What Is 1960 USAC Road Racing Championship

Overview

The 1960 USAC Road Racing Championship was part of a brief but ambitious attempt by the United States Auto Club to establish a national sports car racing series. While USAC was best known for open-wheel racing, particularly the Indianapolis 500, it ventured into road racing to compete with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and attract sports car enthusiasts.

The 1960 season featured a mix of professional drivers and privateers competing in modified production cars and purpose-built sports racers. Despite strong regional interest and high-caliber circuits, the series struggled with inconsistent participation and limited media coverage, ultimately leading to its discontinuation after 1962.

• Riverside International Raceway hosted the season opener in March 1960, drawing a field of over 30 entries across multiple classes.
• The championship included six official rounds, with events spaced from the West Coast to the Northeast, including tracks like Lime Rock and Marlboro.
• Classes were divided by engine displacement and vehicle type, including categories for under 1.5L, 1.5–3.0L, and over 3.0L engines.
• Notable participants included Augie Pabst and Chuck Daigh, both of whom had backgrounds in international sports car competition.
• The series used a points system where only a driver’s best five finishes counted toward the final championship standings.

How It Works

The championship operated under a structured set of rules governing vehicle eligibility, scoring, and event formats, aiming to balance competition and safety. Each race typically lasted between 50 and 100 miles, with most run on permanent road courses rather than street circuits.

• Eligibility:Only vehicles meeting USAC's technical specifications could compete, including production-based sports cars and modified sedans.
• Scoring System: Points were awarded based on finishing position, with 8 points for first, 6 for second, and 4 for third.
• Class Structure: Cars were grouped into five engine displacement classes to ensure fair competition across different performance levels.
• Event Format: Most races were single heats lasting under 90 minutes, with rolling starts and no pit stops required.
• Driver Licensing: Competitors needed a USAC-issued racing license, which required prior experience and safety certification.
• Championship Tiebreakers: In the event of a tie, the driver with the most race wins was awarded the title.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 1960 USAC Road Racing Championship with its main contemporary, the SCCA National Sports Car Championship.

The SCCA series enjoyed greater longevity and participation, partly due to deeper grassroots involvement and more frequent events. In contrast, the USAC series struggled to gain traction despite higher prize money in some races. The smaller schedule and limited promotion contributed to its short lifespan, while the SCCA evolved into what is now IMSA.

Why It Matters

Though short-lived, the 1960 USAC Road Racing Championship represents an important chapter in American motorsport history, reflecting the era’s experimentation with national racing series beyond IndyCar. It highlighted the challenges of competing with established organizations like the SCCA and underscored the importance of grassroots support.

• The series demonstrated USAC’s attempt to diversify beyond open-wheel racing during a period of growing interest in sports cars.
• It provided a competitive platform for drivers who later moved into Formula 1 or endurance racing.
• The use of multi-class racing influenced later series formats, including IMSA and modern GT racing.
• Some of the circuits used, like Riverside, became iconic in American motorsport history.
• The championship’s failure illustrated the difficulty of launching a national series without strong sponsor or manufacturer backing.
• Historical records of the series are now valuable for motorsport archivists and vintage racing enthusiasts.

The 1960 USAC Road Racing Championship may not have endured, but it remains a testament to the dynamic and competitive nature of American motorsport in the early 1960s.