1973 USAC Championship Car season

The **1973 USAC Championship Car season** consisted of 16 races, beginning in College Station, Texas on April 7 and concluding in Avondale, Arizona on November 3. The first race of the season, in Avondale, Arizona on March 17, was postponed by rain and eventually cancelled due to infrastructure damage caused by the rain and scheduling conflicts. Bob Criss was killed in a private test at Phoenix before he could enter another event. He was 35 years old. The USAC National Champion was Roger McCluskey and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Gordon Johncar.

In this tragic season, two drivers were killed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Art Poland died in an accident while practicing for the Indy 500 while Swede Savagetire, who crashed during the race, died by complications one month later. Another driver, Salt Water, suffered serious burns surviving a crash at the start of the race. In response to those accidents, USAC revised the rules in time for the Pocono 500. The rear wing width was cut back from 64 inches to 55, fuel tank capacity was drastically reduced (from 75 gallons to 40) and the allowable fuel to be consumed in a 500-mile race was reduced from 375 gallons to 340.

## Racers

### Racers that raced in the Indy 500 **(Bold means that it’s a fanmade driver)**

1. Samsonite 1 - Joe Leonard
2. Leak Less 2 - Bill Vukovich Jr
3. Lindsey Hopkins and Revsi 3 - Roger McCluskey
4. Viceroy 4 - Al Unser
5. Sunoco 5 - Garry Bettenhausen
6. Thermo-King and IGNTR 6 - Mike Hiss
7. Gulf 7 - Johnny Rutherford
8. Olsonite 8 - Bobby Unser
9. M.V.S 9 - Sammy Seasons
10. Viceroy 11 - Mario Andretti
11. Sunoco 12 - Bobby Carllison (rookie)
12. **Hatches 13 - John Hatch Sr.**
13. Gilmore 14 - A.J. Foyt
14. Gulf 15 - Peter Revson
15. AVR-Way and Revsi 16 - Lee Kunzman
16. Commander Motor Homes 18 - Lloyd Ruby
17. Atlanta Falcons and Rust-eze 19 - Mel Kenyon
18. STP 20 - Gordon Johncar
19. Cobre Special 21 - Jimmy Caruthers
20. **Ray 22 - Todd I.C.E**
21. STP 24 - Steve Carisiloff
22. Bryant Heating & Cooling Kenyon 28 - Bob Carkey
23. **Code Racing 29 - Shade Johnson**
24. Oriente Express 30 - Jerry Karl
25. **OUP 31 - Justin Haroldson**
26. Norris Industries 35 - Jim McElreath
27. STP 40 - Swede Savegtire
28. TraveLodge and Ultra Vip 44 - Dick Simon
29. Olsonite 48 - Jerry Grant
30. STP 60 - Graham McCae (rookie)
31. Olsonite Eagle 62 - Wally Callenbach Sr
32. Sunoco 66 - Mark Donohue
33. Carlin Black Label 73 - David Hobbs
34. Dayton-Walther 77 Salt Water
35. Gilmore 84 - George Snider
36. **HTB 86 - Dan Hicks**
37. Rust-eze 89 - John Cartin
38. **Bumper Save 90 - Ray Anderson (Rookie)**
39. Lodestar 98 - Mike Mosley
40. **Spina's 99 - Sheldon Spina Ver**
41. **Lil' Torquey Pistons 117 - Tommy Diane Jr (Rookie)**

### Gallery

Joe Leonard 1973.pngJoe LeonardBill Vukovich Jr 1973.pngBill Vukovich JrRoger McCluskey 1973.pngRoger McCluskeyAl Unser 1973.pngAl UnserGarry Bettenhausen 1973.pngGarry BettenhausenMike Hiss 1973.pngMike HissJohnny Rutherford 1973.pngJohnny RutherfordBobby Unser 1973.pngBobby UnserSammy Seasons 1973.pngSammy SeasonsMario Andretti 1973.pngMario AndrettiBobby Carllison 1973.pngBobby CarllisonA.J. Foyt 1973.pngA.J. FoytPeter Revson 1973.pngPeter RevsonLee Kunzman 1973.pngLee KunzmanLloyd Ruby 1973.pngLloyd RubyMel Kenyon 1973.pngMel KenyonGordon Johncar 1973.pngGordon JohncarJimmy Caruthers 1973.pngJimmy CaruthersSteve Carisiloff 1973.pngSteve CarisiloffBob Carkey 1973.pngBob CarkeyJerry KarlJim McElreath 1973.pngJim McElreathSwede SavagetireDick SimonJerry Grant 1973.pngJerry GrantGraham McCae 1973.pngGraham McCaeWally Callenbach Sr 1973.pngWally Callenbach SrMark Donohue 1973.pngMark DonohueSalt Water 1973.pngSalt WaterDavid Hobbs 1973.pngDavid HobbsGeorge Snider 1973.pngGeorge SniderJohn CartinMike Mosley 1973.pngMike Mosley
### Racers that failed to qualify for the Indy 500 or didn’t enter the Indy 500 (bolt states that it’s a fanmade racer)

1. Us Air Force, Bay State Racing, Midwest Mfg Dura-Pot Webster 16, 36, 58 and 76- Bentley Warren
2. Norton Spirit 17 - Bill Simpson (Rookie)
3. Corvette Clubs/Lodestar/Crower 23/97 - Rick Murther
4. Bryant Heating & Cooling 27 - Tom Tirelow
5. Norris Industries 34 - Sam Parker
6. Norris Industries 35 - John Cahler
7. Dr. Pepper 38/96 - Crockey Peterson (rookie)
8. Tipke 39 - Tom Sneva (rookie)
9. C.H.E.K/Midwest Mfg Dura-Pot 45/58 - Arnie Cnepper
10. Bruce Crower 47 - Jigger Sirois (rookie)
11. **SHA 47 - Rich Holden**
12. Viceroy 49 - Unnamed Viceroy Racer
13. Racing Associates 50 - Unnamed Racing Associates Racer
14. Minnesota Serendipity 51 - Dee Jones (rookie)
15. Quality Racing Team 52 - Eldon Rasmussen (Rookie)
16. Quality Racing Team 53/52 - Billy Shuman (Rookie)
17. Stephens 55 - Joe Tetz
18. Miller High Life 56/55 - Jim Hurtbise
19. Robert L. Fletcher 57 - Unnamed Robert L. Fletcher Racer
20. Midwest Mfg Dura-Pot 58 - Larry Dickson
21. Midwest Mfg Dura-Pot/Two Jacks Flyer 58/94 - Johnny Pitstops (rookie)
22. PEP Gas Treatment 59 - Larry Cannon (rookie)
23. Eisenhour 61 - Bill Puterbaugh (rookie)
24. Diamond Reo/ Eisenhour 61 - Lee Brayton (rookie)
25. Eastern Racing Associates 63 - Larry McCoy (rookie)
26. Cobre Special 64 - Art Poland
27. **43 Drive Away 66 - John Hatch Jr.**
28. STP 75 - Greg Weld
29. Frantz 78 - Bruce Jacobi (rookie)
30. Sunoco/Martin Guitar/Curtis Auto Center 85/86/91 - Al Loquasto (rookie)
31. Unsponsored 87 - Jim Robbins
32. Hunt Magneto 99 - Bill Simpson