1980 USAC Championship Car season

Sports season

1980 USAC Championship Car season

Championship Racing League

Champion: Johnny Rutherford
Season
Races| 5
Start date| April 13
End date| July 13
Awards
National champion|  Johnny Rutherford
Indianapolis 500 winner|  Johnny Rutherford

<- 1979

1981–82 ->

The 1980 USAC Championship Car season consisted of five races, beginning in Ontario, California on April 13 and concluding in Lexington, Ohio on July 13. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Johnny Rutherford.

USAC and CART united in early 1980 to form a co-sanctioning agreement under the banner of the Championship Racing League (CRL). The entire season was supposed to run under this agreement, but only the first five races of the 1980 Indy/Championship Car season were run under CRL banner. Unhappy with the arrangement, USAC pulled out of the CRL after the Mid-Ohio race in July. USAC declared their 1980 season over after the five races, while CART finished out the remainder of the 1980 season on their own.

Johnny Rutherford happened to score the most points under both USAC's 5-race points distribution and CART's 12-race points championship.

## Schedule and results[edit]

In January 1980, USAC initially released a ten-race schedule, with new venues Talladega, Charlotte, and Road Atlanta added to the schedule.[1] However, these three events were eventually scrapped when USAC entered into a joint sanctioning effort with CART.

### Original schedule[edit]

Rnd  | Date  | Race Name  | Length  | Track  | Location

|
|
|
|
|

1  | April 26  | Texas 200  | 200 mi (320 km)  |  O Texas World Speedway | College Station, Texas
2  | May 26  | 500 Mile International Sweepstakes | 500 mi (800 km)  |  O Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana
3  | June 8  | Gould Rex Mays Classic | 150 mi (240 km)  |  O Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin
4  | June 22  | True Value 500 | 500 mi (800 km)  |  O Pocono International Raceway | Long Pond, Pennsylvania
5  | July 13  | Red Roof Inns 150 | 150 mi (240 km)  |  R Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | Lexington, Ohio
6  | July 27  | Road Atlanta 200  | 150 mi (240 km)  |  R Road Atlanta | Braselton, Georgia
7  | August 10  | Tony Bettenhausen 150 | 200 mi (320 km)  |  O Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin
8  | August 24  | Alabama 200  | 500 mi (800 km)  |  O Alabama International Motor Speedway | Talladega, Alabama
9  | September 14  | Mosport 200  | 150 mi (240 km)  |  R Mosport International Raceway | Bowmanville, Ontario
10  | September 28  | Charlotte 500  | 300 mi (480 km)  |  O Charlotte Motor Speedway | Charlotte, North Carolina

O Oval/Speedway

R Road Course/Street Circuit

### Revised schedule[edit]

In the spring of 1980, USAC and CART merged their schedules for the newly-created CRL Championship. With Talladega, Charlotte, and Road Atlanta already scrapped, Texas World Speedway was cancelled too. That track would soon cease to hold any more professional races, and Indy cars never raced at Texas World again. Mosport, which had held races in the past, was also dropped. Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Mid-Ohio, and Pocono, all were kept as part of the final merged schedule.

The co-sanctioning effort ended after only five races. USAC declared their involvement in the 1980 season over after Mid-Ohio. The remaining seven races were sanctioned solely by CART, and paid points to the CART championship only.

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | April 13  | Datsun Twin 200  | 200 mi (320 km)  |  O Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California |  Johnny Rutherford |  Johnny Rutherford
2  | May 26  | 500 Mile International Sweepstakes | 500 mi (800 km)  |  O Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana |  Johnny Rutherford |  Johnny Rutherford
3  | June 8  | Gould Rex Mays Classic | 150 mi (240 km)  |  O Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin |  Gordon Johncock |  Bobby Unser
4  | June 22  | True Value 500 | 500 mi (800 km)  |  O Pocono International Raceway | Long Pond, Pennsylvania |  Bobby Unser |  Bobby Unser
5  | July 13  | Red Roof Inns 150 | 150 mi (240 km)  |  R Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | Lexington, Ohio |  Al Unser |  Johnny Rutherford
Races sanctioned by CART only
NC  | July 20  | Norton 200 | 200 mi (320 km)  |  O Michigan International Speedway | Brooklyn, Michigan |  Bobby Unser |  Johnny Rutherford
NC  | August 3  | Kent Oil 150 | 150 mi (240 km)  |  R Watkins Glen International | Watkins Glen, New York |  Al Unser |  Bobby Unser
NC  | August 10  | Tony Bettenhausen 200 | 200 mi (320 km)  |  O Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin |  Johnny Rutherford |  Johnny Rutherford
NC  | August 31  | California 500 | 500 mi (800 km)  |  O Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California |  Bobby Unser |  Bobby Unser
NC  | September 20  | Gould Grand Prix | 150 mi (240 km)  |  O Michigan International Speedway | Brooklyn, Michigan |  Mario Andretti |  Mario Andretti
NC  | October 26  | I Copa México 150 | 150 mi (240 km)  |  R Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez | Mexico City, Mexico |  Bobby Unser |  Rick Mears
NC  | November 8  | Miller High Life 150 | 150 mi (240 km)  |  O Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona |  Mario Andretti |  Tom Sneva

O Oval/Speedway

R Road Course/Street Circuit

## Final points standings[edit]

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

| Pos  | Driver  | ONT
| INDY
| MIL
| POC
| MDO
| Pts

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  Johnny Rutherford | 1*  | 1*  | 2  | 2  | 1  | 2740
2  |  Tom Sneva | 2  | 2  | 6  | 3  | 11  | 1970
3  |  Bobby Unser | 23  | 9  | 1  | 1*  | 15  | 1334
4  |  Gordon Johncock | 3  | 4  | 3*  | DNQ  | 2  | 1330
5  |  Pancho Carter | 18  | 6  | 4  | 6  | 7  | 1078
6  |  Bill Alsup | 7  | DNQ  | 9  | 4  | 3  | 990
7  |  Rick Mears | 21  | 5  | 5  | 12  | 9*  | 766
8  |  Gary Bettenhausen |  | 3  | 12  | 33  | 20  | 726
9  |  Sheldon Kinser | 13  | DNQ  | 11  | 7  | 24  | 345
10  |  Danny Ongais |  | 7  | 24  | 18  | 21  | 330
11  |  Howdy Holmes |  | DNQ  | 15  | 8  | 14  | 266
12  |  Tom Bigelow |  | 8  |  |  |  | 250
13  |  Spike Gehlhausen | 4  | 29  |  | DNQ  |  | 245
14  |  Tom Bagley | 5  | 28  | 23  | 29  | DNS  | 220
15  |  Tim Richmond |  | 9  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 22  | 205
16  |  Larry Cannon |  | 33  | DNQ  | 9  | DNQ  | 205
17  |  Roger Mears | 9  | DNQ  |  |  | 4  | 180
18  |  Gordon Smiley | 6  | 25  |  |  |  | 170
19  |  Billy Engelhart |  | 11  | 10  | 13  |  | 170
20  |  Vern Schuppan |  | DNQ  |  | 5  | 5  | 150
21  |  Lee Kunzman |  | DNQ  |  | 10  | DNQ  | 150
22  |  Greg Leffler |  | 10  |  | DNQ  |  | 150
23  |  Tom Gloy |  |  |  |  | 6  | 120
24  |  Jerry Sneva |  | 17  | 8  | 14  |  | 120
25  |  Herm Johnson | 14  | DNQ  | 17  | 11  |  | 116
26  |  Dick Ferguson | 8  | 31  | DNQ  |  |  | 105
27  |  Roger Rager |  | 23  |  | 26  | 8  | 100
28  |  Cliff Hucul |  |  | 7  |  |  | 90
29  |  Bill Vukovich II |  | 12  | 21  | 28  |  | 65
30  |  Jan Sneva | 10  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 60
31  |  Rick Muther | 24  | DNQ  | 18  |  | 10  | 57
32  |  Jerry Karl |  | 21  | 14  | 15  | 18  | 54
33  |  Phil Caliva | 15  | DNQ  |  | 16  | 12  | 50
34  |  Al Unser | 16  | 27  | 20  | 24  | 13 | 49
35  |  A. J. Foyt | DNS  | 14  |  | 19  |  | 45
36  |  Ron Shuman | 11  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 40
37  |  Mario Andretti |  | 20  |  | 17  |  | 40
38  |  Dick Simon |  | 22  | 13  | 21  | DNQ  | 38
39  |  Dennis Firestone |  | 16  |  | 30  |  | 30
40  |  John Martin |  | DNQ  |  | 20  | 16  | 28
41  |  Mike Mosley | 19  | 32  |  | 23  |  | 28
42  |  John Wood | 12  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  | 23  | 25
43  |  Don Whittington |  | 13  |  | DNQ  |  | 25
44  |  George Snider |  | 15  |  | DNQ  |  | 25
45  |  Jim McElreath |  | 24  |  | 27  |  | 25
46  |  Bill Tempero | 17  | DNQ  | 16  |  | 17  | 22
47  |  Joe Saldana | 25  | DNQ  |  | 22  | DNQ  | 19
48  |  Phil Threshie |  | DNQ  | 22  | 25  |  | 15
49  |  Johnny Parsons |  | 26  |  | DNQ  |  | 10
50  |  Billie Harvey |  |  | 19  |  |  | 6
51  |  John Mahler |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  | 19  | 6
52  |  Bill Whittington |  | 30  |  |  |  | 5
53  |  Al Loquasto |  | DNQ  |  | 31  |  | 5
54  |  Tony Bettenhausen Jr. |  | DNQ  | DNQ  | 32  | DNQ  | 5
\-  |  Hurley Haywood |  | 18  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Pete Halsmer | 20  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Ross Davis | 22  |  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bob Frey |  |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  | 0
\-  |  Janet Guthrie |  | DNQ  | DNQ  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Buddie Boys |  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  | 0
\-  |  Rich Vogler |  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  | 0
\-  |  Bob Harkey |  | DNQ  |  | DNQ  |  | 0
\-  |  Dana Carter |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Larry Dickson |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Tom Frantz |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Jim Hurtubise |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bill Puterbaugh |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Salt Walther |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Frank Weiss |  | DNQ  |  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Bruce Hill |  |  | DNQ  |  |  | 0
\-  |  Milt Harper |  |  |  | DNQ  |  | 0
Pos  | Driver  | ONT
| INDY
| MIL
| POC
| MDO
| 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
Rookie of the Year
Rookie

## References[edit]

* Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1980". Driver Database. Archived from the original on March 25, 2008. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
* "1980 Championship Racing League". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on September 8, 2008. Retrieved May 11, 2009.

1. ^ Miller, Robin (December 27, 1979). "USAC Announces 1980 Schedule". The Indianapolis Star. p. 31. Retrieved June 29, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.

## See also[edit]

* 1980 Indianapolis 500
* 1980 CART PPG Indy Car World Series

* 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

Years marked in italics are not official championship years or upcoming seasons.

* v
* t
* e

USAC Championship Cars (1971–1995)

Seasons|

* 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

Indianapolis 500s|

* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995

National Champions|

* Emerson Fittipaldi (twice)
* A. J. Foyt (twice)
* Gordon Johncock
* Joe Leonard (twice)
* Arie Luyendyk
* Roger McCluskey
* Rick Mears (three times)
* Bobby Rahal
* Johnny Rutherford
* Tom Sneva (three times)
* George Snider
* Danny Sullivan
* Al Unser
* Al Unser Jr. (twice)
* Bobby Unser
* Jacques Villeneuve

Tracks|

* Atlanta
* Brands Hatch
* DuQuoin State Fair
* Illinois State Fair
* Indianapolis
* Indiana State Fair
* Michigan
* Mid-Ohio
* Milwaukee
* Mosport
* Nazareth
* Ontario
* Phoenix
* Pocono
* Rafaela
* Silverstone
* Texas World
* Trenton

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