Canada Ludwig Heimrath Jr. DNQ 0
- United Kingdom Jackie Stewart Wth 0
- United Kingdom Jim Clark DNP 0
- United States Bob Herst DNP 0
- United States Stew McMillan DNP 0
Pos Driver HAN1
United States
LVG
United States
PHX1
United States
TRE1
United States
INDY
United States
MIL1
United States
MOS1
Canada
MOS2
Canada
LAN1
United States
PIP
United States
CDR
United States
NAZ
United States
IRP1
United States
IRP2
United States
LAN2
United States
LAN3
United States
MTR1
Canada
MTR2
Canada
SPR
United States
MIL2
United States
DQSF
United States
ISF
United States
TRE2
United States
SAC
United States
MIC
United States
HAN2
United States
PHX2
United States
RIV
United States
Pts

Note 1: John Cannon, George Fejer, Lou Sell, Mark Donohue, Jack Eiteljorg, Bud Morley, Lothar Motschenbacher, Jochen Rindt, Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, Denis Hulme, Skip Scott and Peter Revson are not eligible for points.
Note 2: Ronnie Bucknum did not compete with a USAC license until after the events at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Color Gold Silver Bronze Green Light Blue Dark Blue Purple Red Brown Black White Blank
Results Winner 2nd place 3rd place 4th & 5th place 6th-10th place Finished
(Outside Top 10)
Did not finish
(Ret)
Did not qualify
(DNQ)
Withdrawn
(Wth)
Disqualified
(DSQ)
Did not start
(DNS)
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[edit]

  • Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1968". Driver Database. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  • "1968 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. 244-249)

See also[edit]