Thanks for making this video. I grew up in Ontario as a little boy back in the 70's. I sure miss Ontario Motor Speedway . I went the 1st California 500 Indy Race. I only missed going to one California 500 Race. The City of Ontario had a California 500 Parade each Saturday morning before Sundays California 500 Race with all the race drivers in the parade . I got Mario Andretti's and Mark Donohue's autograph at the parade.( I still have there autographs ) Watching this video sure brings back beautiful memories .🏁🏎🏎🏎🏎🏎🏎🏎🏎
I was sitting high top turn 1 bleachers as a wide eyed 7 year old kid for the Bettenhausen Milwaukee Fair race, lived 2miles away. Heaven on earth with the track, the fair, the concerts held every night.
When the track was built it was almost an exact duplicate of Indy. The only difference was that there was more banking in the turns. In fact, this was where the first 200 mph run in an Indy car happened.
I sold programs on this day!!! Made enough money to pay for my college tuition and books for an entire year. I was at main gate ! Saw lots of celebrities!
@@rkyhutch one of my all all time faves, McElreath in Foyt backup ride. I still think Foyt “crashed” on purpose at the end. Watch it closely…he just kinda laid it in there
I have never understood where the Indy 500 cars were driving when they weren't in Indianapolis? there was an alternative championship like what was later called Champ Car? or they simply didn't raced them? I have read about the Formula 5000 and the Atlantic's series but I have read about some these races and I couldn't find guys like Donohue, Bettenhausen or Gordon Johncock and Penske wasn't there too Pleasr explain to a big Motorsports fan from Spain sorry about my english, cheers
champcarstats.com will be your friend :) Most seasons going back 60+ years, there was a championship consisting of about 15 races. From 1955-1978, the National Championship, for Championship "Champ" Cars was sanctioned by USAC. Up until the beginning of CART in 1979, most of these races were on ovals, and until 1971 some races were on dirt ovals. Until the "roadsters" arrived around 1953, the dirt-style cars were used everywhere. After that, teams would have a dirt car and a pavement car if they were running the full schedule. And then once the dirt tracks were removed from the schedule, teams could run their Indianapolis car at all races on the schedule.
@@stevenkilsdonk2046 tl:dr there's always been a national championship/indycar championship going back to 1920. the cars that ran indy ran the other pavement races on the schedule as the series up to 1970 was a mix of paved tracks and dirt ovals. the AAA/USAC championship "big car/champ car" trail.
In 1970, as explain and shown in the video, USAC hels a full “championship car season (low slung rear engines). They also continued to run “championship dirt” series seperately for a couple of years. USAC also ran sprints, midgets, and my personal favorite..the stock car division.
Thanks for making this video.
I grew up in Ontario as a little boy back in the 70's.
I sure miss Ontario Motor Speedway .
I went the 1st California 500 Indy Race. I only missed going to one California 500 Race.
The City of Ontario had a California 500 Parade each Saturday morning before Sundays California 500 Race with all the race drivers in the parade .
I got Mario Andretti's and Mark Donohue's autograph at the parade.( I still have there autographs )
Watching this video sure brings back beautiful memories .🏁🏎🏎🏎🏎🏎🏎🏎🏎
I was sitting high top turn 1 bleachers as a wide eyed 7 year old kid for the Bettenhausen Milwaukee Fair race, lived 2miles away. Heaven on earth with the track, the fair, the concerts held every night.
When the track was built it was almost an exact duplicate of Indy. The only difference was that there was more banking in the turns. In fact, this was where the first 200 mph run in an Indy car happened.
I sold programs on this day!!! Made enough money to pay for my college tuition and books for an entire year. I was at main gate ! Saw lots of celebrities!
Which race?
The inaugural California 500! Jim McElreath won it!
@@rkyhutch one of my all all time faves, McElreath in Foyt backup ride. I still think Foyt “crashed” on purpose at the end. Watch it closely…he just kinda laid it in there
Hey FABULOUS FIFTIES…..this is 1970. And it too was FABULOUS
Thank you! Great Track! Should of held this event earlier in the year due too excessive heat in Sept
Which race? I was at the Milwaukee race and I still remember baking in the bleachers
They moved the California 500 to March a couple times in the mid-70s. Not sure how much it helped.
6:55 the Maxson Epperly front engine roadster
Thank you!!
Thanks!
I have never understood where the Indy 500 cars were driving when they weren't in Indianapolis? there was an alternative championship like what was later called Champ Car? or they simply didn't raced them? I have read about the Formula 5000 and the Atlantic's series but I have read about some these races and I couldn't find guys like Donohue, Bettenhausen or Gordon Johncock and Penske wasn't there too
Pleasr explain to a big Motorsports fan from Spain
sorry about my english, cheers
champcarstats.com will be your friend :) Most seasons going back 60+ years, there was a championship consisting of about 15 races. From 1955-1978, the National Championship, for Championship "Champ" Cars was sanctioned by USAC. Up until the beginning of CART in 1979, most of these races were on ovals, and until 1971 some races were on dirt ovals. Until the "roadsters" arrived around 1953, the dirt-style cars were used everywhere. After that, teams would have a dirt car and a pavement car if they were running the full schedule. And then once the dirt tracks were removed from the schedule, teams could run their Indianapolis car at all races on the schedule.
@@stevenkilsdonk2046 tl:dr there's always been a national championship/indycar championship going back to 1920. the cars that ran indy ran the other pavement races on the schedule as the series up to 1970 was a mix of paved tracks and dirt ovals. the AAA/USAC championship "big car/champ car" trail.
I know this reply is old, but go here, and then click on each YEAR on the left side: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_USAC_Championship_Car_seasons
In 1970, as explain and shown in the video, USAC hels a full “championship car season (low slung rear engines). They also continued to run “championship dirt” series seperately for a couple of years. USAC also ran sprints, midgets, and my personal favorite..the stock car division.
I was there
Andretti couldn't put on his own sunglasses at the end?
They sound like nascar