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1981 CART PPG Indy Car World Series

Sports season

Sports season

The 1981 CART PPG Indy Car World Series season, the third in the CART era of U.S. open-wheel racing, consisted of 11 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 22 and concluding at the same location on October 31. The PPG Indy Car World Series Drivers' Champion was Rick Mears despite missing Round 2 at Milwaukee due to injuries sustained in the Indianapolis 500. Rookie of the Year was Bob Lazier. After the disagreement with the USAC during the previous season, the 65th Indianapolis 500 was not part of the Series, however no competing race was scheduled and most CART teams and drivers did take part.

Drivers and constructors

The following teams and drivers competed for the 1981 CART World Series.

Team/Car OwnerChassisEngine#DriversRounds
USA Chaparral CarsChaparralCosworth1USA Johnny RutherfordAll
USA Jerry O'Connell RacingPhoenixCosworth2USA Tom Sneva1
32USA Kevin Cogan2-3, 5-7
USA Bignotti-Cotter RacingMarch (5-11)Cosworth2USA Tom SnevaAll except 1 and 3-4
Phoenix21USA Salt Walther5
USA Team PenskePenskeCosworth3USA Bobby UnserAll
6USA Rick MearsAll except 2
7USA Bill AlsupAll except 1 and 8-9
USA Alex Morales MotorsportsPenske (all except 2, 9)
Lightning (2, 9)Cosworth5USA Pancho CarterAll
Lightning75USA Steve Chassey4
USA Longhorn RacingLonghorn (All except 8)Cosworth8USA Al UnserAll
USA Rhoades CompetitionWildcatCosworth12AUS Dennis Firestone3
USA Gary Bettenhausen5, 7
USA Gordon Smiley6, 10-11
USA Gilmore RacingCoyoteCosworth14USA A. J. Foyt5
USA Tempero RacingMcLarenChevrolet15USA Bill TemperoAll except 2
USA Bettenhausen RacingMcLaren (1-6)Cosworth16USA Tony Bettenhausen Jr.All except 1
USA Leader Card RacingVollstedtOffenhauser17USA Jerry Sneva5, 11
WatsonCosworth (All except 7-8)22USA Dick SimonAll except 3-4.
USA Spike Gehlhausen3-4
USA Patrick RacingWildcatCosworth20USA Gordon JohncockAll
40USA Mario Andretti1-4, 8-9, 11
USA Steve Krisiloff5, 7
USA Brayton RacingPenskeCosworth21USA Mike Mosley10
USA Chip Ganassi11
37USA Scott BraytonAll
USA McElreath RacingEagleOffenhauser23USA Jim McElreath1, 8-11
USA Luxury RacersKingfishChevrolet24USA Wally Pankratz6
65USA Wally Pankratz11
USA Buick RacingEagleChevrolet26USA Jim Buick1
86USA Jim Buick2-5
USA Menard RacingLightning (1-8)Chevrolet28USA Herm JohnsonAll except 1-2, 4, and 8
USA Beaudoin RacingMcLarenCosworth29USA Billy Engelhart2, 5, 7
USA Machinists Union RacingPenskeCosworth31USA Larry DicksonAll except 1
USA Theodore RacingMcLaren (5, 10-11)Cosworth33AUS Vern Schuppan5-6, 10-11
USA Wysard RacingEagleCosworth34USA Hurley Haywood6, 9-10
USA Johnny Parsons11
USA Bob Fletcher RacingPenske (1-6)Cosworth35USA Bob LazierAll
USA Karl RacingMcLaren (1)Chevrolet38USA Jerry KarlAll except 8 and 11
USA Alsup RacingPenskeCosworth41USA Bill Alsup1, 8-9
McLarenChevrolet47ITA Phil Caliva3-7, 11
USA Frey RacingEagleOffenhauser42USA Bob Frey1
71USA Bob Frey2, 5
USA Rattlesnake RacingWatsonOffenhauser42USA Bill Vukovich II5-6, 8, 10
USA AMI RacingArmstrongCosworth43USA Greg Leffler11
Lola45USA Harry MacDonald5
USA Rager RacingWildcatChevrolet44USA Roger Rager11
66USA Roger Rager5-9
MEX Orio Trice10
USA All American RacersEagleChevrolet48USA Mike Mosley2-3, 5, 7-8, 11
AUS Geoff Brabham6, 10
USA Rocky Moran9
USA Space RacingEagleCosworth49USA Chip Mead5, 11
MEX Garza RacingPenskeCosworth54AUS Geoff Brabham1
MEX Josele Garza2
55MEX Josele GarzaAll except 2
USA Gohr RacingPenskeChevrolet56USA Tom Bigelow3, 5, 7-8, 11
USA Metro RacingMcLarenOffenhauser57CAN Cliff Hucul2, 5, 8
USA Hamilton RacingRileyChevrolet63USA Ken Hamilton6, 11
USA Jet EngineeringEagleChevrolet64USA Steve ChasseyAll except 4 and 10
USA Mergard RacingMcLaren (2, 9)Chevrolet (2, 9)67USA Phil Threshie2
BEL Teddy Pilette9-10
USA Hodgdon RacingPenskeCosworth72USA Mike Chandler5
74USA Mike Chandler6, 10-11
USA Davis RacingWildcatOffenhauser (3-4, 7-9, 11)77USA Ross Davis3-4, 6-9, 11
USA Joe Hunt MagnetoEagleChevrolet (1, 6, 10)89USA Phil Krueger1, 6, 10-11
USA IntercompPenskeOffenhauser (2, 6-7)92USA John Mahler2, 6-7, 11
MEX Grupo-AcypsaPenskeOffenhauser93MEX Michel Jourdain Sr.10
USA Whittington Bros. RacingMarchCosworth94USA Bill Whittington5
USA Cannon RacingWildcatOffenhauser95USA Larry Cannon1
USA Herm Johnson4
96USA Tom Frantz1
USA Dick Ferguson5
99USA Larry Cannon2-5
USA Dick Ferguson6-7, 10-11
USA Vetrock RacingEagleChevroletXUSA Dean Vetrock2
USA Ohio Racing AssociatesLonghornCosworth49USA Steve Krisiloff8

Notable team and driver changes

  • Tom Sneva left Jerry O'Connell Racing for new team Bignotti-Cotter Racing. The team scaled back to part-time for 1981.
  • Team Penske expanded to a three-car operation, with Bill Alsup joining. His owner-driver team Alsup Racing only ran part-time in 1981.
  • After racing a limited schedule beforehand, Tony Bettenhausen Jr. ran his first full-time season with his new owner-driver team Bettenhausen Racing.
  • Dick Simon replaced Sheldon Kinser at Leader Card Racing, leaving Kinser without a ride. Simon's old team, Vollstedt Enterprises, did not compete.
  • Mario Andretti returned to running the majority of the races after a stint in Formula One, driving for Patrick Racing. He replaced Tom Bagley, who was left without a ride.
  • Rookie driver Scott Brayton ran a full schedule with family-owned team Brayton Racing.
  • After running part-time in 1980, Machinists Union Racing ran a full schedule with driver Larry Dickson.
  • Spike Gehlhausen was replaced at Bob Fletcher Racing by rookie driver Bob Lazier.
  • Josele Garza ran his first season with family-owned team Garza Racing.
  • Steve Chassey ran his first full-time season for the Jet Engineering team.
  • AMI Racing only ran two races in 1981 after running full-time in 1980. Gary Bettenhausen was left without a full-time ride.
  • Interscope Racing also stopped running full-time, along with driver Danny Ongais.
  • At Cannon Racing, Larry Cannon only ran the first few races, with most of the rest driven by Dick Ferguson.
  • This was Bobby Unser's final season of IndyCar racing. See the 1981 Indianapolis 500 for more information.

Notable equipment changes

  • Tempero Racing switched from an Eagle to McLaren chassis.
  • Menard Racing switched from an Offenhauser to Chevrolet engine. With this shift the Cannon Racing team was the only full-time team that still used Offenhauser engines.

Schedule

Of note was the addition of the inaugural Michigan 500 to replace the California 500 at the now-closed Ontario Motor Speedway. The Tony Bettenhausen 200 at Milwaukee was originally scheduled for August 2, but was rained out and postponed until September 5.

IconLegend
Oval/Speedway
Road course
**NC**Non-championship race
RdDateNameCircuitLocation1NC234567891011
March 22USA Kraco Car Stereo 150Phoenix International RacewayAvondale, Arizona
May 24USA Indianapolis 500Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayIndianapolis, Indiana
June 8USA Gould Rex Mays ClassicMilwaukee MileWest Allis, Wisconsin
June 28USA Kraco Twin 125Atlanta Motor SpeedwayHampton, Georgia
July 25USA Norton Michigan 500Michigan International SpeedwayBrooklyn, Michigan
August 30USA Los Angeles Times 500Riverside International RacewayRiverside, California
September 5USA Tony Bettenhausen 200Milwaukee MileWest Allis, Wisconsin
September 20*USA Detroit News Grand PrixMichigan International SpeedwayBrooklyn, Michigan
October 4USA Watkins Glen 200Watkins Glen InternationalWatkins Glen, New York
October 18MEX I Copa México 150Autódromo Hermanos RodríguezMexico City, Mexico
November 8USA Miller High Life 150Phoenix International RacewayAvondale, Arizona
  • The Detroit News Grand Prix was supposed to run for 150 miles, but was shortened due to a scoring error.

Results

RdRacePole positionWinning driverWinning teamRace time1**NC**234567891011
USA Kraco Car Stereo 150USA Bobby UnserUSA Johnny RutherfordChaparral1:17:08
USA [Indianapolis 500](1981-indianapolis-500)USA Bobby UnserUSA Bobby UnserTeam Penske3:35:42
USA Gould Rex Mays ClassicUSA Gordon JohncockUSA Mike MosleyAll American Racers1:19:03
USA Kraco Twin 125USA Johnny RutherfordUSA Rick MearsTeam Penske0:51:29
USA Rick MearsUSA Rick MearsTeam Penske0:45:20
USA [Norton Michigan 500](1981-norton-michigan-500)USA Tom SnevaUSA Pancho CarterAlex Foods3:45:45
USA Los Angeles Times 500AUS Geoff BrabhamUSA Rick MearsTeam Penske2:43:40
USA Tony Bettenhausen 200USA Johnny RutherfordUSA Tom SnevaBignotti-Cotter1:41:41
USA Detroit News Grand PrixUSA Rick MearsUSA Rick MearsTeam Penske1:10:30
USA Watkins Glen 200USA Mario AndrettiUSA Rick MearsTeam Penske1:52:17
MEX I Copa México 150USA Bobby UnserUSA Rick MearsTeam Penske1:24:48
USA Miller High Life 150USA Bobby UnserUSA Tom SnevaBignotti-Cotter1:20:10

Note: The total time of the Norton Michigan 500 does not include red flag stoppage time as the race was stopped for nearly 1 hour due to a bad pit lane fire

Final driver standings

PosDriverPHX1 USAMIL1 USAATL1 USAATL2 USA[MIS1](1981-michigan-500) USARIV USAMIL2 USAMIS2 USAWGL USAMXC MEXPHX2 USAPts123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930303233333536363636404141414444444444PosDriverPHX1 USAMIL1 USAATL1 USAATL2 USA[MIS1](1981-michigan-500) USARIV USAMIL2 USAMIS2 USAWGL USAMXC MEXPHX2 USAPts
USA Rick Mears41**1***31*2**1**118**304**
USA Bill Alsup588431143517**175**
USA Pancho Carter720551*1010181565**166**
USA Gordon Johncock6**16**44362651033**142**
USA Johnny Rutherford1*6**2***32221**4**2022621**120**
USA Tony Bettenhausen Jr.127112DNS141081119**107**
USA Bobby Unser**2**211361693717**15*****2****99**
USA Tom Sneva34**23**241*1921201***96**
USA Bob Lazier121317910516134413**92**
USA Al Unser1756711145314222**90**
USA Mario Andretti113322***16***4**81**
USA Tom Bigelow9524911**60**
USA Scott Brayton15119107821242023DNQ**57**
USA Larry Dickson101012916128722DNQ**49**
USA Gary Bettenhausen619**42**
USA Dick Simon1073162225112520**38**
USA Herm Johnson22221733713989**38**
USA Mike Chandler27416DNQ**37**
USA Mike Mosley1*DNS18DNS26724**32**
USA Steve ChasseyDNQ242322201515125DNQ**31**
MEX Josele Garza21141218191282324186**30**
USA Phil Caliva19158DNSDNSDNQ**27**
USA Kevin Cogan216281123**23**
USA Dick Ferguson30186107**20**
USA Steve Krisiloff17717**18**
USA Rocky Moran6**16**
AUS Geoff Brabham9**19**9**14**
USA Jerry Karl82321211422251919**13**
USA Billy Engelhart8359**11**
USA Larry Cannon2015112012**10**
USA Roger Rager13131821DNQDNQ**10**
USA Bill Tempero181514342817152312DNQ**7**
USA Phil Krueger14201416**6**
USA Bill Vukovich II15DNQ1427**6**
USA Gordon Smiley251810**5**
USA Jim McElreath1911DNQ13DNQ**4**
USA Ross DavisDNQ19DNQDNS1613DNQ**4**
AUS Vern Schuppan24172115**4**
USA Jim Buick16192016DNS**4**
USA Hurley Haywood261217**3**
USA Spike Gehlhausen1413**2**
USA Bob Frey1317DNQ**2**
USA John Mahler252720DNQ**2**
USA Jerry SnevaDNS12**1**
USA Chip Mead2914**1**
USA Phil Threshie18**1**
AUS Dennis Firestone18**1**
USA Johnny Parsons18**1**
CAN Harry MacDonald21**0**
CAN Cliff Hucul262522**0**
USA Tom Frantz22**0**
BEL Teddy Pilette22**0**
USA Ken Hamilton23**0**
USA Greg Leffler23**0**
MEX Michel Jourdain Sr.24**0**
USA A. J. Foyt26**0**
USA Salt Walther32**0**
USA Bill Whittington37**0**
USA Chip GanassiDNQ**0**
USA Wally PankratzDNQDNQ**0**
MEX Orio TriceDNQ**0**
USA Dean VetrockDNQ**0**
ColorResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
Green4th & 5th place
Light Blue6th-10th place
Dark BlueFinished
(Outside Top 10)
PurpleDid not finish
RedDid not qualify
(DNQ)
BrownWithdrawn
(Wth)
BlackDisqualified
(DSQ)
WhiteDid not start
(DNS)
BlankDid not
participate
(DNP)
Not competing

|- |

**In-line notation**
**Bold**
*Italics*
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References

Info: Wikipedia Source

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