1959 USAC Championship Car season

Sports season

1959 USAC Championship Car season

USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races| 13
Start date| April 4
End date| October 25
Awards
National champion|  Rodger Ward
Indianapolis 500 winner|  Rodger Ward

<- 1958

1960 ->

The 1959 USAC Championship Car season (officially the 1959 USAC National Championship Trail) [1] consisted of 13 races, beginning in Daytona Beach, Florida on April 4 and concluding in Sacramento, California on October 25. There were also three non-championship events. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Rodger Ward. In this tragic season 7 fatal accidents occurred. During the pre-season, Marshall Teague was fatally injured in a crash at Daytona. He was 37 years old. In the first race of the season at Daytona, 34-year-old George Amick was killed in an accident on the last lap. In the second race of the season at Trenton, Dick Linder was killed; he was 36 years old. The third race of the season, the Indy 500, had two fatalities. On May 2, Jerry Unser (26 years old) was killed in a practice accident, and on May 19 death Bob Cortner (32 years old) was also killed in a practice accident. On July 19 at Mechanicsburg in the Indianapolis Sweepstakes non-championship race Van Johnson was killed in an accident; he was 32 years old. On August 30, 32-year-old Ed Elisian was killed at the Milwaukee Mile. The 1959 season could be considered one of the most tragic seasons in American open-wheel car history.

## Schedule and results

[edit]

Rnd  | Date  | Race Name  | Track  | Location  | Type  | Pole Position  | Winning Driver

|
|
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|
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1  | April 4  |  Daytona 100 | Daytona International Speedway | Daytona Beach, Florida | Paved  |  Dick Rathmann |  Jim Rathmann
NC | April 4  |  USAC/FIA Formula Libre Race | Daytona International Speedway | Daytona Beach, Florida | Paved  |  Dick Rathmann |  Jim Rathmann
2  | April 19  |  Race of Champions  | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved  |  Don Branson |  Tony Bettenhausen
3  | May 30  |  International 500 Mile SweepstakesA | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Paved  |  Johnny Thomson |  Rodger Ward
4  | June 7  |  Rex Mays Classic | Milwaukee Mile | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved  |  Johnny Thomson |  Johnny Thomson
5  | June 14  |  Langhorne 100  | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Dirt  |  Jud Larson |  Van Johnson
NC | July 4  |  Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | Pikes Peak Highway | Pikes Peak, Colorado | Hill  |  Slim RobertsB |  Bobby Unser
C | July 4  |  Daytona  | Daytona International Speedway | Daytona Beach, Florida | Paved  | Cancelled  | Cancelled
NC | July 19  |  Indianapolis Sweepstakes  | Williams Grove Speedway | Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania | Dirt  |  Rodger Ward |  Rodger Ward
6  | August 22  |  Springfield 100  | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt  |  Don Branson |  Len Sutton
7  | August 30  |  Milwaukee 200 | Milwaukee Mile | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved  |  Shorty Templeman |  Rodger Ward
8  | September 7  |  Ted Horn Memorial  | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt  |  Don Branson |  Rodger Ward
9  | September 12  |  Syracuse 100  | New York State Fairgrounds | Syracuse, New York | Dirt  |  Johnny Thomson |  Eddie Sachs
10  | September 19  |  Hoosier Hundred  | Indiana State Fairgrounds | Indianapolis, Indiana | Dirt  |  Rodger Ward |  Rodger Ward
11  | September 27  |  Trenton 100  | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved  |  Eddie Sachs |  Eddie Sachs
12  | October 18  |  Bobby Ball Memorial | Arizona State Fairgrounds | Phoenix, Arizona | Dirt  |  Lloyd Ruby |  Tony Bettenhausen
13  | October 25  |  Golden State 100  | California State Fairgrounds | Sacramento, California | Dirt  |  Wayne Weiler |  Jim Hurtubise

Paved/Dirt Oval

Road Course/Hill Climb

Non-championship race

^A Indianapolis 500 was USAC-sanctioned and counted towards the 1959 FIA World Championship of Drivers title.
^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.

## Final points standings

[edit]

Note: At the Milwaukee 200 started with the car #16 Jim Rathmann, after 29 lap the relieved driver A. J. Foyt led the car the remaining 171 lap and finished 4, so the car completed the 200 lap. The points for this place was 240 points, Jim Rathmann received 34.8 points and A. J. Foyt received 205.2 points; because the method: (the points for the finish place) / (number the lap when completed the car) * (number the lap when completed the driver).

Further information: List of American Championship car racing point scoring systems

| Pos  | Driver  | DAY
| TRE1
| INDY
| MIL1
| LAN
| SPR
| MIL2
| DQSF
| SYR
| ISF
| TRE2
| PHX
| SAC
| Pts

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  Rodger Ward | 2  | 2  | 1  | 13  |  | 18  | 1  | 1  | 3  | 1 | 18  | 3  | 17  | 2400
2  |  Tony Bettenhausen | 18  | 1  | 4  | 17  | 17  | 17  | 16  | 3  | 6  | 15  | 2  | 1  | 8  | 1430
3  |  Johnny Thomson | 7  | 20  | 3 | 1 | DNQ  | 4  | 2  | 16  | 16 | Wth  |  |  |  | 1400
4  |  Jim Rathmann | 1  | 4  | 2  | DNQ  |  |  | 4  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1154.8
5  |  A. J. Foyt | 8  | DNQ  | 10  | 3  | 13  | 15  | 25  | DNQ  | 9  | 3  | 19  | 2  | DNS  | 910.2
6  |  Eddie Sachs | 19  | 19  | 17  | 7  | 18  | 7  | 10  | 18  | 1  | 2  | 1 | DNQ  | 10  | 797
7  |  Don Branson | 11  | 13 | 24  | 9  | 9  | 2 |  | 2 | 2  | 17  | 5  | 5  | 15  | 780
8  |  Johnny Boyd |  |  | 6  | 2  |  |  | 5  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 760
9  |  Len Sutton | 20  | 16  | 32  | 10  | 14  | 1  | 19  | 4  | 8  | 5  | 22  | 16  | 11  | 520
10  |  Paul Goldsmith |  |  | 5  | 22  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 500
11  |  Don Freeland |  |  | 22  | 8  | 8  | 9  | 3  | 15  | 17  | 7  |  |  |  | 480
12  |  Bobby Grim |  | 7  | 26  | 11  | 16  | 16  | 26  | 5  | 5  | 6  | 9  | 6  | DNQ  | 480
13  |  Gene Force |  | 12  | DNQ  | 20  |  |  | 14  | DNQ  | 7  | 14  | 4  | 4  | 3  | 450
14  |  Jim McWithey |  |  | 16  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 14  | DNQ  | 9  | 4  | 4  | 8  | 17  | 4  | 450
15  |  Eddie Johnson |  |  | 8  |  |  |  | 23  |  |  |  | 3  |  |  | 390
16  |  Dick Rathmann | 5 | DNP  | 20  | DNQ  | 7  | 6  | 7  | 12  | DNP  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 370
17  |  Bob Veith | DNQ  | DNP  | 12  | 6  | 10  | 8  | 9  | 8  |  |  |  |  | 18  | 340
18  |  Duane Carter |  |  | 7  | DNQ  | DNP  | 12  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 310
19  |  Al Keller | 13  | DNP  | 18  | 5  |  | 3  | DNQ  | 7  |  |  |  |  |  | 300
20  |  Jud Larson | 16  |  | 29  | 4  | 2 | DNS  |  |  |  |  | DNP  |  |  | 280
21  |  Jim Hurtubise RY |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 16  | 7  | DNQ  | 1  | 260
22  |  Shorty Templeman |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  | 11 | 17  | 13  | 12  | 6  | 9  | 6  | 250
23  |  Jack Turner |  |  | 27  | 12  |  |  | 6  | 6  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  | DNQ  | 250
24  |  Ed Elisian |  |  |  | 15  | 3  | 5  | 22  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 240
25  |  Elmer George | 6  | 6  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 5  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 233
26  |  Van Johnson |  | 10  | DNQ  |  | 1  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 230
27  |  Paul Russo | DNQ  |  | 9  | DNQ  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 200
28  |  Wayne Weiler |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  | 10  | 12  | 14  |  | DNQ  | 11  | 7  | 7 | 190
29  |  Chuck Weyant |  |  | 28  | DNQ  | 12  | 11  | 8  | 11  | 11  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 170
30  |  Bill Homeier |  |  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | DNP  | DNQ  | 10  | 9  |  | 11  | 5  | 165
31  |  Al Farmer R |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 20  | DNQ  | 2  | 160
32  |  Jimmy Davies | 15  | 3  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  | DNQ  |  | 15  |  |  | 140
33  |  Bob Christie | 3  | 15  | 25  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 140
34  |  Ralph Liguori |  |  | DNQ  |  | 6  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  | 8  | 17  |  |  | 130
35  |  Rex Easton |  |  | DNQ  |  | 4  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 120
36  |  George Amick | 4  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 120
37  |  Jim Packard | 10  | 11  | DNQ  | 14  | 11  | 13  | 20  | DNQ  | 15  | 18  | 21  | 8  | DNQ  | 120
38  |  Chuck Arnold R | DNQ  | 5  | 15  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  | 18  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 13  |  |  | 100
39  |  Gene Hartley |  |  | 11  | DNQ  |  |  | 24  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100
40  |  Bill Cheesbourg | 12  | DNQ  | 21  | 21  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 21  | 10  | 12  | DNQ  | 10  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 80
41  |  Jerry Unser | DNQ  | 8  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50
42  |  Joe Barzda |  | 9  |  | 16  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40
43  |  Pat Flaherty | 9  | 17  | 19  | 19  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40
44  |  Bill Hyde R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | 9  | 40
45  |  Buddy Cagle |  |  |  | 18  | DNP  |  |  |  |  | 10  | DNQ  |  |  | 30
46  |  Jack Rounds R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10  | DNQ  | 30
47  |  Lee Drollinger R |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  | 11  | DNQ  | 13  | DNQ  | 20
48  |  Dempsey Wilson | 17  |  |  | DNQ  | 15  | DNQ  | 13  |  |  | DNQ  |  | 12  | 16  | 10
49  |  Johnny Tolan |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | 12  | 10
50  |  Len Duncan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12  |  |  | 10
\-  |  Lloyd Ruby |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 13  | 14  | 13  |  | 18 | DNQ  | 0
\-  |  Chuck Hulse |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | 13  | 0
\-  |  Al Herman |  |  | 13  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bob Cleberg R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 14  | 14  | 0
\-  |  Bob McLean R |  |  |  |  |  |  | 17  |  |  |  | 14  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Jimmy Daywalt |  |  | 14  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bill Randall  | 14  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Dick Linder |  | 14  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Russ Congdon R |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 15  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Gig Stephens R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Tony Bonadies |  | 21  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 16  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bob Schroeder  |  | 18  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Johnny Kay |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 18  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Ray Crawford |  |  | 23  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Mike Magill | DNQ  |  | 30  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Red Amick R |  |  | 31  | DNQ  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Jimmy Bryan |  |  | 33  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Johnny Moorhouse |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNS  | 0
\-  |  Bob Wente |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNS  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bob Said | DNS  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Leon Clum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Herb Hill |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  | DNQ  | 0
\-  |  Chuck Rodee |  |  | DNQ  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Earl Motter |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 0
\-  |  Don Davis |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 0
\-  |  Norm Hall |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 0
\-  |  Bob Cortner |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Chuck Daigh |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Don Edmunds |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Jack Ensley |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Andy Furci |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Eddie Russo |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  George Morris |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Johnny Wood |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  | 0
\-  |  Ernie Koch |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | 0
\-  |  Johnnie Parsons |  |  | DNP  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
Pos  | Driver  | DAY
| TRE1
| INDY
| MIL1
| LAN
| SPR
| MIL2
| DQSF
| SYR
| ISF
| TRE2
| SAC
| PHX
| 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)
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]

1. ^ 1959 USAC National Championship Trail, www.champcarstats.com, as archived at web.archive.org

* Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1959". Driver Database. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
* "1959 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
* http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (p. 276-277)

## See also

[edit]

* 1959 Indianapolis 500

* 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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