California 500
VenueOntario Motor Speedway
First race1970
Last race1980
Distance500 mi (800 km)
Laps200
Most wins (driver)Bobby Unser (4)
Most wins (team)Eagle (3)
Most wins (manufacturer)Chassis: All American Racers (3)
Engine: Offenhauser (4)
Cosworth (4)

The California 500 was a USAC, and later CART, race held at Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California. The event represented a continuous lineage of open wheel oval racing in Southern California that dates back to 1970.

History

Open wheel oval racing in southern California dated back to the USAC California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California, held from 1970 to 1978. The race was part of IndyCar racing's "triple crown," and at its inception, was held in high prestige. The inaugural running was considered a huge success, with 187,000 in attendance. However, it became a CART event in 1979 and the track fell into financial troubles in 1980, closing at the end of that year. Subsequent runnings were never able to match the success of the 1970 event.[1]

Indy car races were also held at nearby Riverside, but only from 1967–1969 (prior to the opening of Ontario) in 1970 and again from 1981–1983 (after Ontario closed in 1980).[2]

Race results

Season Date Driver Team Chassis Engine Race Distance Race Time Average Speed
(mph)		 Report
Laps Miles (km)
USAC Championship Car
1970 September 6 United States Jim McElreath A. J. Foyt Enterprises Coyote Ford 200 500 (804.672) 3:07:22 160.106 Report
1971 September 5 United States Joe Leonard Vel's Parnelli Jones Colt Ford 200 500 (804.672) 3:16:55 152.354 Report
1972 September 3 United States Roger McCluskey Lindsay Hopkins McLaren Offy 200 500 (804.672) 3:17:58 151.54 Report
1973 September 2 United States Wally Dallenbach Sr. Patrick Racing Eagle Offy 200 500 (804.672) 3:10:17 157.66 Report
1974 March 10 United States Bobby Unser All American Racers Eagle Offy 200 500 (804.672) 3:11:04 157.017 Report
1975 March 9 United States A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Enterprises Coyote Foyt 200 500 (804.672) 3:14:22 154.344 Report
1976 September 5 United States Bobby Unser All American Racers Eagle Offy 200 500 (804.672) 3:29:26 143.246 Report
1977 September 4 United States Al Unser Vel's Parnelli Jones Parnelli Cosworth 200 500 (804.672) 3:17:16 154.687 Report
1978 September 3 United States Al Unser Chaparral Racing Chaparral Cosworth 200 500 (804.672) 3:26:40 145.158 Report
CART Championship Car
1979 September 2 United States Bobby Unser Penske Racing Penske Cosworth 200 500 (804.672) 3:24:22 146.794 Report
1980 August 31 United States Bobby Unser Penske Racing Penske Cosworth 200 500 (804.672) 3:11:51 156.372 Report

References

  1. ↑ "Circuits of the Past: Ontario Motor Speedway". circuitsofthepast.com. 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Ontario Motor Speedway". motorsportmagazine.com. December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
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