1959 USAC Road Racing Championship season
Encyclopedia
The 1959 USAC Road Racing Championship season was the second season of the USAC Road Racing Championship
. It began March 8, 1959, and ended October 18, 1959, after eleven races. The series was contested for sports cars
at eight rounds, and Formula Libre
at three rounds. Augie Pabst won the season championship.
USAC Road Racing Championship
The USAC Road Racing Championship was a sports car racing series in the United States held from 1958 until 1962. The series was organized by the United States Auto Club as a fully professional alternative to the Sports Car Club of America's SCCA National Sports Car...
. It began March 8, 1959, and ended October 18, 1959, after eleven races. The series was contested for sports cars
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
at eight rounds, and Formula Libre
Formula Libre
Formula Libre is a form of automobile racing allowing a wide variety of types, ages and makes of purpose-built racing cars to compete "head to head". This can make for some interesting matchups, and provides the opportunity for some compelling driving performances against superior machinery...
at three rounds. Augie Pabst won the season championship.
Calendar
| Rnd | Race | Length | Circuit | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles Examiner International Grand Prix | 150 mi (241.4 km) | Los Angeles County Fairgrounds Fairplex Fairplex, formerly known as the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, has been since 1922 the home of the L.A. County Fair. It is located in the city of Pomona, California. The L.A... |
Pomona, California Pomona, California -2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile... |
March 8 |
| 2 | Daytona 1000 Kilometres 24 Hours of Daytona The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield... |
6 Hours | Daytona International Raceway | Daytona Beach, Florida Daytona Beach, Florida Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had... |
April 5 |
| 3 | Meadowdale 505 | 505 km (313.8 mi) | Meadowdale International Raceway Meadowdale International Raceway Meadowdale International Raceway was a race track located in Carpentersville, Illinois. It was used for motor racing from 1958 to 1968.-The track's first life:... |
Carpentersville, Illinois Carpentersville, Illinois Carpentersville is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 30,586 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Carpentersville is located at .... |
May 31 |
| 4 | USAC Lime Rock | 180 km (111.8 mi) | Lime Rock Park Lime Rock Park Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner... |
Lakeville, Connecticut Lakeville, Connecticut Lakeville is a village and census-designated place in the town of Salisbury in Litchfield County, Connecticut, on Lake Wononskopomuc. The village includes Lakeville Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district represents about of the village center... |
June 6 |
| 5 | Meadowdale Gala 444 | 444 km (275.9 mi) | Meadowdale International Raceway Meadowdale International Raceway Meadowdale International Raceway was a race track located in Carpentersville, Illinois. It was used for motor racing from 1958 to 1968.-The track's first life:... |
Carpentersville, Illinois Carpentersville, Illinois Carpentersville is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 30,586 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Carpentersville is located at .... |
July 5 |
| 6 | Kiwanis Kiwanis Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations... Grand Prix |
150 mi (241.4 km) | Riverside International Raceway Riverside International Raceway Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989... |
Riverside, California Riverside, California Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California... |
July 19 |
| 7 | USAC Formula Libre Formula Libre Formula Libre is a form of automobile racing allowing a wide variety of types, ages and makes of purpose-built racing cars to compete "head to head". This can make for some interesting matchups, and provides the opportunity for some compelling driving performances against superior machinery... Race |
150 mi (241.4 km) | Lime Rock Park Lime Rock Park Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner... |
Lakeville, Connecticut Lakeville, Connecticut Lakeville is a village and census-designated place in the town of Salisbury in Litchfield County, Connecticut, on Lake Wononskopomuc. The village includes Lakeville Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district represents about of the village center... |
July 25 |
| 8 | Meadowdale Formula Libre Formula Libre Formula Libre is a form of automobile racing allowing a wide variety of types, ages and makes of purpose-built racing cars to compete "head to head". This can make for some interesting matchups, and provides the opportunity for some compelling driving performances against superior machinery... |
165 mi (265.5 km) | Meadowdale International Raceway Meadowdale International Raceway Meadowdale International Raceway was a race track located in Carpentersville, Illinois. It was used for motor racing from 1958 to 1968.-The track's first life:... |
Carpentersville, Illinois Carpentersville, Illinois Carpentersville is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 30,586 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Carpentersville is located at .... |
September 6 |
| 9 | Vaca Valley Sports Car Race | 100 mi (160.9 km) | Vaca Valley Raceway | Vacaville, California Vacaville, California Vacaville, California is a city located in the northeastern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area in Solano County. The city is nearly half way between Sacramento and San Francisco on I-80. It sits approximately from Sacramento, and from San Francisco... |
September 27 |
| 10 | United States Grand Prix for Sports Cars Los Angeles Times Grand Prix The Los Angeles Times Grand Prix was a sports car race held at the Riverside International Raceway. The race was held throughout the track's existence, from 1957 until 1987. The race was sponsored by the Los Angeles Times to raise money for its charities. The Special Events director was Glenn... |
200 mi (321.9 km) | Riverside International Raceway Riverside International Raceway Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989... |
Riverside, California Riverside, California Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California... |
October 11 |
| 11 | International Formula Libre Formula Libre Formula Libre is a form of automobile racing allowing a wide variety of types, ages and makes of purpose-built racing cars to compete "head to head". This can make for some interesting matchups, and provides the opportunity for some compelling driving performances against superior machinery... Grand Prix |
230 km (142.9 mi) | Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation... |
Watkins Glen, New York Watkins Glen, New York Watkins Glen is a village in Schuyler County, New York, United States. The population was 2,149 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Schuyler County.The Village of Watkins Glen lies on the border of the towns of Dix and Montour.... |
October 18 |
Season results
| Rnd | Circuit | Winning Team | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Driver(s) | |||
| 1 | Pomona Fairplex Fairplex, formerly known as the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, has been since 1922 the home of the L.A. County Fair. It is located in the city of Pomona, California. The L.A... |
#50 Zipper-Estes | Results |
 Ken MilesKen Miles Ken Miles was a sports car racing engineer and driver best known for his career in the USA and with American teams on the international scene.-Background:Miles raced motorcycles before he served as a tank sergeant in the British Army in World War... |
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| 2 | Daytona | #86 Porsche Porsche Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry.... |
Results |
 Roberto MieresRoberto Mieres Roberto Mieres is a former racing driver from Mar del Plata, Argentina. He participated in 17 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on June 7, 1953. He scored a total of 13 championship points.... Anton von Döry |
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| 3 | Meadowdale Meadowdale International Raceway Meadowdale International Raceway was a race track located in Carpentersville, Illinois. It was used for motor racing from 1958 to 1968.-The track's first life:... |
#31 Nickey Racing Team | Results |
 Jim Jeffords |
|||
| 4 | Lime Rock Lime Rock Park Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner... |
Elisha Walker | Results |
| George Constantine George Constantine George Constantine was a racing driver from the United States. He participated in one Formula One Grand Prix, debuting on December 12, 1959. He scored 0 championship points.... |
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| 5 | Meadowdale Meadowdale International Raceway Meadowdale International Raceway was a race track located in Carpentersville, Illinois. It was used for motor racing from 1958 to 1968.-The track's first life:... |
#10 Nickey Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... |
Results |
| Jim Jeffords |
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| 6 | Riverside Riverside International Raceway Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989... |
#211 John von Neumann | Results |
| Richie Ginther Richie Ginther Paul Richard "Richie" Ginther was a racecar driver from the United States. During a varied career, the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix saw Ginther take Honda's first Grand Prix victory, a victory which would also prove to be Ginther's only win in Formula One... |
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| 7 | Lime Rock Lime Rock Park Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... Midget Midget car racing Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh... /Offenhauser Offenhauser Offenhauser was an American racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983.The Offenhauser engine, familiarly known as the "Offy", was developed by Fred Offenhauser and his employer Harry Arminius Miller, after maintaining and repairing a 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car of the type which... |
Results |
| Rodger Ward Rodger Ward Rodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:... |
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| 8 | Meadowdale Meadowdale International Raceway Meadowdale International Raceway was a race track located in Carpentersville, Illinois. It was used for motor racing from 1958 to 1968.-The track's first life:... |
#50 Meister Brauser | Results |
| Augie Pabst |
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| 9 | Vaca Valley | #50 Meister Brauser | Results |
| Augie Pabst |
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| 10 | Riverside Riverside International Raceway Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989... |
#2 Eleanor von Neumann | Results |
| Phil Hill Phil Hill Philip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero... |
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| 11 | Watkins Glen Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation... |
#1 British Racing Partnership British Racing Partnership British Racing Partnership was a racing team, and latterly constructor, from the United Kingdom. It was established by Alfred Moss and Ken Gregory — Stirling Moss's father and former manager respectively — in 1957 to run cars for Stirling, when not under contract with other firms.BRP ran a... |
Results |
| Stirling Moss Stirling Moss Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England... |