1966 USAC Championship Car season

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1966 USAC Championship Car season
USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races16
Start dateMarch 20
End dateNovember 20
Awards
National championUnited States Mario Andretti
Indianapolis 500 winnerUnited Kingdom Graham Hill
← 1965
1967 →

The 1966 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 16 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 20 and concluding at the same location on November 20. There was also one non-championship event at Fuji Speedway in Japan. The USAC National Champion was Mario Andretti, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Graham Hill. At Indianapolis, Chuck Rodee was killed while qualifying for the 1966 Indianapolis 500. Also of note was the end of the career of two time 500 and two time National Champion Rodger Ward as he ran the final three races of his IndyCar career at the start of the season which included the final IndyCar victory of his career at Trenton.

Schedule and results[edit]

Rnd Date Race Name Track Location Type Pole Position Winning Driver
1 March 20 United States Jimmy Bryan Memorial Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Jim McElreath
2 April 24 United States Trenton 150 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Rodger Ward
3 May 30 United States International 500 Mile Sweepstakes Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana Paved United States Mario Andretti United Kingdom Graham Hill
4 June 5 United States Rex Mays Classic Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Mario Andretti
5 June 12 United States Langhorne 100 Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Mario Andretti
6 June 26 United States Atlanta 300 Atlanta Motor Speedway Hampton, Georgia Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Mario Andretti
7 July 4 United States Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb Pikes Peak Highway Pikes Peak, Colorado Hill United States Bobby UnserA United States Bobby Unser
8 July 24 United States Hoosier Grand Prix Indianapolis Raceway Park Clermont, Indiana Road United States Lloyd Ruby United States Mario Andretti
9 August 7 United States Langhorne 150 Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Paved United States Don Branson United States Roger McCluskey
10 August 20 United States Tony Bettenhausen Memorial Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield, Illinois Dirt United States Don Branson United States Don Branson
11 August 27 United States Tony Bettenhausen 200 Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Mario Andretti
12 September 5 United States Ted Horn Memorial DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Du Quoin, Illinois Dirt United States Bobby Unser United States Bud Tingelstad
13 September 10 United States Hoosier Hundred Indiana State Fairgrounds Indianapolis, Indiana Dirt United States A. J. Foyt United States Mario Andretti
14 September 25 United States Trenton 200 Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Mario Andretti
NC October 9 Japan Fuji Race Fuji Speedway Oyama, Japan Road United Kingdom Jackie Stewart United Kingdom Jackie Stewart
15 October 23 United States Golden State 100 California State Fairgrounds Sacramento, California Dirt United States Don Branson United States Dick Atkins
16 November 19 United States Bobby Ball Memorial Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona Paved United States Mario Andretti United States Mario Andretti
  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]

Note: Jerry Grant, Dan Gurney, Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Peter Revson and Cale Yarborough are not eligible for points.

Pos Driver PHX1
United States
TRE1
United States
INDY
United States
MIL1
United States
LAN
United States
ATL
United States
PIP
United States
IRP
United States
LAN
United States
SPR
United States
MIL2
United States
DQSF
United States
ISF
United States
TRE2
United States
FUJ
Japan
SAC
United States
PHX2
United States
Pts
1 United States Mario Andretti 15 4 18 1 1 1 1 21 2 1 15 1 1 DNS 10 1 3070
2 United States Jim McElreath 1 3 3 21 2 12 3 22 11 4 10 10 6 17 7 3 2430
3 United States Gordon Johncock 9 2 4 DNQ 19 3 5 2 2 12 DNS DNQ 2050
4 United States Joe Leonard 14 9 3 3 21 8 Wth 4 3 4 DNQ DNQ 5 1275
5 United States Al Unser 20 12 6 9 16 2 3 20 2 DNS 18 2 1260
6 United States Bobby Unser 19 18 8 16 14 14 1 4 19 5 8 3 17 DNQ 2 5 4 1210
7 United States Don Branson 16 10 23 15 4 6 9 5 1 23 6 4 23 4 1135
8 United States Chuck Hulse 3 DNQ 20 5 12 4 18 7 18 21 16 5 13 11 2 DNQ 1030
9 Canada Billy Foster 7 22 24 DNQ 5 2 13 20 5 9 15 18 9 DNQ 12 930
10 United States Bud Tingelstad 4 5 21 12 18 28 17 6 7 11 1 7 14 20 8 25 870
11 United States Dick Atkins 22 DNQ 20 DNQ 23 10 9 12 12 2 6 4 DNS 1 815
12 United States Roger McCluskey 20 13 2 6 27 22 1 14 18 18 14 5 DNS 11 780
13 United States A. J. Foyt 11 15 26 Wth 29 24 Wth 3 24 7 2 3 17 17 775
14 United States Mel Kenyon 5 7 22 DNP 23 560
15 United States Rodger Ward 2 1 15 540
16 United States Al Smith  RY  5 DNQ 17 25 7 13 420
17 United States Gary Congdon 17 13 25 9 20 24 20 4 15 6 12 DNQ 15 4 14 15 390
18 United States Arnie Knepper 19 29 14 8 8 21 12 DNQ DNQ 11 3 21 3 13 21 375
19 United States George Snider 6 19 10 21 DNQ 6 11 6 10 DNQ 12 DNP 11 365
20 United States Lloyd Ruby 12 21 11 DNP 16 24 9 22 12 6 355
21 United States Larry Dickson 11 32 13 11 19 DNQ DNQ 9 17 8 9 20 6 3 DNQ 320
22 United States Eddie Johnson 7 300
23 United States Art Pollard DNQ 4 22 22 DNQ 23 7 DNS 9 22 280
24 United States Bobby Grim 7 31 8 DNQ 13 12 13 25 8 7 275
25 United States Ralph Liguori DNQ 10 8 5 16 10 16 26 260
26 United States Carl Williams 5 14 16 DNQ 10 15 19 15 10 DNQ 17 13 DNQ 21 15 18 210
27 United States Sam Sessions 9 DNQ DNQ 15 9 11 DNQ DNQ 24 18 210
28 United States Al Miller 30 10 15 14 19 14 11 9 19 DNQ 190
29 United States Greg Weld DNQ DNQ 14 8 16 6 14 180
30 United States Johnny Boyd 22 DNQ 7 23 180
31 United States Ron Lux  R  6 DNQ 11 18 140
32 United States Ronnie Duman 16 33 DNQ 13 17 7 16 17 DNQ 8 26 22 DNQ DNQ 140
33 United States Bob Harkey DNQ DNQ 7 20 14 8 13 16 19 DNS DNQ 135
34 United States Bruce Jacobi DNQ 19 DNQ 25 DNP 18 DNQ 8 100
35 United States Wes Vandervoort 2 80
36 United States Norm Brown  R  9 80
37 United States Bob Hurt 8 DNQ 17 16 16 75
38 United States Bob Mathouser 8 DNQ 75
39 United States Paul Kleinschmidt 3 70
40 United States Ted Foltz 4 60
41 United States Parnelli Jones 14 DNS 10 60
42 United States Chuck Arnold 11 DNQ DNQ 60
43 United States Orville Nance 5 50
44 United States John Hollansworth  R  10 17 DNQ DNQ DNQ 13 DNQ DNQ 13 DNQ 45
45 United States Clyde McFarlin 6 40
46 United States Wally Dallenbach Sr. DNQ 13 15 11 DNS 24 40
47 United States Grier Manning 7 30
48 United States Jack Hahn 8 25
49 United States Rick Vermillion 9 20
50 United States Don Anderson  R  10 15
51 United States Red Riegel 12 DNQ DNQ 15
52 United States Bob Lacy  R  11 10
53 United States Bob Tattersall DNQ 16 13 18 12 DNQ 5
54 United States Clark Yowell 12 5
United Kingdom Graham Hill  R  1 5 0
United Kingdom Jim Clark 2 DNS 0
United Kingdom Jackie Stewart  R  6 1 0
United States Jerry Grant 10 10 20 0
United States Jim Hurtubise 13 17 22 17 26 DNQ 26 17 15 DNQ 0
United States Bob Daly 14 0
United States Butch Hardman  R  15 0
United States Malcolm Brazier 16 0
United States Peter Revson  R  16 0
United States Bob Werner 17 0
United States Gig Stephens DNQ DNP 18 DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
United States Johnny Rutherford 18 DNP 0
United States Paul Wigton  R  18 0
United States Gary Bettenhausen  R  DNQ DNQ DNP DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 19 0
United States Walter Miller 19 0
United States Mike McGreevy 21 DNQ DNQ 0
United States Dee Jones 23 0
United States Dan Gurney 27 0
United States Cale Yarborough  R  28 DNQ DNQ 0
United States Tommy Copp 30 0
United States Bob Herring DNS 0
United States Gordon Sullivan DNS 0
United States Bob King DNQ DNQ DNP DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
United States Ray Duckworth DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
United States Don Meacham DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
United States Dave Paul DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
United States Skip Hedrick DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
United States Bill Cheesbourg DNP DNQ DNP 7 DNQ 0
United States Dick Fries DNP DNQ DNQ 0
United States Hal Minyard DNQ DNQ 0
United States Dempsey Wilson DNQ DNQ 0
United States Bud Randall DNQ DNQ 0
United States Bob Wente DNQ DNS DNQ 0
United States Jud Larson DNQ DNP 0
United States Dick Guldstrand DNP DNQ 0
United States Ronnie Bucknum DNQ 0
United States Masten Gregory DNQ 0
United States Bobby Johns DNQ 0
United States Art Malone DNQ 0
United States Chuck Rodee DNQ 0
United States Chuck Stevenson DNQ 0
United States Bob Veith DNQ 0
United States LeeRoy Yarbrough DNQ 0
United States Bay Darnell DNQ 0
United States Leo Caldwell DNQ 0
United States George Landry DNQ 0
United States Chuck Booth DNQ 0
United States Jim Adams DNP 0
United States Jack Conely DNP 0
United States Ebb Rose DNP 0
United States Billy Wilkerson DNP 0
United States Bob Pratt DNP 0
New Zealand Chris Amon 14 0
United States Rick Muther DNS 0
Pos Driver PHX1
United States
TRE1
United States
INDY
United States
MIL1
United States
LAN
United States
ATL
United States
PIP
United States
IRP
United States
LAN
United States
SPR
United States
MIL2
United States
DQSF
United States
ISF
United States
TRE2
United States
FUJ
Japan
SAC
United States
PHX2
United States
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

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  • Åberg, Andreas. "USAC National Championship 1966". Driver Database. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  • "1966 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. 256-259)