1959 USAC Championship Car season

1959 USAC Championship Car season
USAC National Championship Trail
Season
Races13
Start dateApril 4
End dateOctober 25
Awards
National championUnited States Rodger Ward
Indianapolis 500 winnerUnited States Rodger Ward
← 1958
1960 →

The 1959 USAC Championship Car season (officially the 1959 USAC National Championship Trail) 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

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

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).


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

This page was last updated at 2023-12-07 17:45 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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