# 1966 USAC Championship Car season

The 1966 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 16 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 20 and concluding at the same location on November 20. There was also one non-championship event at Fuji Speedway in Japan. The USAC National Champion was Mario Andretti, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Graham Hill. At Indianapolis, Chuck Rodee was killed while qualifying for the 1966 Indianapolis 500. Also of note was the end of the career of two-time 500 and two-time National Champion Rodger Ward as he ran the final three races of his IndyCar career at the start of the season which included the final IndyCar victory of his career at Trenton.

## Schedule and results

| Rnd | Date | Race Name | Track | Location | Type | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
| 1 | March 20 | Jimmy Bryan Memorial | Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona | Paved | Mario Andretti | Jim McElreath |
| 2 | April 24 | Trenton 150 | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved | Mario Andretti | Rodger Ward |
| 3 | May 30 | International 500 Mile Sweepstakes | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Paved | Mario Andretti | Graham Hill |
| 4 | June 5 | Rex Mays Classic | Milwaukee Mile | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | Mario Andretti | Mario Andretti |
| 5 | June 12 | Langhorne 100 | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Paved | Mario Andretti | Mario Andretti |
| 6 | June 26 | Atlanta 300 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Hampton, Georgia | Paved | Mario Andretti | Mario Andretti |
| 7 | July 4 | Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | Pikes Peak Highway | Pikes Peak, Colorado | Hill | Bobby Unser | Bobby Unser |
| 8 | July 24 | Hoosier Grand Prix | Indianapolis Raceway Park | Clermont, Indiana | Road | Lloyd Ruby | Mario Andretti |
| 9 | August 7 | Langhorne 150 | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Paved | Don Branson | Roger McCluskey |
| 10 | August 20 | Tony Bettenhausen Memorial | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt | Don Branson | Don Branson |
| 11 | August 27 | Tony Bettenhausen 200 | Milwaukee Mile | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | Mario Andretti | Mario Andretti |
| 12 | September 5 | Ted Horn Memorial | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt | Bobby Unser | Bud Tingelstad |
| 13 | September 10 | Hoosier Hundred | Indiana State Fairgrounds | Indianapolis, Indiana | Dirt | A. J. Foyt | Mario Andretti |
| 14 | September 25 | Trenton 200 | Trenton International Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Paved | Mario Andretti | Mario Andretti |
| NC | October 9 | Fuji Race | Fuji Speedway | Oyama, Japan | Road | Jackie Stewart | Jackie Stewart |
| 15 | October 23 | Golden State 100 | California State Fairgrounds | Sacramento, California | Dirt | Don Branson | Dick Atkins |
| 16 | November 19 | Bobby Ball Memorial | Phoenix International Raceway | Avondale, Arizona | Paved | Mario Andretti | Mario Andretti |
    ^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: Jerry Grant, Dan Gurney, Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Peter Revson and Cale Yarborough are not eligible for points.
| Pos | Driver | PHX1 | TRE1 | INDY | MIL1 | LAN | ATL | PIP | IRP | LAN | SPR | MIL2 | DQSF | ISF | TRE2 | FUJ | SAC | PHX2 | Pts |
| 1 | Mario Andretti | 15 | 4 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 1 | DNS | 10 | 1 | 3070 |
| 2 | Jim McElreath | 1 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 2 | 12 | | 3 | 22 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 2430 |
| 3 | Gordon Johncock | 9 | 2 | 4 | DNQ | 19 | 3 | | 5 | 2 | | 2 | | | 12 | DNS | | DNQ | 2050 |
| 4 | Joe Leonard | 14 | | 9 | 3 | 3 | 21 | | 8 | Wth | 4 | 3 | 4 | DNQ | DNQ | | | 5 | 1275 |
| 5 | Al Unser | 20 | | 12 | 6 | 9 | 16 | | 2 | 3 | | 20 | | | 2 | DNS | 18 | 2 | 1260 |
| 6 | Bobby Unser | 19 | 18 | 8 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 17 | DNQ | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1210 |
| 7 | Don Branson | 16 | 10 | 23 | 15 | 4 | 6 | | 9 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 6 | 4 | 23 | | 4 | | 1135 |
| 8 | Chuck Hulse | 3 | DNQ | 20 | 5 | 12 | 4 | | 18 | 7 | 18 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 13 | 11 | 2 | DNQ | 1030 |
| 9 | Billy Foster | 7 | 22 | 24 | DNQ | 5 | 2 | | 13 | 20 | | 5 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 9 | DNQ | 12 | 930 |
| 10 | Bud Tingelstad | 4 | 5 | 21 | 12 | 18 | 28 | | 17 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 25 | 870 |
| 11 | Dick Atkins | 22 | | DNQ | 20 | DNQ | 23 | | 10 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 4 | DNS | 1 | | 815 |
| 12 | Roger McCluskey | | 20 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 27 | | 22 | 1 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 5 | | DNS | 11 | 780 |
| 13 | A. J. Foyt | 11 | 15 | 26 | Wth | | 29 | | 24 | Wth | 3 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 3 | | 17 | 17 | 775 |
| 14 | Mel Kenyon | | | 5 | 7 | | | | | | | 22 | | | DNP | | | 23 | 560 |
| 15 | Rodger Ward | 2 | 1 | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 540 |
| 16 | Al Smith RY | | | | | | 5 | | DNQ | 17 | | 25 | | | 7 | | | 13 | 420 |
| 17 | Gary Congdon | 17 | 13 | 25 | 9 | 20 | 24 | | 20 | 4 | 15 | 6 | 12 | DNQ | 15 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 390 |
| 18 | Arnie Knepper | | 19 | 29 | 14 | 8 | 8 | | 21 | 12 | DNQ | DNQ | 11 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 13 | 21 | 375 |
| 19 | George Snider | 6 | | 19 | 10 | 21 | DNQ | | 6 | 11 | 6 | 10 | DNQ | 12 | DNP | | 11 | | 365 |
| 20 | Lloyd Ruby | 12 | 21 | 11 | DNP | | | | 16 | 24 | | 9 | | | 22 | 12 | | 6 | 355 |
| 21 | Larry Dickson | | 11 | 32 | 13 | 11 | 19 | | DNQ | DNQ | 9 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 6 | 3 | DNQ | 320 |
| 22 | Eddie Johnson | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 300 |
| 23 | Art Pollard | | | DNQ | 4 | 22 | 22 | | DNQ | 23 | | 7 | | | | DNS | 9 | 22 | 280 |
| 24 | Bobby Grim | | 7 | 31 | 8 | DNQ | 13 | | 12 | | | 13 | | | 25 | 8 | | 7 | 275 |
| 25 | Ralph Liguori | | | | | | | | DNQ | 10 | 8 | | 5 | 16 | 10 | | 16 | 26 | 260 |
| 26 | Carl Williams | 5 | 14 | 16 | DNQ | 10 | 15 | | 19 | 15 | 10 | DNQ | 17 | 13 | DNQ | 21 | 15 | 18 | 210 |
| 27 | Sam Sessions | | 9 | DNQ | DNQ | 15 | 9 | | 11 | DNQ | | DNQ | | | 24 | 18 | | | 210 |
| 28 | Al Miller | | | 30 | | | 10 | | 15 | 14 | | 19 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 19 | | DNQ | 190 |
| 29 | Greg Weld | | | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | | | 14 | | | 8 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 180 |
| 30 | Johnny Boyd | | | 22 | DNQ | | 7 | | 23 | | | | | | | | | | 180 |
| 31 | Ron Lux R | | 6 | DNQ | 11 | | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | 140 |
| 32 | Ronnie Duman | | 16 | 33 | DNQ | 13 | 17 | | 7 | 16 | 17 | DNQ | | 8 | 26 | 22 | DNQ | DNQ | 140 |
| 33 | Bob Harkey | | | DNQ | DNQ | 7 | 20 | | 14 | 8 | 13 | 16 | | | 19 | DNS | | DNQ | 135 |
| 34 | Bruce Jacobi | | | DNQ | 19 | DNQ | 25 | | DNP | 18 | | | | | | | DNQ | 8 | 100 |
| 35 | Wes Vandervoort | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 80 |
| 36 | Norm Brown R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | 80 |
| 37 | Bob Hurt | | 8 | DNQ | 17 | 16 | | | | | | | | | 16 | | | | 75 |
| 38 | Bob Mathouser | 8 | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 75 |
| 39 | Paul Kleinschmidt | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 70 |
| 40 | Ted Foltz | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 60 |
| 41 | Parnelli Jones | | | 14 | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | 60 |
| 42 | Chuck Arnold | | | | | | 11 | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | 60 |
| 43 | Orville Nance | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 50 |
| 44 | John Hollansworth R | 10 | 17 | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 13 | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | 13 | | DNQ | 45 |
| 45 | Clyde McFarlin | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 40 |
| 46 | Wally Dallenbach Sr. | | | | | | DNQ | | | 13 | | 15 | | | 11 | DNS | | 24 | 40 |
| 47 | Grier Manning | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 30 |
| 48 | Jack Hahn | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | 25 |
| 49 | Rick Vermillion | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | 20 |
| 50 | Don Anderson R | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | 15 |
| 51 | Red Riegel | | 12 | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 |
| 52 | Bob Lacy R | | | | | | | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| 53 | Bob Tattersall | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 16 | | 13 | 18 | | | 12 | DNQ | 5 |
| 54 | Clark Yowell | | | | | | | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| – | Graham Hill R | | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | 0 |
| – | Jim Clark | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | 0 |
| – | Jackie Stewart R | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | 0 |
| – | Jerry Grant | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | | 20 | 0 |
| – | Jim Hurtubise | 13 | | 17 | 22 | 17 | 26 | | | | DNQ | 26 | | | 17 | 15 | | DNQ | 0 |
| – | Bob Daly | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Butch Hardman R | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Malcolm Brazier | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Peter Revson R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | 0 |
| – | Bob Werner | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Gig Stephens | | DNQ | DNP | 18 | DNQ | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| – | Johnny Rutherford | 18 | | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Paul Wigton R | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Gary Bettenhausen R | DNQ | DNQ | DNP | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | 19 | 0 |
| – | Walter Miller | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Mike McGreevy | 21 | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Dee Jones | 23 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Dan Gurney | | | 27 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Cale Yarborough R | | | 28 | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Tommy Copp | | | | | | 30 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Bob Herring | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Gordon Sullivan | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNS | | 0 |
| – | Bob King | | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | DNP | DNQ | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| – | Ray Duckworth | | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| – | Don Meacham | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| – | Dave Paul | | | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Skip Hedrick | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| – | Bill Cheesbourg | DNP | | DNQ | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | | DNQ | 0 |
| – | Dick Fries | | | DNP | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Hal Minyard | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Dempsey Wilson | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Bud Randall | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Bob Wente | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | DNS | | DNQ | 0 |
| – | Jud Larson | | DNQ | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Dick Guldstrand | | | DNP | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Ronnie Bucknum | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Masten Gregory | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Bobby Johns | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Art Malone | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Chuck Rodee | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Chuck Stevenson | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Bob Veith | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | LeeRoy Yarbrough | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Bay Darnell | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Leo Caldwell | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | George Landry | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Chuck Booth | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | 0 |
| – | Jim Adams | | | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Jack Conely | | | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Ebb Rose | | | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Billy Wilkerson | | | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Bob Pratt | | | | | | | | DNP | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Chris Amon | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | | | 0 |
| – | Rick Muther | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | PHX1 | TRE1 | INDY | MIL1 | LAN | ATL | PIP | IRP | LAN | SPR | MIL2 | DQSF | ISF | TRE2 | FUJ | 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 ||