1975 SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship

The 1975 SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship was the ninth running of the Sports Car Club of America's professional open wheel automobile racing series and the second to be sanctioned jointly by the Sports Car Club of America and the United States Automobile Club.[1] The championship was open to cars complying with the SCCA's 5 liter (305 cid) American stock block engine specifications and to cars complying with the USAC's 161 cid turbocharged, 255 cid DOHC or 320 cid stock block engine regulations.[2]

The 1975 SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship was won by Brian Redman driving a Lola T332 Chevrolet.[3]

In light of the Can Am Series' folding the previous year, the Formula 5000 Championship became the SCCA's flagship series in 1975. However, only two years later, the Formula 5000 category would form the basis for a revived Can Am Series. After 1975, Lola's dominance would end as March and Shadow cars would win events the following year. It would also be the end of Chevrolet's several year sweep of the championship as an engine manufacturer, as a Dodge powered car would garner a victory in 1976.

Calendar

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1975 champion Brian Redman (pictured in 1969)

The 1975 SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship was contested over a nine race series.[2]

Race Date Race name Location Distance Winning driver Winning vehicle Report
1 June 1 Purolator 5000 Pocono International Raceway 35 laps   Brian Redman Lola T332Chevrolet V8
2 June 15 Labatt's Blue 5000 Mosport Park 40 laps   Mario Andretti Lola T332Chevrolet V8
3 July 13 Watkins Glen International 30 laps   Brian Redman Lola T332Chevrolet V8
4 July 27 Road America 25 laps   Mario Andretti Lola T332Chevrolet V8
5 August 10 Buckeye Cup[4] Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 42 laps   Brian Redman Lola T332Chevrolet V8
6 August 31 Atlanta Grand Prix Road Atlanta 40 laps   Al Unser Lola T332Chevrolet V8
7 September 28 Long Beach Grand Prix Long Beach, California 50 laps   Brian Redman Lola T332Chevrolet V8 1975
8 October 12 Monterey Grand Prix Laguna Seca Raceway 50 laps   Mario Andretti Lola T332Chevrolet V8
9 October 26 California Grand Prix Riverside International Raceway 40 laps   Mario Andretti Lola T332Chevrolet V8

Points system

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Championship points were awarded on a 36-24-16-12-8-5-4-3-2-1 basis for the first ten positions in each race.[2]

Championship standings

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Position [5] Driver [5] Car [5] Points [5]
1   Brian Redman Lola T332 Chevrolet
Lola T400 Chevrolet
227
2   Mario Andretti Lola T332 Chevrolet 165
3   Al Unser Lola T332 Chevrolet 161
4   Jackie Oliver Shadow DN6 Chevrolet
Shadow DN6 Dodge
77
5   Eppie Wietzes Lola T400 Chevrolet 60
6   David Hobbs Lola T332 Chevrolet 50
7   Warwick Brown Talon MR1A Chevrolet 42
8   Vern Schuppan Eagle Chevrolet 39
9   B.J. Swanson Lola T332 Chevrolet 32
10   Tony Brise Lola T332 Chevrolet 17
11   John Morton Lola T332 Chevrolet
Lola T400 Chevrolet
15
12   John Cannon March 731/751 Chevrolet 13
13   Elliott Forbes-Robinson Lola T332 Chevrolet 12
=   Chris Amon Talon MR1 Chevrolet 12
=   John Woodner Lola T400 Chevrolet
Talon MR1 Chevrolet
12
16   Evan Noyes Lola T332 Chevrolet 10
17   Jerry Karl Lola T332 Chevrolet 7
=   John Gunn Lola T332 Chevrolet 7
=   Tony Dean Chevron B28 Chevrolet 7
=   Graham McRae Lola T332 Chevrolet 7
21   Danny Ongais Lola T400 Chevrolet
Lola T332 Chevrolet
5
=   Bobby Unser Eagle Chevrolet 5
=   Gordon Johncock Lola T332 Chevrolet 5
24   Tuck Thomas Lola T332 Chevrolet 4
25   Bob Earle Lola T330 Chevrolet 3
26   James Dunkel Chevron B24 Chevrolet 2
=   Roger Bighouse Chevron B24 Chevrolet 2
28   Dan Furey Lola T330 AMC 1
=   Skeeter McKitterick Chevron B24/B28 Chevrolet 1
=   Randy Lewis Lola T332 Chevrolet 1

References

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  1. ^ 1967-1974, myf5000.com Retrieved on 22 May 2014
  2. ^ a b c Facts Sheet, www.myf5000.com Retrieved on 22 May 2014
  3. ^ Gordon Kirby, The Season in the USA, Automobiles Year 1975/76, pages 173 to 182
  4. ^ "1975 Mid-Ohio F5000". Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d Wolfgang Kopfler, 1975 Formula 5000 Championship, Formula A and Formula 5000 in America - Race by Race, 2003, page 90
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