1963 USAC Championship Car season

Sports season

1963 USAC Championship Car season

USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races| 12
Start date| April 21
End date| November 17
Awards
National champion|  A. J. Foyt
Indianapolis 500 winner|  Parnelli Jones

← 1962

1964 →

The 1963 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 21 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 17. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion was A. J. Foyt, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Parnelli Jones. Jim Clark's win at Milwaukee in August marked the first win for a rear-engined car in Champ Car competition.[1]

## Schedule and results

[edit]

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | April 21  |  Trenton 100  | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved  |  Lloyd Ruby |  A. J. Foyt
2  | May 30  |  International 500 Mile Sweepstakes | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Paved  |  Parnelli Jones |  Parnelli Jones
3  | June 9  |  Rex Mays Classic | Milwaukee Mile | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved  |  Johnny Boyd |  Rodger Ward
4  | June 23  |  Langhorne 100  | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Dirt  |  Jim Hurtubise |  A. J. Foyt
NC | July 4  |  Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | Pikes Peak Highway | Pikes Peak, Colorado | Hill  |  Bobby UnserA |  Bobby Unser
5  | July 28  |  Trenton 150  | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved  |  A. J. Foyt |  A. J. Foyt
6  | August 17  |  Tony Bettenhausen Memorial  | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt  |  A. J. Foyt |  Rodger Ward
7  | August 18  |  Tony Bettenhausen 200 | Milwaukee Mile | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved  |  Jim Clark |  Jim Clark
8  | September 2  |  Ted Horn Memorial  | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt  |  Rodger Ward |  A. J. Foyt
9  | September 14  |  Hoosier Hundred  | Indiana State Fairgrounds | Indianapolis, Indiana | Dirt  |  Rodger Ward |  Rodger Ward
10  | September 22  |  Trenton 200  | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved  |  Jim Clark |  A. J. Foyt
11  | October 27  |  Golden State 100  | California State Fairgrounds | Sacramento, California | Dirt  |  Rodger Ward |  Rodger Ward
12  | November 17  |  Bobby Ball Memorial | Arizona State Fairgrounds | Phoenix, Arizona | Dirt  |  Johnny Rutherford |  Rodger Ward

Paved/Dirt Oval

Road Course/Hill Climb

Non-championship race

^A 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]

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

| Pos  | Driver  | TRE1
| INDY
| MIL1
| LAN
| TRE2
| SPR
| MIL2
| DQSF
| ISF
| TRE3
| SAC
| PHX
| Pts

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

1  |  A. J. Foyt | 1  | 3  | 4  | 1  | 1 | 2 | 2  | 1  | 3  | 1  | 2  | 8  | 2950
2  |  Rodger Ward | 18  | 4  | 1  |  | 3  | 1  | 4  | 2 | 1 | 26  | 1 | 1  | 2210
3  |  Jim McElreath | 4  | 6  | 5  | 2  | 8  | 6  | 11  | 7  | 5  | 4  | 3  | 3  | 1655
4  |  Parnelli Jones | 2  | 1 | DNQ  | 4  | 22  | 8  | 23  | 6  | 18  | 22  | 12  | 4  | 1540
5  |  Don Branson | 17  | 5  | 17  | DNS  | 12  | 3  | 10  | 5  | 2  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 1352
6  |  Jim Clark  RY  |  | 2  |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  | 21 |  |  | 1200
7  |  Chuck Hulse | 22  | 8  | 3  | 12  | 6  | DNQ  | 5  | 3  | 15  | 19  | 16  | 2  | 1020
8  |  Roger McCluskey | 8  | 15  | 18  | 10  | 7  | 4  | 6  | 11  | 6  | 18  | 5  | 5  | 750
9  |  Jim Hurtubise | 3  | 22  | 19  | 3 | 4  | 17  | 8  | 8  | 10  | 24  | 11  |  | 660
10  |  Johnny Rutherford | 10  | 29  | 20  | 7  | 16  | 5  | 7  | 10  | 4  | 6  | 17  | 11 | 640
11  |  Troy Ruttman | 5  | 12  | DNQ  |  | 5  |  | 14  |  |  | 3  |  |  | 580
12  |  Dan Gurney |  | 7  |  |  |  |  | 3  |  |  | 16  |  |  | 580
13  |  Bud Tingelstad |  | 28  | 15  |  | 9  | 11  | 18  | 12  |  | 2  | 13  | 6  | 490
14  |  Bobby Grim |  | 25  | 11  |  | 2  |  | 9  |  | 11  |  | 8  | 10  | 440
15  |  Bobby Marshman | 6  | 16  | 7  | 5  | 19  | 15  | 22  | 4  | DNQ  | 20  | 18  | 18  | 323
16  |  Lloyd Ruby | 19 | 19  | 12  |  | 24  | 9  | 26  | 17  | 8  | 8  | 4  | 16  | 320
17  |  Johnny White  R  |  |  |  |  |  | 7  | 19  | 9  | 7  | 7  | 9  | 15  | 320
18  |  Ronnie Duman | 9  | DNQ  | 10  | 6  | 10  | 16  |  |  | 9  |  |  |  | 235
19  |  Al Miller |  | 9  | 22  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  | 25  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 200
20  |  Len Sutton | 7  | DNQ  | 6  |  | 21  | 12  | 12  | 13  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  | 170
21  |  Eddie Sachs | 15  | 17  | 2  |  | DNQ  |  | 24  |  |  | 23  |  |  | 160
22  |  Dempsey Wilson |  | 11  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  | 10  |  |  | 160
23  |  Dick Rathmann |  | 10  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 150
24  |  Bob Harkey  R  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 9  | 17  | 13  |  | DNQ  | 14  | 9  | 15  | DNQ  | 120
25  |  Bobby Unser |  | 33  |  |  |  | 18  |  |  |  |  | 7  | 9  | 100
26  |  Bob Mathouser | 11  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 11  | 11  |  | 15  | DNQ  |  | 15  | DNQ  | 14  | 70
27  |  Colby Scroggin | 13  | DNQ  | 8  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  | 17  |  |  | 17  | 50
28  |  Ralph Liguori |  | DNQ  | 16  | 8  | 15  | 14  | DNQ  | 18  | 16  | DNQ  |  |  | 50
29  |  Jack Conely |  | DNQ  | 9  |  |  |  | 17  |  |  |  |  |  | 40
30  |  Ed Kostenuk |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 21  |  |  | 11  |  |  | 40
31  |  Arnie Knepper  R  |  |  |  | 13  | DNQ  | 10  |  | 14  |  |  |  |  | 30
32  |  Chuck Booth |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10  | DNQ  | 30
33  |  Eddie Johnson |  | 20  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12  |  |  | 20
34  |  Sonny Helms  R  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 13  |  |  | 12  | 10
35  |  Curtis Turner  R  | 12  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10
36  |  Jerry Daniels  R  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12  |  |  |  | 10
\-  |  Bob Veith |  | 26  | 13  |  |  |  | 13  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Jerry Weld  R  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | 16  | DNQ  | 14  | DNQ  | 13  | 0
\-  |  Chuck Rodee |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  | 20  |  | DNQ  | 13  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bruce Jacobi |  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  | 13  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bob Christie |  | 13  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Johnny Boyd |  | 32  | 14 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Billy Cantrell  R  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  | 14  | DNQ  | 0
\-  |  Mel Kenyon  R  |  |  |  |  | 14  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | 0
\-  |  Jiggs Peters | 14  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Ebb Rose |  | 14  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Mickey Shaw  R  | 20  |  |  |  | 18  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 15  | DNQ  | 25  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bob Wente  R  |  | DNQ  |  |  | DNQ  |  | 16  |  |  | 17  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Allen Crowe | 16  | 27  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Paul Goldsmith |  | 18  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Art Malone |  | 31  | DNQ  |  | 20  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Al Farmer | 21  | Wth  |  |  | 23  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Pat Flaherty |  |  | 21  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Chuck Stevenson |  | 21  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Duane Carter |  | 23  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Jim Rathmann |  | 24  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Elmer George |  | 30  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  | 0
\-  |  Jimmy Davies |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 0
\-  |  Ed Hoyle | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bob McLean |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bobby Hogle |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  | 0
\-  |  Gig Stephens | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Masten Gregory |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Paul Russo |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bill Cheesbourg |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  | 0
\-  |  George Morris  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Tommy Copp |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  | 0
\-  |  Ray Crawford |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Jimmy Daywalt |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Chuck Engle |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Don Freeland |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Cliff Griffith |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Norm Hall |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Gene Hartley |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Graham Hill |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Junior Johnson |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bill Krause |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Keith Rachwitz |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Pedro Rodríguez |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Joe Sostilio |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Jack Turner |  | DNQ  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Red Amick |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Howard Osborn |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  | 0
\-  |  Wally Talbot |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  |  | 0
\-  |  Curly Boyd |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | 0
\-  |  Dee Jones |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNQ  | 0
Pos  | Driver  | TRE1
| INDY
| MIL1
| LAN
| TRE2
| SPR
| MIL2
| DQSF
| ISF
| TRE3
| 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

## Notes

[edit]

* Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1963". Driver Database. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
* "1963 USAC National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
* http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine (p. 268-269)

### References

[edit]

1. ^ Case, Dean. "Eagle-eye Feature: August 18, 1963 - The Day the Dinosaurs Died". All American Racers. Archived from the original on December 31, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2011.

## See also

[edit]

* 1963 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

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template