1962 USAC Road Racing Championship season
Encyclopedia
The 1962 USAC Road Racing Championship season was the fifth and final season of the USAC Road Racing Championship
. It began April 1, 1962, and ended October 21, 1962, after five races. The series was contested for Formula Libre
at the first two rounds, and sports cars
at the final three rounds. Roger Penske
won the season championship.
USAC Road Racing Championship
The USAC Road Racing Championship was a sports car racing series in the United States held from 1958 until 1962. The series was organized by the United States Auto Club as a fully professional alternative to the Sports Car Club of America's SCCA National Sports Car...
. It began April 1, 1962, and ended October 21, 1962, after five races. The series was contested for Formula Libre
Formula Libre
Formula Libre is a form of automobile racing allowing a wide variety of types, ages and makes of purpose-built racing cars to compete "head to head". This can make for some interesting matchups, and provides the opportunity for some compelling driving performances against superior machinery...
at the first two rounds, and sports cars
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
at the final three rounds. Roger Penske
Roger Penske
Roger S. Penske is the owner of the automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive related businesses. A winning racer in the late 1950s, Penske was named 1961's Sports Car Club of America Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated...
won the season championship.
Calendar
| Rnd | Race | Length | Circuit | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pipeline 200 | 200 mi (321.9 km) | Hilltop Raceway | Bossier City, Louisiana Bossier City, Louisiana Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the... |
April 1 |
| 2 | Hoosier Grand Prix | 200 mi (321.9 km) | Indianapolis Raceway Park | Clermont, Indiana Clermont, Indiana Clermont is a town in Pike and Wayne townships of Marion County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,356 at the 2010 census. It has existed as an "included town" since 1970, when it was incorporated into Indianapolis as part of Unigov. It is legally part of Indianapolis, while retaining a... |
June 29 |
| 3 | Pacific North West Grand Prix 200 | 200 mi (321.9 km) | Pacific Raceways Pacific Raceways Pacific Raceways is a mixed-use road racing facility near Kent, Washington. The race track was constructed in 1959 and opened in 1960. The track was originally named Pacific Raceways, then became known as Seattle International Raceways in 1976... |
Kent, Washington Kent, Washington Kent is a city located in King County, Washington, United States, and is the third largest city in King County and the sixth largest in the state. An outlying suburb of Seattle, Kent is also the corporate home for companies such as REI and Oberto Sausage... |
July 2 |
| 3 | Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country.... presents the Grand Prix for Sports Cars Los Angeles Times Grand Prix The Los Angeles Times Grand Prix was a sports car race held at the Riverside International Raceway. The race was held throughout the track's existence, from 1957 until 1987. The race was sponsored by the Los Angeles Times to raise money for its charities. The Special Events director was Glenn... |
200 mi (321.9 km) | Riverside International Raceway Riverside International Raceway Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989... |
Riverside, California Riverside, California Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California... |
October 14 |
| 4 | Pacific Grand Prix 200 Monterey Grand Prix The Monterey Grand Prix was an auto race held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The race was first held as a USAC Road Racing Championship event, following the success of the SCCA's Pebble Beach Road Races. After USAC's road racing series disbanded in 1962, the race became a non-championship race for... |
200 mi (321.9 km) | Laguna Seca Raceway | Monterey, California Monterey, California The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of... |
October 21 |
Season results
| Rnd | Circuit | Winning Team | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Driver(s) | |||
| 1 | Hilltop | #96 Frank Arciero | Results |
 Dan GurneyDan Gurney Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager... |
|||
| 2 | IRP | #66 Chaparral Cars | Results |
| Jim Hall |
|||
| 3 | Kent Pacific Raceways Pacific Raceways is a mixed-use road racing facility near Kent, Washington. The race track was constructed in 1959 and opened in 1960. The track was originally named Pacific Raceways, then became known as Seattle International Raceways in 1976... |
#96 Frank Arciero | Results |
| Dan Gurney Dan Gurney Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager... |
|||
| 4 | Riverside Riverside International Raceway Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989... |
#6 Updraught Enterprises, Inc. | Results |
| Roger Penske Roger Penske Roger S. Penske is the owner of the automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive related businesses. A winning racer in the late 1950s, Penske was named 1961's Sports Car Club of America Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated... |
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| 5 | Laguna Seca Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, originally constructed in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, USA.... |
#6 Updraught Enterprises, Inc. | Results |
| Roger Penske Roger Penske Roger S. Penske is the owner of the automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive related businesses. A winning racer in the late 1950s, Penske was named 1961's Sports Car Club of America Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated... |