1983 USAC Indy Car World Series (Johnsonverse)

The 1983 USAC Marlboro Indy Car World Series season was the 28th national championship season of American open wheel racing sanctioned by USAC. The season consisted of 18 races. Al Unser was the national champion, and the rookie of the year was Teo Fabi. Tom Sneva won the Indianapolis 500, after three previous runner-up finishes.
Al Unser jumped out to the early points lead, with second-place finishes in the first three races of the season. Unser finished second at Indianapolis to Tom Sneva, but not without some controversy. Rookie Al Unser Jr. was accused of blocking for his father, but Sneva prevailed, making the winning pass with ten laps to go. Unser won at Cleveland, finished second at the Michigan 500, and third at Road America. After 6 of 13 races, Unser had a 35-point lead over Tom Sneva in the standings.
Rookie Teo Fabi made headlines at Indianapolis, becoming the first rookie to win the pole since 1950. His car dropped out, however, with a failed fuel o-ring. After a mixed start to the year, Fabi's season came alive in July, winning his first career race at the Pocono 500. Fabi jumped from eighth in points to as high as second following his win at Mid-Ohio. Fabi began to whittle away at Unser's point lead. Unser was running consistently, and had no finish worse than 11th.
In the next-to-last race of the season at Laguna Seca, Fabi dominated. He won the pole position and led 95 of 98 laps, winning his third race of the season. With only one race to go, Unser's point lead was down to 15 points. At the season finale in Phoenix, Fabi put in another dominating performance. He won the pole and led 138 of 150 laps. Fabi's championship hopes, however, fell just short as Al Unser came home 4th. Al Unser won the title by a mere 5 points over Fabi.
Other top stories from 1983 included Newman/Haas Racing joining the series with driver Mario Andretti plus a new chassis from Lola, and the rookie debut of Al Unser Jr. Though Unser Jr. did not win any races, he had ten top-10 finishes en route to 7th in points. 1983 was also the year that Formula One teams began taking a vested interest in Indy Car. Ferrari and Williams both fielded two-car teams, while Brabham and Ligier made chassis available for anyone interested. Dodge and Pontiac also quietly debuted as engine suppliers in 1983, with Dodge getting one win and Pontiac two wins.
Finally, new safety features were rolled out in USAC following the deaths of Gordon Smiley and Jim Hickman in 1982. New safety enhancements, required for all chassis, included a head-and-neck restraint developed by Dr. Robert Hubbard (later widely adopted by all major racing series as the "HANS device"), a core rolling chassis (the so-called "safety cell") with an aerokit constructed around the chassis, the rollbar was lengthened by six inches, a flat vertical plane was added along the rear spoiler (the "Stacker device", named so because Phil Stacker played a key role in its development; it helped that the infamous Johnson CEO also had a genuine interest in motorsports, and championed safety enhancements after Smiley's death) to increase drag at superspeedway races, which curbed speeds and led to more passing, and restrictor plates were implemented at Talladega and the new Daytona race to further slow the cars down; data collected from the restrictor-plate USAC races played a key role in the development of NASCAR's restrictor-plate rollout in 1988. Pre-1983 chassis were rebuilt at Johnson's expense to implement the safety cell and Hanford device.
==Drivers and constructors==
=== Chassis constructors ===
Constructor 	Chassis 	First year
March Engineering 	March 83C 	1983
March Engineering 	March 82C 	1982
March Engineering 	March 81C 	1981
Roger Penske 	Penske PC-11/83 	1983
Roger Penske 	Penske PC-10B/83	1983
Roger Penske 	Penske PC-10/82 	1982
Vollstedt Racing 	Vollstedt 83 	1983
Ferrari S.p.A. 	Ferrari 126I 	1983
Williams Grand Prix Engineering 	Williams IW83 	1983
Argo Racing Cars 	Argo JM15 	1983
Dan Gurney 	Eagle 83 	1983
Bill Finley 	Finley 1983 	1983
Morris Nun 	Theodore T83 	1983
Motor Racing Developments Ltd. 	Brabham IT52 	1983
American Motors Corporation 	Spirit 83 	1983
Dave Bruns 	Lightning 80 	1980
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers	IAM 003 	1983
Longhorn Racing 	Longhorn LR-01 	1980
Lola Cars 	Lola T700 	1983
Équipe Ligier 	Ligier IS21 	1983
Rattlesnake Racing 	Rattlesnake 83 	1983
=== Engine manufacturers ===
Manufacturer 	Marquee 	Type
Cosworth 	Cosworth 	V6
General Motors 	Chevrolet 	V8
General Motors 	Oldsmobile 	V6
General Motors 	Pontiac 	V6
Offenhauser 	Offenhauser	V8
Chrysler Corporation	Dodge 	V8
Ferrari S.p.A. 	Ferrari 	V6
=== Drivers and teams ===
The following teams and drivers competed for the 1983 USAC Indy Car World Series.
Starting this year, a Formula One-style Constructor column was added for all entries.
Team/Car Owner 	Constructor 	Chassis 	Engine 	No	Drivers
Alex Morales Motorsports 	March-Offenhauser 	March 83C 	Offenhauser	21	Pancho Carter
All American Racers 	Eagle-Cosworth 	Eagle 83 	Cosworth 	98	Jeff Wood
Alsup Racing 	March-CosworthArgo-Cosworth 	March 83C
Argo JM15	Cosworth 	11	Bill Alsup
Arciero Racing 	Penske-Offenhauser 	Penske PC-10/82	Offenhauser	66	Pete Halsmer
Armstrong Mould Racing Team 	Williams-Cosworth 	Williams IW83 	Cosworth 	43	Steve Krisiloff
BC Pace Racing 	Finaly-Cosworth 	Finley 1983 	Chevrolet 	36	Chuck Ciprich
Bettenhausen Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 82C
March 83C	Cosworth 	10	Tony Bettenhausen Jr.
Bettenhausen Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 82C
March 83C	Cosworth 	82	Gary Bettenhausen
Bettenhausen Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 82C
March 83C	Cosworth 	90	Derek Daly
Bignotti-Cotter Racing 	March-OffenhauserTheodore-Offenhauser 	March 83C
Theodore T83	Offenhauser	5 	Tom Sneva
Bignotti-Cotter Racing 	March-OffenhauserTheodore-Offenhauser 	March 83C
Theodore T83	Offenhauser	16	Kevin Cogan
Bob Ward Racing 	Williams-Cosworth 	Williams IW83 	Cosworth 	47	Bob Ward
Brayton Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Cosworth 	35	Patrick Bedard
Brayton Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Cosworth 	37	Scott Brayton
Circle Bar Auto Racing 	Wildcat-OffenhauserEagle-Offenhauser 	Wildcat Mk8
Eagle CB1	Offenhauser	38	Chet Fillip
Circle Bar Auto Racing w/ Caliva Racing	March-Offenhauser 	March 82C 	Offenhauser	38	Phil Caliva
Dick Simon Racing 	March-CosworthEagle-Cosworth 	March 83C
Eagle 83C	Cosworth 	32	Dick Simon
Dick Simon Racing 	March-CosworthEagle-Cosworth 	March 83C
Eagle 83C	Cosworth 	22	Dick Simon
Dick Simon Racing 	March-CosworthEagle-Cosworth 	March 83C
Eagle 83C	Cosworth 	22	Jorge Koechlin
Doug Shierson Racing 	March-Offenhauser 	March 83C 	Offenhauser	30	Howdy Holmes
Douglas Schulz 	Brabham-Cosworth 	Brabham IT52 	Cosworth 	48	Tom Klausler
Forsythe Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Cosworth 	33	Teo Fabi
Galles Racing 	Eagle-Cosworth 	Eagle 83C 	Offenhauser	17	Al Unser Jr.
Gilmore Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Cosworth 	1 	George Snider
Gilmore Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Cosworth 	14	A. J. Foyt
Gohr Racing 	Eagle-Chevrolet 	Eagle 82C 	Chevrolet 	56	Steve Chassey
GTS Racing 	Penske-Cosworth 	Penske PC-10/82	Cosworth 	86	Al Loquasto
H&R Racing 	Lightning-OffenhauserSpirit-Offenhauser	Lightning 80
Spirit 83	Offenhauser	28	Gary Bettenhausen
HBK Racing 	Eagle-Chevrolet 	Eagle 81C
Eagle 82C	Chevrolet 	70	Tom Bigelow
Herm Johnson Racing 	March-Chevrolet 	March 82C 	Chevrolet 	42	Herm Johnson
Hoffman Racing 	Ferrari-Cosworth 	Ferrari 126I 	Cosworth 	86	Dick Ferguson
Intercomp Racing 	Penske-Cosworth 	Penske PC-10/82	Cosworth 	92	John Mahler
Interscope Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Cosworth 	25	Danny Ongais
Jet Engineering 	Eagle-Chevrolet 	Eagle 82C 	Chevrolet 	64	Greg Leffler
Joel McCray Racing 	Penske-Offenhauser 	Penske PC-11/83	Offenhauser	46	Phil Krueger
Kraco Enterprises 	March-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Cosworth 	18	Mike Mosley
Kraco Enterprises 	March-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Cosworth 	99	Michael Andretti
Leader Card Racers 	Penske-Cosworth 	Penske PC-11/83	Cosworth 	8 	Johnny Parsons
Leader Card Racers 	Penske-Cosworth 	Penske PC-11/83	Cosworth 	24	Chip Mead
Machinists Union Racing 	IAM-Dodge 	IAM 003 	Dodge 	9 	Roger Mears
Machinists Union Racing 	IAM-Dodge 	IAM 003 	Dodge 	55	Josele Garza
McElreath Racing 	Ligier-Cosworth 	Ligier IS21 	Cosworth 	23	Jim McElreath
Newman/Haas Racing 	Lola-Pontiac 	Lola T700 	Pontiac 	3 	Mario Andretti
Patrick Racing 	Wildcat-CosworthMarch-Cosworth 	Wildcat Mk9
Wildcat Mk9B
March 83C	Cosworth 	40	Johnny Rutherford
Patrick Racing 	Wildcat-CosworthMarch-Cosworth 	Wildcat Mk9
Wildcat Mk9B
March 83C	Cosworth 	60	Chip Ganassi
Patrick Racing 	Wildcat-CosworthMarch-Cosworth 	Wildcat Mk9
Wildcat Mk9B
March 83C	Cosworth 	20	Chip Ganassi
Patrick Racing 	Wildcat-CosworthMarch-Cosworth 	Wildcat Mk9
Wildcat Mk9B
March 83C	Cosworth 	20	Gordon Johncock
Primus Racing 	Williams-Cosworth 	Williams IW83 	Cosworth 	72	Chris Kneifel
Racing Team VDS 	Penske-Cosworth 	Penske PC-11/83	Cosworth 	12	John Paul Jr.
Rattlesnake Racing w/ Agajanian Curb 	Rattlesnake-Offenhauser 	Rattlesnake 83 	Offenhauser	29	Mike Chandler
Rattlesnake Racing w/ Agajanian Curb 	Rattlesnake-Offenhauser 	Rattlesnake 83 	Offenhauser	19	Mike Chandler
Rattlesnake Racing w/ Agajanian Curb 	Rattlesnake-Offenhauser 	Rattlesnake 83 	Offenhauser	19	Willy T. Ribbs
Rhoades Racing 	Wildcat-Cosworth 	Wildcat MK8 	Cosworth 	41	Doug Heveron
Rhoades Racing 	Wildcat-Cosworth 	Wildcat MK8 	Cosworth 	61	Jerry Karl
Scuderia Ferrari 	Ferrari 	Ferrari 126I 	Ferrari 	80	Tom Bagley
Scuderia Ferrari 	Ferrari 	Ferrari 126I 	Ferrari 	85	Randy Lewis
Simpson Sports 	March-Oldsmobile 	March 83C 	Oldsmobile 	90	Dennis Firestone
Team Penske 	Penske-Cosworth 	Penske PC-11/83
Penske PC-10B/83	Cosworth 	1 	Rick Mears
Team Penske 	Penske-Cosworth 	Penske PC-11/83
Penske PC-10B/83	Cosworth 	7 	Al Unser
Tempero Racing 	Longhorn-Chevrolet 	Longhorn LR-01 	Chevrolet 	15	Bill Tempero
Truesports 	March-ChevroletMarch-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Chevrolet
Cosworth	4 	Bobby Rahal
Vollstedt Racing 	Vollstedt-Oldsmobile 	Vollstedt 83 	Oldsmobile 	52	Keith Kauffman
Whittington Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Cosworth 	91	Don Whittington
Whittington Racing 	March-Cosworth 	March 83C 	Cosworth 	94	Bill Whittington
Williams Indy Team 	Williams-Cosworth 	Williams IW83 	Cosworth 	49	Geoff Brabham
Williams Indy Team 	Williams-Cosworth 	Williams IW83 	Cosworth 	50	Drake Olson
Wysard Racing 	March-Offenhauser 	March 82C
March 83C	Offenhauser	34	Desiré Wilson
=== Notable team and driver changes ===
* 1983 marked the year Formula One teams began fielding USAC teams. Ferrari and Williams were the first to make the leap, both running two-car teams with modified versions of their 1983 F1 chassis. Williams ran Cosworth engines, while Ferrari ran their 021 1.5 V6t engines. Brabham and Ligier, while not fielding a team in 1983, did produce chassis for USAC, with one team each buying them.
* 1983 also saw a move towards more teams running full schedules due to rapidly-lower costs caused by more and more chassis and engine manufacturers entering the series. 1983 saw the first time Dodge and Pontiac engines were used in Indy Car competition.
* Interscope Racing returned, with Danny Ongais once again driving the #25 car. March and Cosworth once again provided chassis and engines, respectively, for the team.
==Schedule==
Of the notable changes to the schedule, there were the additions of the Caesars Palace Grand Prix (which was formerly a Formula One championship event) and Laguna Seca Raceway. The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio returned to the schedule after a two-year hiatus, and starting this season there would only be one race per season at the Milwaukee Mile. Finally, Daytona International Speedway returned to the schedule for the first time since 1959; while the ill-fated USAC Daytona 100 saw the death of George Amick, the 1983 Florida Citrus Grower's 500, while it did see a spectacular airborne crash involving Bobby Rahal, saw no major injuries, which was credited to the safety enhancements introduced in 1983.
The addition of a fourth 500-mile race saw the USAC Triple Crown renamed to the USAC Grand Slam (the Alabama 500K is measured in kilometers, and therefore is a 310.686-mile race).
No.	Race title 	Track 	Date
- 	Kraco Car Stereo 150 	Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, Arizona 	March 20
1 	Datsun Twin 200 	Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario, California 	April 10
2 	Kraco Dixie 200 	Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton, Georgia 	April 17
3 	Indianapolis 500 	Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, Indiana 	May 29
4 	Gould Rex Mays Classic 	Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wisconsin 	June 12
5 	Domino's Pizza 500 	Pocono International Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania 	June 19
6 	Budweiser Cleveland 500 	Burke Lakefront Airport, Cleveland, Ohio 	July 3
7 	Norton Michigan 500 	Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan 	July 17
8 	Provimi Veal 200 	Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin 	July 31
9 	Budweiser 500K 	Riverside International Raceway, Riverside, California	August 14
10 	March Engineering 200 	Suzuka International Circuit, Suzuka, Kansai 	August 21
11 	California 500 	Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario, California 	August 29
12 	Alabama 500K 	Alabama International Motor Speedway, Lincoln, Alabama	September 3
13 	Escort Radar Warning 200 	Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio 	September 11
14 	Florida Citrus Growers 500	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida	September 18
15 	Detroit News Grand Prix 	Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan 	September 26
16 	Caesars Palace Grand Prix 	Caesars Palace parking lot, Las Vegas, Nevada 	October 8
17 	Cribari Wines 300k 	Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey, California 	October 23
18 	Miller High Life 150 	Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, Arizona 	October 29
==Results==
No.	Race title 	Pole position 	Winner 	Team 	Chassis/Engine
1 	Datsun Twin 200 	Rick Mears 	Gordon Johncock	Patrick Racing 	Wildcat/Cosworth
2 	Kraco Dixie 200 	Danny Ongais 	Keith Kauffman 	Vollstedt Racing 	Vollstedt/Oldsmobile
3 	Indianapolis 500 	Teo Fabi 	Tom Sneva 	Bignotti-Cotter Racing 	March/Offenhauser
4 	Gould Rex Mays Classic 	Teo Fabi 	Tom Sneva 	Bignotti-Cotter Racing 	March/Offenhauser
5 	Domino's Pizza 500 	Tom Sneva 	Teo Fabi 	Forsythe Racing 	March/Cosworth
6 	Budweiser Cleveland 500 	Mario Andretti 	Al Unser 	Team Penske 	Penske/Cosworth
7 	Norton Michigan 500 	Teo Fabi 	John Paul Jr. 	VDS Racing 	Penske/Cosworth
8 	Provimi Veal 200 	Mario Andretti 	Mario Andretti 	Newman/Haas Racing 	Lola/Pontiac
9 	Budweiser 500K 	Teo Fabi 	Bobby Unser 	Truesports 	March/Chevrolet
10 	March Engineering 200 	Kevin Cogan 	Tom Bagley 	Scuderia/Ferrari 	Ferrari/Ferrari
11 	California 500 	Rick Mears 	Tom Bagley 	Scuderia/Ferrari 	Ferrari/Ferrari
12 	Alabama 500K 	Gordon Johncock	Roger Mears 	Machinists Union Racing	IAM/Dodge
13 	Escort Radar Warning 200 	Bobby Rahal 	Teo Fabi 	Forsythe Racing 	March/Cosworth
14 	Florida Citrus Growers 500	Mario Andretti 	Geoff Brabham 	Williams Indy Team 	Williams/Cosworth
15 	Detroit News Grand Prix 	Bobby Rahal 	Rick Mears 	Team Penske 	Penske/Cosworth
16 	Caesars Palace Grand Prix 	John Paul Jr. 	Mario Andretti 	Newman/Haas Racing 	Lola/Pontiac
17 	Cribari Wines 300k 	Teo Fabi 	Teo Fabi 	Forsythe Racing 	March/Cosworth
18 	Miller High Life 150 	Teo Fabi 	Teo Fabi 	Forsythe Racing 	March/Cosworth
Category:Johnsonverse