1958 USAC Road Racing Championship season
Encyclopedia
The 1958 USAC Road Racing Championship season was the inaugural season of the USAC Road Racing Championship
. The series was contested for sports cars
at three rounds (Lime Rock, Marlboro, and Riverside), and Formula Libre
at one round (Watkins Glen). It began September 7, 1958, and ended October 12, 1958, after four races. Dan Gurney
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...
. The series was contested for 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 three rounds (Lime Rock, Marlboro, and Riverside), and 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 one round (Watkins Glen). It began September 7, 1958, and ended October 12, 1958, after four races. 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...
won the season championship.
Calendar
| Rnd | Race | Length | Circuit | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lime Rock International Open | 140 mi (225.3 km) | Lime Rock Park Lime Rock Park Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner... |
Lakeville, Connecticut Lakeville, Connecticut Lakeville is a village and census-designated place in the town of Salisbury in Litchfield County, Connecticut, on Lake Wononskopomuc. The village includes Lakeville Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district represents about of the village center... |
September 7 |
| 2 | Marlboro Grand Prix | 76 mi (122.3 km) | Marlboro Motor Raceway Marlboro Motor Raceway Marlboro Motor Raceway is a now-defunct motorsports park located in Prince George's County, just outside Upper Marlboro, Maryland. MMR closed after the 1969 season and local Sports Car Club of America racing moved to the more advanced facility at Summit Point, West Virginia due to safety concerns... |
Upper Marlboro, Maryland Upper Marlboro, Maryland Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger.... |
September 21 |
| 3 | International 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... Grand Prix |
300 km (186.4 mi) | Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation... |
Watkins Glen, New York Watkins Glen, New York Watkins Glen is a village in Schuyler County, New York, United States. The population was 2,149 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Schuyler County.The Village of Watkins Glen lies on the border of the towns of Dix and Montour.... |
September 28 |
| 4 | United States 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 12 |
Season results
| Rnd | Circuit | Winning Team | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Driver | |||
| 1 | Lime Rock Lime Rock Park Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner... |
#49 Elisha Walker | Results |
 George ConstantineGeorge Constantine George Constantine was a racing driver from the United States. He participated in one Formula One Grand Prix, debuting on December 12, 1959. He scored 0 championship points.... |
|||
| 2 | Marlboro Marlboro Motor Raceway Marlboro Motor Raceway is a now-defunct motorsports park located in Prince George's County, just outside Upper Marlboro, Maryland. MMR closed after the 1969 season and local Sports Car Club of America racing moved to the more advanced facility at Summit Point, West Virginia due to safety concerns... |
#49 Elisha Walker | Results |
| George Constantine George Constantine George Constantine was a racing driver from the United States. He participated in one Formula One Grand Prix, debuting on December 12, 1959. He scored 0 championship points.... |
|||
| 3 | Watkins Glen Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation... |
#11 Jo Bonnier | Results |
 Jo Bonnier |
|||
| 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... |
#5 Reventhrow Automobile Incorporated Scarab (constructor) Scarab was an all-American open-wheel race car and sports car constructor from the USA featuring cars designed and built by Tom Barnes and Dick Troutman for Reventlow Automobiles Inc, owned by Lance Reventlow... |
Results 1958 United States Grand Prix for Sports Cars The 1958 United States Grand Prix for Sports Cars was a sports car race held at Riverside International Raceway on October 12, 1958. It was the fourth and final round of the 1958 USAC Road Racing Championship season, the seventeenth round of the Sports Car Club of America's Pacific Coast... |
| Chuck Daigh Chuck Daigh Chuck Daigh was an American racing car driver. He broke into Grand Prix racing through Lance Reventlow's Scarab team, through the virtue of being one of the resident engineers. Born in Long Beach, California, he participated in six World Championship Formula One races, debuting on May 29, 1960 and... |