1968 USAC Championship Car season

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.

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 →

Schedule and results

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

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

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  • 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

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