1969 USAC Championship Car season

Sports 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
← 1968 1970 →

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
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	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	Indianapolis Raceway Park	Clermont, Indiana	Road	Dan Gurney	Dan Gurney
11	July 27	Indy 200	Indianapolis Raceway Park	Clermont, Indiana	Road	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	Donnybrooke Speedway	Brainerd, Minnesota	Road	Al Unser	Gordon Johncock
18	September 14	Brainerd 200	Donnybrooke Speedway	Brainerd, Minnesota	Road	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	Pacific Raceways	Kent, Washington	Road	Dan Gurney	Mario Andretti
22	October 19	Dan Gurney 200	Pacific Raceways	Kent, Washington	Road	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)
Blank	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)

v t e American Championship car racing (Indy car) seasons
AAA	1905 1906–1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
USAC	1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95
CART	1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
CCWS	2004 2005 2006 2007 ~~2008~~
IRL	1996 1996–97 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
IndyCar	2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Years marked in italics are not official championship years or upcoming seasons.

v t e USAC Championship Cars (1956-1970)
Seasons	1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970
Indianapolis 500s	1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970
National Champions	Mario Andretti (three times) Tony Bettenhausen Jimmy Bryan (twice) A. J. Foyt (five times) Al Unser Bobby Unser Rodger Ward (twice)
Tracks	Arizona State Fair Atlanta Brainerd California State Fair Continental Divide Darlington Daytona Dover DuQuoin State Fair Hanford Illinois State Fair Indianapolis Indianapolis Raceway Park Indiana State Fair Lakewood Langhorne Michigan Michigan State Fair Milwaukee Missouri State Fair Mont-Tremblant Mosport Nazareth New York State Fair Ontario Phoenix Pikes Peak Riverside Stardust Sears Point Seattle Trenton

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