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1981–82 USAC Championship Car season

Sports season


Sports season

United States Gordon Johncock (1982)

The 1981–82 USAC Championship Car season consisted of six races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana, on May 24, 1981, and concluding at the same location on May 30, 1982. The USAC National Champion was George Snider. The season included two Indianapolis 500 races. The 1981 winner was Bobby Unser, while the 1982 winner was Gordon Johncock. The schedule included dirt courses for the first time since 1970.

By this time, the preeminent national championship season was instead sanctioned by CART.

Schedule and results

The United States Auto Club formed the Gold Crown Series in 1981 which was a combination of the Indianapolis 500 and other races including races on dirt tracks. It was set up so that season would extend over the course of two years with the final race of the season being the Indianapolis 500, with all races running on Oval/Speedway courses.

RndDateRace nameLengthTrackLocationTypePole positionWinning driver123456
May 24USA [Indianapolis 500-Mile Race](1981-indianapolis-500)500 miIndianapolis Motor SpeedwaySpeedway, IndianaPavedUSA Bobby UnserUSA Bobby Unser
June 21USA [Van Scoy Diamond Mines 500](1981-82-van-scoy-diamond-mine-500)305 miPocono International RacewayLong Pond, PennsylvaniaPavedUSA A. J. FoytUSA A. J. Foyt
August 15USA Tony Bettenhausen 100100 miIllinois State FairgroundsSpringfield, IllinoisDirtUSA Tom BigelowUSA George Snider
August 30USA DuQuoin 100100 miDuQuoin State FairgroundsDu Quoin, IllinoisDirtUSA Bill EngelhartUSA Rich Vogler
September 12USA Hoosier Hundred100 miIndiana State FairgroundsIndianapolis, IndianaDirtUSA Larry RiceUSA Larry Rice
May 30USA [Indianapolis 500-Mile Race](1982-indianapolis-500)500 miIndianapolis Motor SpeedwaySpeedway, IndianaPavedUSA Rick MearsUSA Gordon Johncock

Scheduled for 500 miles, stopped early due to rain.

The season opened with the 1981 Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Bobby Unser would win. Wally Dallenbach Sr. qualified the #40 car for Mario Andretti. However, after the race USAC officials penalized Unser 1 position and the win went to Andretti. Even if Andretti failed to win he would still go into the Van Scoy Diamond Mines 500 at Pocono International Raceway as the points leader as he was in possession of a USAC Class 1 License. The Van Scoy Diamond Mines 500 was won by A. J. Foyt getting Foyt his 67th and final USAC Gold Crown win. The race was cut from 500 miles down to 305 miles due to rain. At the Tony Bettenhausen 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds was won by George Snider for his first and only win in USAC Gold Crown competition. At the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Rich Vogler would win his first and only race in USAC Gold Crown competition. At the Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Larry Rice would win his only USAC Gold Crown race. The 1981 Indianapolis 500 results were changed to Bobby Unser winning the race over Mario Andretti, costing Andretti 200 points. The season ending 1982 Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis 500 was marred by the death of Gordon Smiley during qualifying (he was 36 years old), and at the start 2nd place starter Kevin Cogan would spin into A. J. Foyt's car and Mario Andretti's car, while further back in the field Roger Mears, Dale Whittington, and Bobby Rahal would collide. However, Foyt and Rahal were able to continue. Gordon Johncock would beat Rick Mears to the line to win his second Indianapolis 500. George Snider would win the championship with Geoff Brabham 2nd, Tom Bigelow 3rd, A. J. Foyt 4th, and Gordon Johncock 5th.

Final points standings

PosDriver[INDY](1981-indianapolis-500)
USAPOC
USASPR
USADQSF
USAISF
USA[INDY](1982-indianapolis-500)
USAPts1139521310312804104551000680578008760973010720116351259413568145361550016490174051836619366203502131022300232002416025151261502710028702940304031323225332534253525362537253825392040204120421443104410455465475485495505-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0PosDriver[INDY](1981-indianapolis-500)
USAPOC
USASPR
USADQSF
USAISF
USA[INDY](1982-indianapolis-500)
USAPts
USA George SniderDNQ413821
AUS Geoff Brabham5228
USA Tom Bigelow203**12***2518
USA A. J. Foyt13**1**19
USA Gordon Johncock91
USA Mario Andretti231
USA Rick Mears30**2***
USA Rich VoglerDNQ111*2DNQ
USA Larry RiceDNQ21213**1***DNQ
AUS Vern Schuppan317DNQ
USA Tom Sneva2516*4
USA Jim McElreathDNQ731724DNQ
USA Bill Vukovich IIDNQ6176DNQ
USA Sheldon Kinser622157DNQ
CAN Harry MacDonaldDNQ5
USA Jack Hewitt124413
USA Don Whittington316
USA Gary Bettenhausen26272018312
USA Joe Saldana5622
USA Roger RagerDNQ88DNQDNQ
USA Tony Bettenhausen Jr.726
USA Jim Hickman7
USA Herm JohnsonDNQ9
AUS Dennis Firestone1027
USA Johnny ParsonsDNQ232481620
USA Bill Henderson10
USA Greg LefflerDNQ9DNS11DNQ
USA Bobby Rahal11
USA Mike Chandler1217
USA Bill Whittington2116
USA Larry Dickson182123
MEX Héctor Rebaque13
USA Steve BallDNQ14
USA Tim Richmond14DNP
USA Danny Sullivan14
USA Jerry Karl15DNQ
USA Chip Ganassi15
USA Jerry SnevaDNQ2523
USA Richard Hubbard18
USA Dick SimonDNQ20DNQ
MEX Josele Garza2329
USA Steve ChasseyDNQ2614DNQ
USA Danny Ongais2722
USA Salt Walther26DNQ
USA Kevin Cogan430
USA Tom Klausler29
USA Jan Sneva29DNQ
USA Roger MearsDNQ32
USA Mike Mosley33DNQ
USA Dale WhittingtonDNQ33
USA Bobby Unser**1***DNQ
USA Pancho Carter283
USA Mark Alderson1119194
USA Bill Tyler15DNQ5DNQ
USA Al Unser175
USA Chuck Amati612
USA Jerry Nemire79
USA Johnny Coogan7DNP
USA Johnny Rutherford328
USA Steve Krisiloff8DNQ
USA Jerry MillerDNQDNP919
USA Chip Mead9DNQ
USA Paul Pitzer24DNP1017
USA Larry Martin2310
USA Art Bisch Jr.10DNP
USA Howdy Holmes10
USA Ken Schrader1611
USA Bill Alsup11DNQ
USA Jerry Weeks12
USA Smokey Snellbaker13DNQ15
USA Gary Gray13DNP
USA Jeff Bloom191418
USA Tracy Potter1423DNP
USA Ron Shuman15DNQ
USA Scott Brayton16DNQ
USA Sleepy Tripp16DNQ
USA Bobby Olivero182120DNP
USA Bob Lazier19DNQ
USA Bill EngelhartDNQDNQ**20**26DNQ
USA Chuck Gurney21
USA Gordon Smiley22DNQ
USA Dean Vetrock22DNQ
USA Gary HieberDNQ22
USA Pete Halsmer2425
USA Arnie KnepperDNQ24
USA Chet Fillip24
USA Steve CannonDNQ25
USA Manny Rockhold25DNP
USA Duke Cook28DNQDNQDNQ
USA Steve KinserDNQDNSDNP
USA Bill PuterbaughDNSDNQ
USA Wally Dallenbach Sr.DNS
USA Bobby AdkinsDNS
USA Gary PattersonDNQDNQDNQ
USA Eddie LeavittDNQDNQDNP
USA Al Unser Jr.DNQDNQ
USA Patrick BedardDNQDNQ
USA Phil CalivaDNQDNQ
USA Bob FreyDNQDNQ
USA Spike GehlhausenDNQDNQ
USA Ken HamiltonDNQDNQ
USA Bob HarkeyDNQDNQ
USA Phil KruegerDNQDNQ
USA John MahlerDNQDNQ
USA John MartinDNQDNQ
USA Lennie WaldoDNPDNQ
USA Richard PowellDNQDNP
USA Mack McClellanDNQDNP
USA Jack ZieglerDNQDNP
USA Rick HoodDNPDNQ
USA Tom BagleyDNQ
USA Jim BuickDNQ
USA Larry CannonDNQ
USA Dick FergusonDNQ
USA Jim HurtubiseDNQ
USA Bubby JonesDNQ
USA Bill TemperoDNQ
USA Phil ThreshieDNQ
CAN Frank WeissDNQ
USA Billy EarlDNQ
USA Tom FrantzDNQ
USA Tom GloyDNQ
USA Tom GrunnahDNQ
USA Hurley HaywoodDNQ
USA Gary IrvinDNQ
USA Lee KunzmanDNQ
USA Ray LipperDNQ
USA Al LoquastoDNQ
BEL Teddy PiletteDNQ
USA Rusty SchmidtDNQ
USA Billy ScottDNQ
USA Sammy SwindellDNQ
USA Leroy van ConettDNQ
ZAF Desiré WilsonDNQ
USA Karl BussonDNPDNP
USA Lonnie CaruthersDNPDNP
USA Ron FiellerDNPDNP
USA Mike GreggDNPDNP
USA Bobby MarshallDNPDNP
USA Bud WilmotDNPDNP
CAN Buddie BoysDNP
USA Earle CanavanDNP
USA Bobby FisherDNP
USA Bill ComptonDNP
USA Jerry PotterDNP
USA Dean ShirleyDNP
USA Jerry StoneDNP
USA Mel KenyonDNP
USA Robert TapplyDNP
USA Neil BonnettDNP
ColorResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
Green4th & 5th place
Light Blue6th-10th place
Dark BlueFinished
(Outside Top 10)
PurpleDid not finish
(Ret)
RedDid not qualify
(DNQ)
BrownWithdrawn
(Wth)
BlackDisqualified
(DSQ)
WhiteDid not start
(DNS)
BlankDid not
participate
(DNP)
Not competing

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Rookie

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References

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