# 1970 USAC Championship Car season

The 1970 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 18 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 28 and concluding at the same location on November 21. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Al Unser. After this season, dirt courses did not reappear in the USAC Championship until 1981-82. Road courses after this season did not reappear in the USAC Championship until 1977. The Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb was the only non-championship event. Also of note, the series added a second 500 mile race at the new Ontario Motor Speedway.

## Schedule and results

| Rnd | Date | Race Name | Length | Track | Location | Type | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
| 1 | March 28 | Phoenix 150 | 150 mi (240 km) | Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona | Paved | Mario Andretti | Al Unser |
| 2 | April 4 | Golden Gate 150 | 151.38 mi (243.62 km) | Sears Point Raceway | Sonoma, California | Road | Mark Donohue | Dan Gurney |
| 3 | April 26 | Trenton 200 | 201 mi (323 km) | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved | Al Unser | Lloyd Ruby |
| 4 | May 30 | International 500 Mile Sweepstakes | 500 mi (800 km) | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Paved | Al Unser | Al Unser |
| 5 | June 7 | Rex Mays Classic | 150 mi (240 km) | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | Mario Andretti | Joe Leonard |
| 6 | June 14 | Langhorne 150 | 150 mi (240 km) | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Paved | Bobby Unser | Bobby Unser |
| 7 | June 28 | Rocky Mountain 150 | 151.62 mi (244.01 km) | Continental Divide Raceways | Mead, Colorado | Road | Al Unser | Mario Andretti |
| 8 | July 4 | Michigan Twin 200s | 200 mi (320 km) | Michigan International Speedway | Brooklyn, Michigan | Paved | Gary Bettenhausen | Gary Bettenhausen |
| NC | July 4 | Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | 12.42 mi (19.99 km) | Pikes Peak Highway | Pikes Peak, Colorado | Hill | Orville Nance | Ted Foltz |
| 9 | July 26 | Indy 150 | 150 mi (240 km) | Indianapolis Raceway Park | Clermont, Indiana | Road | Mario Andretti | Al Unser |
| 10 | August 22 | Tony Bettenhausen 100 | 100 mi (160 km) | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt | Larry Dickson | Al Unser |
| 11 | August 23 | Tony Bettenhausen 200 | 200 mi (320 km) | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | Al Unser | Al Unser |
| 12 | September 6 | California 500 | 500 mi (800 km) | Ontario Motor Speedway | Ontario, California | Paved | Lloyd Ruby | Jim McElreath |
| 13 | September 7 | Ted Horn Memorial 100 | 100 mi (160 km) | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt | Al Unser | Al Unser |
| 14 | September 12 | Hoosier Hundred | 100 mi (160 km) | Indiana State Fairgrounds | Indianapolis, Indiana | Dirt | Johnny Parsons | Al Unser |
| 15 | September 19 | Sedalia 100 | 100 mi (160 km) | State Fair Raceway | Sedalia, Missouri | Dirt | Al Unser | Al Unser |
| 16 | October 3 | Trenton 300 | 264 mi (425 km) | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved | Al Unser | Al Unser |
| 17 | October 4 | Golden State 100 | 100 mi (160 km) | California State Fairgrounds | Sacramento, California | Dirt | Mario Andretti | Al Unser |
| 18 | November 21 | Bobby Ball 150 | 150 mi (240 km) | Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona | Paved | Al Unser | Swede Savage |
^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. ^B Scheduled for 300 miles, stopped early due to rain.

## Final points standings

Note: Mark Donohue, Kevin Bartlett, Peter Revson, LeeRoy Yarbrough, John Cannon, Donnie Allison, Ron Grable, Jack Eiteljorg and Jack Brabham are not eligible for points.
| Pos | Driver | PHX1 | SON | TRE1 | INDY | MIL1 | LAN | CDR | MIC | IRP | SPR | MIL2 | ONT | DQSF | ISF | SED | TRE2 | SAC | PHX2 | Pts |
| 1 | Al Unser | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5130 |
| 2 | Bobby Unser | 2 | 18 | 4 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 24 | 9 | 19 | 22 | 2 | DNQ | DNQ | 2 | 6 | 17 | 2260 |
| 3 | Jim McElreath | 6 | | 7 | 5 | DNS | | | | | 3 | | 1 | Wth | 10 | 13 | | 16 | 5 | 2060 |
| 4 | Mike Mosley | 5 | 7 | 5 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 5 | 14 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 1900 |
| 5 | Mario Andretti | 13 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 21 | 18 | 24 | 24 | 10 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 21 | 14 | 8 | 1890 |
| 6 | Roger McCluskey | DNQ | | DNQ | 25 | 2 | Wth | | 7 | 9 | | 2 | 25 | | | 10 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1380 |
| 7 | Gordon Johncock | 18 | 4 | 15 | 28 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 3 | | | 4 | | | | DNQ | | | 1160 |
| 8 | Art Pollard | 11 | | 21 | 30 | 18 | | 19 | 17 | | | 11 | 2 | | | | 6 | | 24 | 1110 |
| 9 | A. J. Foyt | 4 | Wth | 6 | 10 | 24 | | 3 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 7 | 15 | 10 | 3 | DNQ | | | 23 | 1105 |
| 10 | Dick Simon R | 24 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 19 | 13 | | | 3 | | | | DNQ | DNQ | 9 | 1080 |
| 11 | Dan Gurney | | 1 | | 3 | | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | 1000 |
| 12 | Johnny Rutherford | | 5 | 20 | 18 | 14 | DNQ | | 3 | 17 | 11 | 21 | 31 | 11 | DNQ | 12 | 4 | 13 | 6 | 960 |
| 13 | Mel Kenyon | | | | 16 | DNQ | | | 10 | | | 3 | 6 | | | | 9 | | | 860 |
| 14 | Lloyd Ruby | 3 | | 1 | 27 | 4 | | 17 | | | | 20 | 23 | | | | 22 | | 16 | 790 |
| 15 | Bentley Warren R | DNQ | | 8 | DNQ | 10 | 6 | | | | 5 | 4 | | DNQ | 8 | 5 | 20 | 11 | | 775 |
| 16 | Gary Bettenhausen | 17 | 21 | 12 | 26 | 9 | 5 | | 1 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 9 | DNQ | 16 | DNQ | 9 | 19 | 710 |
| 17 | Wally Dallenbach Sr. | 10 | | 17 | 17 | 8 | 7 | | 16 | 5 | | 9 | 28 | | DNS | | 15 | | 4 | 620 |
| 18 | Swede Savage | | | | | | | 2 | | 8 | | | 27 | | | | | | 1 | 615 |
| 19 | Jim Malloy | | | | 33 | 19 | 4 | | 5 | 16 | 22 | DNQ | 11 | DNQ | 12 | 7 | 13 | | 13 | 570 |
| 20 | Greg Weld | | | 18 | 32 | DNQ | | | | | 27 | | 7 | 15 | 7 | 8 | DNQ | 4 | | 530 |
| 21 | George Snider | 7 | | | 20 | | | | 23 | 23 | 14 | | DNQ | 4 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 460 |
| 22 | Carl Williams | | | | 9 | | | | | | 2 | | 12 | DNQ | 15 | DNQ | | 10 | | 440 |
| 23 | Jerry Grant | | 22 | | 7 | 17 | | 6 | | | | | 21 | | | | DNQ | | 14 | 420 |
| 24 | Rick Muther | | | | 8 | DNQ | 14 | | DNQ | | | | 33 | | | | 8 | | 22 | 400 |
| 25 | Sam Sessions | | | | 12 | DNQ | 21 | | 6 | | 17 | | DNQ | | 4 | 11 | | | 12 | 365 |
| 26 | Steve Krisiloff | 8 | 15 | 10 | DNQ | 22 | 13 | 18 | DNQ | | | | 29 | | | | 7 | | DNS | 315 |
| 27 | Larry Dickson | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 25 | | DNQ | 3 | DNQ | 3 | | DNS | 11 | 310 |
| 28 | John Mahler R | | 13 | 16 | | DNQ | 15 | 8 | 9 | 6 | | 14 | | | | | 12 | | DNQ | 305 |
| 29 | Joe Leonard | | | | 24 | 1 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | | | | 300 |
| 30 | Bill Simpson | 22 | 10 | 19 | DNQ | 20 | 19 | 14 | | 7 | | 6 | DNQ | | | | 19 | | 21 | 295 |
| 31 | Ralph Liguori | | | | | | DNQ | | | | 13 | | | 5 | 2 | DNQ | | 15 | | 260 |
| 32 | Bill Vukovich II | DNS | 20 | DNP | 23 | 13 | 12 | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 3 | 10 | 200 |
| 33 | Max Dudley | | 8 | 22 | | | | 9 | | DNQ | | 10 | | | | | | | DNQ | 195 |
| 34 | Bruce Jacobi | 19 | 9 | | DNQ | | 20 | | 20 | | 4 | 15 | | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 180 |
| 35 | Tom Bigelow | | | | Wth | DNQ | 17 | | | DNQ | 7 | 13 | | 7 | DNQ | 6 | 17 | 17 | DNQ | 180 |
| 36 | Bob Harkey | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 16 | 17 | 6 | 13 | 9 | | DNQ | DNQ | 130 |
| 37 | Merle Bettenhausen R | | | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | 7 | | 110 |
| 38 | Dee Jones | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | DNQ | 100 |
| 39 | Karl Busson R | 9 | | 11 | | DNS | 18 | | 22 | | 23 | DNS | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 14 | | 15 | 100 |
| 40 | Bud Tingelstad | | | | Wth | | | | | | | 25 | 24 | 16 | | DNQ | 10 | | 18 | 90 |
| 41 | Bruce Walkup | 16 | | | 29 | 21 | 16 | DNS | 13 | | 26 | 23 | 16 | 14 | 6 | 14 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 80 |
| 42 | Jimmy Caruthers R | | | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | DNP | | 80 |
| 43 | Jerry Karl | 12 | 24 | 13 | Wth | DNQ | 11 | | | DNQ | | 12 | | | | | 25 | | DNQ | 65 |
| 44 | Ludwig Heimrath Sr. | 23 | 14 | 23 | | DNQ | | 12 | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | 60 |
| 45 | Ronnie Bucknum | | 16 | | 15 | DNQ | DNP | | | 20 | | | | | | | 11 | | | 60 |
| 46 | Dick Tobias R | | | | | | | | | | 19 | | | 8 | | | | | | 50 |
| 47 | Will Cagle R | | | | | | | | | | 21 | | | DNQ | 9 | DNQ | | DNQ | | 40 |
| 48 | Arnie Knepper | | | | DNQ | 15 | | | 11 | | 18 | 22 | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | | | 40 |
| 49 | Johnny Parsons | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 16 | | | 12 | 17 | 18 | | DNQ | DNQ | 10 |
| 50 | Johnny Anderson | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | | 10 |
| - | Mark Donohue | | 25 | | 2 | | | | | 2 | | | 30 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | John Cannon | | 11 | | DNQ | | | | | 4 | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Donnie Allison R | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Peter Revson | | | | 22 | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | LeeRoy Yarbrough | | | | 19 | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jack Eiteljorg | | | | | | | 10 | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ron Grable R | | | | | | | | | 11 | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Kevin Bartlett | | 12 | | DNQ | | | 16 | | | | | 26 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ned Spath | 14 | 17 | | | | | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Larry Cannon R | DNQ | | DNQ | Wth | | | | | | | 18 | | 13 | DNQ | DNQ | 16 | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Jack Brabham | | | | 13 | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Darrell Dockery R | 15 | 23 | 14 | DNQ | 23 | 23 | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Al Loquasto | | | 24 | DNQ | | DNQ | | 14 | | | | | | | | 23 | | | 0 |
| - | John Martin R | | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Al Miller | | | | Wth | | | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Puterbaugh | | | | DNQ | | | | | | DNS | | DNQ | DNQ | 16 | 17 | | | | 0 |
| - | Sonny Ates | | | | Wth | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Salt Walther R | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | 18 | | 0 |
| - | Jerry Poland R | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 18 | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Crockey Peterson R | | 19 | | | | | 20 | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Scooter Patrick R | | | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Follmer | | | | 31 | | | | | 21 | | | 20 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bud Morley | | | | Wth | | | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Nick Dioguardi R | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Gig Stephens | | | | | | 22 | | | | | | | | | | 26 | | | 0 |
| - | Bob DeJong R | | DNQ | | | DNQ | | 22 | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Don Brown R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 24 | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Jim Hurtubise | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 32 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ron Burke | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | DNS | | 0 |
| - | Ed Marshall | DNQ | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Leigh Earnshaw | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | | 0 |
| - | Jigger Sirois | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Keith Rachwitz | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Lee Kunzman | | | | Wth | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Denny Zimmerman | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Rollie Beale | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Jim Reynard | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Gregg | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Tony Adamowicz | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Sam Posey | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Charlie Glotzbach | | | | Wth | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Chris Amon | | | | Wth | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Denny Hulme | | | | Wth | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Carlos Pairetti | | | | Wth | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Veith | | | | Wth | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Les Scott | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Gary Ponzini | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | 0 |
| - | Bob Allen | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Tom Sneva | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Dave Strickland | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | PHX1 | SON | TRE1 | INDY | MIL1 | LAN | CDR | MIC | IRP | SPR | MIL2 | ONT | DQSF | ISF | SED | TRE2 | 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 ||