# 1973 USAC Championship Car season

The 1973 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 16 races, beginning in College Station, Texas on April 7 and concluding in Avondale, Arizona on November 3. The first race of the season, in Avondale, Arizona on March 17, was postponed by rain and eventually cancelled due to infrastructure damage caused by the rain and scheduling conflicts. Bob Criss was killed in a private test at Phoenix before he could enter another event. He was 35 years old. The USAC National Champion was Roger McCluskey and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Gordon Johncock.
In this tragic season, two drivers were killed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Art Pollard died in an accident while practicing for the Indy 500 while Swede Savage, who crashed during the race, died by complications one month later. Another driver, Salt Walther, suffered serious burns surviving a crash at the start of the race. In response to those accidents, USAC revised the rules in time for the Pocono 500. The rear wing width was cut back from 64 inches to 55, fuel tank capacity was drastically reduced (from 75 gallons to 40) and the allowable fuel to be consumed in a 500-mile race was reduced from 375 gallons to 340.

## Schedule and results

All races running on Oval/Speedway.
| Rnd | Date | Race Name | Track | Location | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
| - | March 17 & 31 | Phoenix 150 | Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona | Race postponed twice; eventually cancelled | Race postponed twice; eventually cancelled |
| 1 | April 7 | Texas 200 | Texas World Speedway | College Station, Texas | Bobby Unser | Al Unser |
| 2 | April 15 | Trentonian 300 Heat #1 | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Gordon Johncock | A. J. Foyt |
| 3 | April 15 | Trentonian 300 Heat #2 | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | A. J. Foyt | Mario Andretti |
| 4 | May 28, 29 & 30 | International 500 Mile Sweepstakes | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Johnny Rutherford | Gordon Johncock |
| 5 | June 10 | Rex Mays Classic | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Bobby Unser | Bobby Unser |
| 6 | July 1 | Schaefer 500 | Pocono International Raceway | Long Pond, Pennsylvania | Peter Revson | A. J. Foyt |
| 7 | July 15 | Michigan 200 | Michigan International Speedway | Brooklyn, Michigan | Bobby Unser | Roger McCluskey |
| 8 | August 12 | Tony Bettenhausen 200 | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Wally Dallenbach Sr. | Wally Dallenbach Sr. |
| 9 | August 26 | California 500 Qualification Heat 1 | Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California | Gordon Johncock | Wally Dallenbach Sr. |
| 10 | August 26 | California 500 Qualification Heat 2 | Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California | Johnny Rutherford | Johnny Rutherford |
| 11 | September 2 | California 500 | Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California | Peter Revson | Wally Dallenbach Sr. |
| 12 | September 16 | Michigan Twin 125s #1 | Michigan International Speedway | Brooklyn, Michigan | Gordon Johncock | Bill Vukovich II |
| 13 | September 16 | Michigan Twin 125s #2 | Michigan International Speedway | Brooklyn, Michigan | Gary Bettenhausen | Johnny Rutherford |
| 14 | September 23 | Trenton 200 | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Gordon Johncock | Gordon Johncock |
| 15 | October 6 | Texas 200 | Texas World Speedway | College Station, Texas | Mario Andretti | Gary Bettenhausen |
| 16 | November 3 | Arizona 150 | Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona | Gordon Johncock | Gordon Johncock |
    ^A Postponed due to infrastructure damage, and again on March 28 due to continued flooding. Eventually cancelled due to scheduling conflicts.
    ^B Scheduled for 500 miles, stopped early due to rain. See 1973 Indy 500

## Final points standings

Note: Sam Posey, Peter Revson, Mark Donohue, David Hobbs, Jerry Grant, John Cannon, Graham McRae and Bobby Allison are not eligible for points. The Rookie of the Year was not awarded, because every rookie was not eligible for points.
| Pos | Driver | TXS | TRE | TRE | INDY | MIL | POC | MIC | MIL | ONT | ONT | ONT | MIC | MIC | TRE | TXS | PHX | Pts |
| Pos | Driver | 200 | 150 | 150 | 500 | 150 | 500 | 200 | 200 | Q-H1 | Q-H2 | 500 | 125 | 125 | 200 | 200 | 150 | Pts |
| 1 | Roger McCluskey | 7 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | | 4 | 4 | | 13 | 18 | 4 | 3705 |
| 2 | Wally Dallenbach Sr. | DNQ | DNQ | | 24 | 4 | 29 | 6 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 23 | | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2620 |
| 3 | Johnny Rutherford | 4 | 15 | | 9 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 18 | | 1 | 31 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | Wth | 2595 |
| 4 | Bill Vukovich II | 15 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 12 | | 24 | 1 | 15 | 6 | 20 | 3 | 2440 |
| 5 | Mario Andretti | 25 | 4 | 1 | 30 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 19 | | 12 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 7 | 2400 |
| 6 | Mike Mosley | 3 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 4 | 10 | 2 | | 5 | 3 | 18 | | 14 | 23 | 20 | 2345 |
| 7 | Gordon Johncock | 23 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 18 | 14 | 9 | 17 | 5 | | 32 | 16 | | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2240 |
| 8 | Gary Bettenhausen | 2 | 6 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 27 | 24 | 20 | | 2 | 19 | 2 | 8 | 24 | 1 | 6 | 2093 |
| 9 | Lloyd Ruby | DNQ | | | 27 | 21 | 3 | 4 | DNQ | | 8 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 1610 |
| 10 | A. J. Foyt | 11 | 1 | 11 | 25 | | 1 | 13 | 25 | | | 10 | 13 | 14 | 20 | 10 | | 1580 |
| 11 | Lee Kunzman | 8 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 20 | 12 | | | 3 | 13 | 20 | | 10 | 3 | 5 | 1260 |
| 12 | Bobby Unser | 20 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 20 | DNQ | | | 7 | 10 | 16 | 2 | 15 | 18 | 1108 |
| 13 | Al Unser | 1 | 7 | 3 | 20 | 9 | 33 | 22 | 26 | | 4 | 9 | 21 | | 25 | 16 | 19 | 1080 |
| 14 | Mike Hiss | 22 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 25 | 5 | 3 | | 27 | 9 | 3 | 21 | 11 | | 1050 |
| 15 | Joe Leonard | 5 | 13 | 5 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 23 | 7 | 9 | | 21 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 15 | 1018 |
| 16 | Mel Kenyon | 12 | 12 | 10 | 4 | | 18 | 8 | 9 | | | 16 | | DNQ | | 9 | | 940 |
| 17 | John Martin | | | | 8 | 13 | 28 | 7 | | 13 | | 5 | | | | | | 870 |
| 18 | Steve Krisiloff | DNS | 18 | | 6 | 16 | 22 | 18 | 21 | | 6 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 21 | 845 |
| 19 | Jim McElreath | | | | 23 | 11 | 11 | | 4 | 6 | | 20 | | | 5 | | 16 | 650 |
| 20 | Dick Simon | 6 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 22 | | 11 | 22 | DNS | | 23 | 21 | 8 | 440 |
| 21 | Jimmy Caruthers | 21 | 16 | | 21 | 12 | 16 | 19 | 8 | 4 | | 15 | 8 | 9 | 22 | DNS | 9 | 408 |
| 22 | Johnny Parsons | | | | DNQ | | 30 | 14 | 13 | | 9 | 25 | 11 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 22 | 390 |
| 23 | Bentley Warren | | 21 | 16 | DNQ | | DNQ | | 16 | | 7 | 8 | | DNQ | 12 | 22 | 10 | 375 |
| 24 | Swede Savage | 13 | 5 | 4 | 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 330 |
| 25 | Tom Bigelow | | | | DNQ | 14 | 32 | 15 | | 7 | | 11 | | | | | | 160 |
| 26 | Lee Brayton | 10 | 17 | 12 | DNQ | 15 | | | | | | DNQ | 15 | 10 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 133 |
| 27 | Sam Sessions | 9 | DNQ | | 28 | | 13 | 11 | 23 | | | DNQ | | | | | | 120 |
| 28 | John Hubbard | | DNQ | | | 19 | | DNQ | 10 | | | | 14 | 12 | | | | 73 |
| 29 | John Mahler | | | | Wth | | | | | 8 | | 26 | | | | | | 50 |
| 30 | Jerry Karl | | | | 26 | 23 | 26 | | 11 | | | 18 | | | | | DNQ | 40 |
| 31 | Tom Sneva R | 26 | DNQ | | DNQ | | DNQ | | 21 | 14 | | 10 | 17 | | 19 | | 14 | 30 |
| 32 | George Snider | | | | 12 | | 25 | | | | | 14 | | | | | 12 | 29 |
| 33 | Larry Cannon | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | 16 | 11 | 17 | 14 | | 25 |
| 34 | Jigger Sirois | | | | DNQ | Wth | | | 12 | | | | DNS | 13 | DNQ | | | 20 |
| - | Sam Posey | | | | DNQ | | 9 | | | 11 | | 6 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | John Cannon | | | | | | | | | 10 | | 30 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | David Hobbs | | | | 11 | | 31 | | | | 13 | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Harkey | | | | 29 | | 15 | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 13 | 0 |
| - | Eldon Rasmussen | | DNQ | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 13 | | 0 |
| - | Larry McCoy | 14 | 20 | 14 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 26 | 15 | | | | 22 | | 26 | 24 | | 0 |
| - | Bill Simpson | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 14 | DNQ | | | | 26 | | 0 |
| - | Mark Donohue | | | | 15 | | 17 | | DNQ | | | 29 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Al Loquasto | | DNQ | | DNQ | | DNQ | 16 | 24 | | | DNQ | 19 | | 18 | | | 0 |
| - | Salt Walther | 16 | 22 | | 33 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Graham McRae R | | | | 16 | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Dee Jones | 17 | 24 | 19 | Wth | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Rick Muther | 18 | | | DNQ | | 19 | | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | 25 | | 0 |
| - | Crockey Peterson | | 23 | 18 | | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jerry Grant | | | | 19 | | | | | | | 33 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Art Pollard | 19 | DNQ | | Wth | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Joe Tetz | | DNQ | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Peter Revson | | | | 31 | | 21 | | | | | 23 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jim Hurtubise | | | | DNQ | | 23 | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Larry Dickson | 24 | | | Wth | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bobby Allison R | | | | 32 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Gig Stephens | | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Billy Shuman | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Arnie Knepper | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Puterbaugh | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Greg Weld | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Dan Murphy | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Benny Rapp | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | TXS1 200 | TRE1 150 | TRE2 150 | INDY 500 | MIL1 150 | POC 500 | MIC1 200 | MIL2 200 | ONT Q-H1 | ONT Q-H2 | ONT 500 | MIC2 125 | MIC3 125 | TRE3 200 | TXS2 200 | PHX 150 | 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) |
| Blank | Not competing |
In-line notation :
| Bold | Pole position |
| Italics | Ran fastest race lap |
| * | Led most race laps |
| RY Rookie of the Year ||
| R Rookie ||