# 1965 USAC Championship Car season

The 1965 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 18 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 28 and concluding at the same location on November 21. This season was notable for the Hoosier Grand Prix, the first Championship Car event held on a road course since the 1937 Vanderbilt Cup. The USAC National Champion was Mario Andretti and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Jim Clark.
Also of note, the 1965 season featured the final IndyCar victory of Parnelli Jones career in June at the Milwaukee Mile.

## Schedule and results

| Rnd | Date | Race Name | Track | Location | Type | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
| 1 | March 28 | Jimmy Bryan Memorial | Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona | Paved | A. J. Foyt | Don Branson |
| 2 | April 25 | Trenton 100 | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved | A. J. Foyt | Jim McElreath |
| 3 | May 31 | International 500 Mile Sweepstakes | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Paved | A. J. Foyt | Jim Clark |
| 4 | June 6 | Rex Mays Classic | Milwaukee Mile | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | A. J. Foyt | Parnelli Jones |
| 5 | June 20 | Langhorne 100 | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Paved | Mario Andretti | Jim McElreath |
| 6 | July 4 | Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | Pikes Peak Highway | Pikes Peak, Colorado | Hill | Al Unser | Al Unser |
| 7 | July 18 | Trenton 150 | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
| 8 | July 25 | Hoosier Grand Prix | Indianapolis Raceway Park | Clermont, Indiana | Road | Mario Andretti | Mario Andretti |
| 9 | August 1 | Atlanta Championship 250 | Atlanta International Raceway | Hampton, Georgia | Paved | A. J. Foyt | Johnny Rutherford |
| 10 | August 8 | Langhorne 125 | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Paved | Gordon Johncock | Jim McElreath |
| 11 | August 14 | Milwaukee 150 | Milwaukee Mile | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | Parnelli Jones | Joe Leonard |
| 12 | August 21 | Tony Bettenhausen Memorial | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt | Jim McElreath | A. J. Foyt |
| 13 | August 22 | Tony Bettenhausen 200 | Milwaukee Mile | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | A. J. Foyt | Gordon Johncock |
| 14 | September 6 | Ted Horn Memorial | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt | A. J. Foyt | Don Branson |
| 15 | September 18 | Hoosier Hundred | Indiana State Fairgrounds | Indianapolis, Indiana | Dirt | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
| 16 | September 26 | Trenton 200 | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt |
| 17 | October 24 | Golden State 100 | California State Fairgrounds | Sacramento, California | Dirt | Don Branson | Don Branson |
| 18 | November 21 | Bobby Ball Memorial | Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona | Paved | Mario Andretti | A. J. Foyt |
    ^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

Note: Bobby Johns is not eligible for points.
| Pos | Driver | PHX1 | TRE1 | INDY | MIL1 | LAN1 | PIP | TRE2 | IRP | ATL | LAN2 | MIL2 | SPR | MIL3 | DQSF | ISF | TRE3 | SAC | PHX2 | Pts |
| 1 | Mario Andretti | 6 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | | Wth | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 15 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 3110 |
| 2 | A. J. Foyt | 19 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 17 | | 1 | 4 | 19 | 2 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2500 |
| 3 | Jim McElreath | 2 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 1 | | 11 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 2 | DNQ | 3 | 8 | 23 | 2035 |
| 4 | Don Branson | 1 | 13 | 8 | 20 | 15 | | 4 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 25 | 1 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 1875 |
| 5 | Gordon Johncock | 17 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 10 | | 23 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 10 | DNQ | 14 | | 21 | 1540 |
| 6 | Joe Leonard | | | 29 | 2 | 19 | | 5 | 10 | Wth | | 1 | | 5 | | | 2 | | 4 | 1415 |
| 7 | Bobby Unser | 16 | 10 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 22 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 18 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1402 |
| 8 | Roger McCluskey | 21 | | 30 | 6 | 13 | | 17 | 3 | 9 | DNQ | 5 | | 4 | | DNS | 4 | 9 | 26 | 1060 |
| 9 | Jud Larson | 12 | 5 | DNQ | | DNQ | | 6 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 1028 |
| 10 | Parnelli Jones | | DNQ | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | 17 | | DNQ | | | | | | 1000 |
| 11 | Jim Clark | | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1000 |
| 12 | Johnny Rutherford | 15 | 11 | 31 | 15 | DNQ | | DNS | 11 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 4 | 24 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 22 | 993 |
| 13 | Lloyd Ruby | 5 | DNQ | 11 | 19 | 3 | | 18 | 7 | 23 | | 9 | | 3 | | 10 | 26 | | DNQ | 850 |
| 14 | Jim Hurtubise | 4 | 19 | 33 | DNQ | 21 | | 2 | 18 | 4 | 21 | 16 | DNQ | 21 | 7 | 16 | 25 | | 16 | 743 |
| 15 | Al Miller | | | 4 | DNQ | | | | Wth | | 20 | 10 | 12 | 15 | Wth | DNQ | 18 | | | 655 |
| 16 | Billy Foster | 24 | 7 | 17 | DNQ | 5 | | 20 | DNP | 3 | 17 | 20 | | 26 | | 12 | 24 | DNQ | 13 | 520 |
| 17 | Bobby Grim | | 15 | DNQ | 8 | 11 | | 3 | | 28 | | 24 | | 8 | | | 7 | | | 500 |
| 18 | Mickey Rupp | | | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | | 500 |
| 19 | Al Unser | | | 9 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 22 | 12 | 26 | 16 | 11 | | 7 | | DNQ | 20 | 11 | 17 | 495 |
| 20 | Bud Tingelstad | 13 | 4 | 16 | 18 | 4 | | 15 | | 14 | 19 | 21 | 7 | 13 | 16 | 14 | | 16 | 6 | 460 |
| 21 | George Snider | 23 | | 21 | DNQ | 16 | | 9 | 9 | 25 | 7 | | 2 | | 14 | 8 | 10 | 15 | DNQ | 453 |
| 22 | Ronnie Duman | 3 | 6 | 22 | 9 | 6 | | 16 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 23 | 15 | 14 | Wth | DNS | 19 | | DNQ | 447 |
| 23 | Carl Williams RY | DNQ | 12 | DNQ | DNQ | 9 | | 7 | | | | | 13 | | 8 | 7 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 370 |
| 24 | Chuck Rodee | 22 | | 28 | | | | | | 5 | | 12 | | 10 | | DNQ | | DNQ | | 325 |
| 25 | Bob Harkey | 20 | 9 | DNQ | DNQ | 8 | | 8 | 15 | 11 | DNQ | | | | | 9 | DNQ | 10 | 11 | 325 |
| 26 | Dan Gurney | | | 26 | | | | | | | | 3 | | 12 | | | | | | 230 |
| 27 | Tommy Copp | | | | DNQ | | | | | 7 | | 8 | | DNQ | | | | | 25 | 225 |
| 28 | Red Riegel | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | 11 | | 14 | | 6 | 5 | DNQ | | | 205 |
| 29 | Art Pollard R | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22 | | | 5 | DNQ | 19 | 200 |
| 30 | Arnie Knepper | 7 | 16 | 18 | 14 | 22 | | DNQ | 16 | 21 | DNQ | | 16 | 11 | 13 | 15 | | 7 | | 190 |
| 31 | Gary Congdon R | | | | | | | 10 | 22 | | 10 | | 9 | | 11 | 11 | DNQ | 18 | DNQ | 163 |
| 32 | Sam Sessions R | | DNS | | | DNQ | | | | 13 | 9 | DNQ | | | | DNQ | 11 | | 10 | 150 |
| 33 | Eddie Johnson | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 150 |
| 34 | Bob Wente | 14 | 3 | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 140 |
| 35 | Len Sutton | | | 12 | 21 | 7 | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 110 |
| 36 | Wally Dallenbach Sr. R | | | | | | | | | | 13 | DNQ | | | | | 9 | | | 80 |
| 37 | Bill Vukovich II R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | 80 |
| 38 | Bob Hurt | 8 | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | | Wth | 29 | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | 75 |
| 39 | Norm Hall | 10 | | DNQ | 10 | DNQ | | 19 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | 75 |
| 40 | Charles Louderman | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 70 |
| 41 | Wes Vandervoort R | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 60 |
| 42 | Dee Jones | 9 | | | | | | | | 24 | DNQ | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | 60 |
| 43 | Paul Kleinschmidt | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 50 |
| 44 | Bob Mathouser | | 21 | DNQ | 11 | DNQ | | 12 | 13 | 27 | 18 | DNQ | | 17 | 12 | | 22 | | 18 | 45 |
| 45 | Jack Hahn | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 40 |
| 46 | Bay Darnell R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | DNQ | | | | 40 |
| 47 | Roy Walker R | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 30 |
| 48 | Rodger Ward | 11 | 20 | DNQ | 22 | DNQ | | DNQ | 24 | | | 22 | | 23 | | | 23 | | 15 | 30 |
| 49 | Dick Atkins R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 12 | 30 |
| 50 | Orville Nance R | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 25 |
| 51 | Slim Roberts | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20 |
| 52 | Greg Weld R | | | DNQ | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 17 | 12 | DNQ | 20 | 20 |
| 53 | Grier Manning R | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 |
| 54 | Malcolm Brazier | | | | | | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| 55 | Bill Cheesbourg | | | 32 | 12 | DNQ | | | 17 | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 10 |
| 56 | Louis Unser | | | | | | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| - | Bobby Johns R | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Dave Paul R | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | 13 | | 20 | 15 | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Johnny Boyd | | | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Vern Root R | | | | | | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Art Malone | | 14 | DNQ | | | | 21 | 23 | 15 | 22 | DNQ | | 20 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Larry Dickson R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | 24 | 0 |
| - | Dempsey Wilson | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 14 | 0 |
| - | Walt Hansgen | | | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Thurel Novotny R | | | | | | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Daly R | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob McLees R | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ralph Liguori | 18 | 18 | DNQ | | 20 | | 24 | 20 | 17 | | | | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Mike McGreevy R | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Bob Tattersall R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17 | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Rick Vermillion R | | | | | | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bruce Jacobi | | | | | DNQ | | | | 18 | | | | | DNQ | 18 | | | | 0 |
| - | Mel Kenyon | | | DNQ | DNQ | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Werner R | | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Morris R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Clark Yowell R | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Pratt R | | | | | | | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Hank Davis R | | | | | | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Dan Morgan | | | | | | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Skip Hedrick R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21 | | | 0 |
| - | Ted Foltz | | | | | | 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Masten Gregory R | | | 23 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Clyde McFarlin R | | | | | | 23 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Veith | | | 24 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Walter Miller R | | | | | | 24 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Chuck Stevenson | | | 25 | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Danny Collins | | | | | | 25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jerry Grant R | | | 27 | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Chuck Arnold | | | | | DNQ | | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Eldridge | | DNQ | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Gig Stephens | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Bob King | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Chuck Booth | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Bob Huebner | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Wth | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Bob Christie | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Paul Goldsmith | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Skip Hudson | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ebb Rose | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Paul Russo | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Sullivan | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | 0 |
| - | Chuck Hulse | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Ray Furnal | | | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Sherman Cleveland | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNP | | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | PHX1 | TRE1 | INDY | MIL1 | LAN1 | PIP | TRE2 | IRP | ATL | LAN2 | MIL2 | SPR | MIL3 | DQSF | ISF | TRE3 | SAC | 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 ||