# 1971 USAC Championship Car season

The 1971 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Rafaela, Argentina on February 28 and concluding in Avondale, Arizona on October 23. The USAC National Champion was Joe Leonard and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Al Unser. For 1971 it was decided that there should be three separate points championships, for paved ovals, dirt ovals, and road courses.
The existing Championship Car championship was then restricted to only paved ovals, and two new championships were created. The National Dirt Car Championship (which would become the modern Silver Crown Series in 1981) was run over four races, and won by George Snider. The Road Racing championship was originally to be run over between 8 and 10 races, however a lack of interest lead to just two races being held on the same day, on the 7th of August at Seattle International Raceway. Continental Championship cars were allowed, and made up the majority of the grid, with just 5 USAC specification cars entered. Jim Dittemore won the series in a Formula 5000 specification Lola T192-Chevrolet. The Road Racing championship did not continue in 1972.

## Schedule and results

All races were run on oval speedways. On February 18, the non-championship races at Rafaela were transformed into a points-paying double round, due to a request from race organizers. On June 3, the Langhorne round was cancelled by its promoter because of insufficient entries. He alleged that the event had been boycotted by a number of drivers refusing to race at the outdated venue, which was torn down at the end of the year. On June 30, USAC cancelled the race at the new Mountaineer Speedway, which was never built to completion. The 1971 season was the first time the 500 mile triple crown was on the schedule with the addition of Ontario Motor Speedway's California 500 the previous year and the Pocono 500 added in this season.
| Rnd | Date | Race Name | Track | Location | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
| 1 | February 28 | Rafaela Indy 300 Heat 1 | Autódromo de Rafaela | Rafaela, Argentina | Lloyd Ruby | Al Unser |
| 2 | February 28 | Rafaela Indy 300 Heat 2 | Autódromo de Rafaela | Rafaela, Argentina | Al Unser | Al Unser |
| 3 | March 27 | Phoenix 150 | Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona | Bobby Unser | Al Unser |
| 4 | April 25 | Trenton 200 | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Bobby Unser | Mike Mosley |
| 5 | May 29 | International 500 Mile Sweepstakes | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Peter Revson | Al Unser |
| 6 | June 6 | Rex Mays Classic 150 | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Bobby Unser | Al Unser |
| - | June 13 | Langhorne 150 | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Race cancelled due to security concerns | Race cancelled due to security concerns |
| 7 | July 3 | Inaugural Pocono 500 | Pocono International Raceway | Long Pond, Pennsylvania | Mark Donohue | Mark Donohue |
| 8 | July 18 | Michigan 200 | Michigan International Speedway | Brooklyn, Michigan | Bobby Unser | Mark Donohue |
| - | August 8 | Mountaineer 150 | Mountaineer Speedway | Parkersburg, West Virginia | Race cancelled | Race cancelled |
| 9 | August 15 | Tony Bettenhausen 200 | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Bobby Unser | Bobby Unser |
| 10 | September 5 | California 500 | Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California | Mark Donohue | Joe Leonard |
| 11 | October 3 | Trenton 300 | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Bobby Unser | Bobby Unser |
| 12 | October 23 | Bobby Ball 150 | Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona | Bobby Unser | A. J. Foyt |

## Final points standings

Note 1: Donnie Allison, Carlos Pairetti, Denny Hulme, David Hobbs and Jim Hurtubise were not eligible for points.
Note 2: John Mahler qualified 21st at Indianapolis. His car was driven in the race by Dick Simon who started 33rd as a result of the driver change.
| Pos | Driver | RAF | RAF | PHX1 | TRE1 | INDY | MIL1 | POC | MIC | MIL2 | ONT | TRE2 | PHX2 | Pts |
| 1 | Joe Leonard | 6 | 3 | 4 | 24 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 19 | DNQ | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3015 |
| 2 | A. J. Foyt | | | 17 | | 3 | 20 | 3 | 17 | 2 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 2320 |
| 3 | Bill Vukovich II | | | | 25 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2250 |
| 4 | Al Unser | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 24 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 2200 |
| 5 | Lloyd Ruby | 2 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 23 | 24 | 1830 |
| 6 | Bobby Unser | 27 | | 2 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 18 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 8 | 1805 |
| 7 | Gary Bettenhausen | 11 | 7 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 6 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 5 | 1800 |
| 8 | Mark Donohue | | | 6 | 19 | 25 | | 1 | 1 | | 18 | 6 | 16 | 1760 |
| 9 | Mario Andretti | Wth | | 9 | 18 | 30 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 19 | 33 | 2 | 4 | 1370 |
| 10 | Wally Dallenbach Sr. | | | 7 | 2 | 24 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 9 | 11 | 1220 |
| 11 | Art Pollard | | | 24 | 6 | 26 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 2 | 20 | 9 | 1170 |
| 12 | Peter Revson | | | | | 2 | | 21 | | | 7 | | | 1100 |
| 13 | Roger McCluskey | 5 | 4 | 22 | 22 | 9 | 23 | 25 | 3 | 18 | 28 | 22 | 2 | 1050 |
| 14 | Jim Malloy | 14 | 21 | 11 | | 4 | DNS | 26 | 13 | DNQ | 6 | | | 1030 |
| 15 | Steve Krisiloff | | | DNQ | 11 | 31 | | 10 | 7 | 24 | 5 | 7 | 20 | 990 |
| 16 | Cale Yarborough | 8 | 8 | 13 | 5 | 16 | DNQ | 32 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 11 | DNQ | 710 |
| 17 | Mike Mosley | 3 | 23 | 10 | 1 | 13 | | | | | | | 19 | 655 |
| 18 | Swede Savage | 4 | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | 12 | 16 | 23 | 590 |
| 19 | Johnny Rutherford | 7 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 10 | | 26 | Wth | 22 | 570 |
| 20 | Dick Simon | 13 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 17 | 15 | DNQ | 22 | 25 | 7 | 405 |
| 21 | Jim McElreath | | | | | DNQ | | 27 | | | 8 | 27 | 6 | 370 |
| 22 | Bud Tingelstad | | | | | 7 | DNQ | 19 | | | 17 | | | 300 |
| 23 | LeeRoy Yarbrough | | | | 3 | Wth | | | | | | | | 280 |
| 24 | George Eaton RY | | | | | | | | | 9 | 11 | 10 | 18 | 270 |
| 25 | Greg Weld | | | | | DNQ | 18 | 12 | | 10 | 30 | 8 | 14 | 260 |
| 26 | Denny Zimmerman | 24 | 19 | 19 | | 8 | 22 | 24 | 26 | | 20 | 13 | DNQ | 250 |
| 27 | Gordon Johncock | 9 | 10 | 8 | 15 | 29 | 10 | 20 | 23 | 25 | 27 | DNQ | DNQ | 225 |
| 28 | Sam Sessions | | | | DNQ | 27 | | 11 | DNQ | 7 | DNQ | | 13 | 220 |
| 29 | George Snider | | | 18 | | 33 | 21 | 33 | 14 | 5 | 32 | 14 | 15 | 200 |
| 30 | John Mahler | 16 | 16 | | 23 | Wth | | 23 | | | 9 | | | 200 |
| 31 | Larry Dickson | | | | | 28 | | | 6 | 15 | 13 | DNS | | 160 |
| 32 | Bentley Warren | 10 | 24 | 16 | 26 | 23 | 8 | 22 | | Wth | | | | 120 |
| 33 | Karl Busson | | | | DNQ | | | | 8 | 23 | | DNQ | DNQ | 100 |
| 34 | Bruce Walkup | | | DNQ | 8 | DNQ | | | | | 29 | | DNQ | 100 |
| 35 | John Martin | | | | | DNQ | 15 | | 9 | 12 | DNQ | | DNQ | 100 |
| 36 | Al Loquasto | | | | 9 | DNQ | | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | 80 |
| 37 | Ludwig Heimrath Sr. | 25 | 18 | | 10 | | | | DNQ | | | | | 60 |
| 38 | Jerry Karl | | | | 12 | Wth | | | 11 | 22 | | | | 60 |
| 39 | Carl Williams | | | | | DNQ | | | | 11 | 31 | 26 | 17 | 40 |
| 40 | Salt Walther | 15 | 11 | | DNQ | DNQ | | | 20 | | | | | 30 |
| 41 | Mel Kenyon | | | | | 32 | DNQ | | | | 25 | 12 | DNQ | 30 |
| 42 | Bill Simpson | 17 | 13 | 23 | | DNQ | 19 | 18 | DNQ | | DNQ | 28 | 12 | 15 |
| 43 | Jimmy Caruthers | | | | | Wth | 12 | 13 | | | 19 | | DNQ | 15 |
| 44 | Dee Jones | 26 | 12 | 15 | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 15 |
| - | Donnie Allison | | | | | 6 | 17 | 28 | | | 24 | | | 0 |
| - | Carlos Pairetti R | 12 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Puterbaugh | | | | | DNQ | | 14 | DNQ | 13 | | 19 | | 0 |
| - | Jerry Grant | | | | | DNQ | 13 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Don Brown | 18 | 14 | | 14 | | | | | 21 | | 15 | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Bob Harkey | | | 14 | | 22 | | 29 | DNQ | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Dave Strickland | 19 | 15 | | | Wth | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Follmer | | | | | 15 | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Max Dudley | 20 | 17 | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Denny Hulme | | | | | 17 | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Eldon Rasmussen R | | | | | | | | | | | 18 | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Arnie Knepper | | | | 20 | DNQ | | | 25 | 20 | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | David Hobbs | | | | | 20 | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Rick Muther | 22 | 25 | DNQ | DNQ | 21 | 24 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Tom Bigelow | 21 | 22 | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Tom Sneva R | | | | | | | | | | | 21 | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Larry Cannon | 23 | 26 | | | Wth | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jim Hurtubise | | | | | DNQ | | 30 | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Jorge Cupeiro | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Omar Cuvertino | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ángel Monguzzi | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Carlos Salatino | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jigger Sirois | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Les Scott | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ralph Liguori | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Danny Ongais | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bobby Allen | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jim Reynard | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Gig Stephens | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bobby Johns | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Sam Posey | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Dick Tobias | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | 0 |
| - | Don Hawley | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Johnny Parsons | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Crockey Peterson | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Bruce Jacobi | | | | | Wth | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Tony Adamowicz | | | | | Wth | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ronnie Bucknum | | | | | Wth | | | | | | | | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | RAF1 | RAF2 | PHX1 | TRE1 | INDY | MIL1 | POC | MIC | MIL2 | ONT | TRE2 | PHX2 | 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 ||