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.
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).
Race results SeasonDateDriverTeamChassisEngineRace DistanceRace TimeAverage Speed(mph)Report Laps Miles (km)USAC Championship Car1970 September 6 Jim McElreath A. J. Foyt Enterprises Coyote Ford200500 (804.672)3:07:22160.106 Report1971 September 5 Joe Leonard Vel's Parnelli Jones Colt Ford200500 (804.672)3:16:55152.354 Report1972 September 3 Roger McCluskey Lindsey Hopkins Racing McLaren Offy200500 (804.672)3:17:58151.54 Report1973 September 2 Wally Dallenbach Sr. Patrick Racing Eagle Offy200500 (804.672)3:10:17157.66 Report1974 March 10 Bobby Unser All American Racers Eagle Offy200500 (804.672)3:11:04157.017 Report1975 March 9 A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Enterprises Coyote Foyt200500 (804.672)3:14:22154.344 Report1976 September 5 Bobby Unser All American Racers Eagle Offy200500 (804.672)3:29:26143.246 Report1977 September 4 Al Unser Vel's Parnelli Jones Parnelli Cosworth200500 (804.672)3:17:16154.687 Report1978 September 3 Al Unser Chaparral Racing Chaparral Cosworth200500 (804.672)3:26:40145.158 ReportCART Championship Car1979 September 2 Bobby Unser Penske Racing Penske Cosworth200500 (804.672)3:24:22146.794 Report1980 August 31 Bobby Unser Penske Racing Penske Cosworth200500 (804.672)3:11:51156.372 Report
References
External links Champ Car Stats: Ontario archive, Fontana archive Ultimate Racing History: Ontario archive,