1980 CART Series

The field has finished qualifying for the 4th race of the season the True Value 500 at the Pocono International Raceway.

Larry Cannon won the pole, with a time of 60.469 seconds, beating Johnny Rutherford by 0.027 seconds.

Other Noticeables:
Larry Cannon won his 1st pole of the year,
Cannon won his 1st career pole in the CART Series in his 6th start,
Johnny Rutherford, who will start 2nd, has a 565 point lead over Gordon Johncock

1.95-Larry Cannon
2.4-Johnny Rutherford
3.9-Tom Sneva
4.11-Bobby Unser
5.41-Bill Alsup
6.28-Herm Johnson
7.29-Billy Engelhart
8.81-Lee Kunzman
9.24-Sheldon Kinser
10.14-A.J. Foyt
11.34-Vern Schuppan
12.47-Phil Caliva
13.43-Howdy Holmes
14.1-Rick Mears
15.30-Phil Threshie
16.25-Danny Ongais
17.5-Al Unser
18.59-Joe Saldana
19.37-John Martin
20.7-Jerry Sneva
21.2-Billy Vukovich Jr.
22.10-Pancho Carter
23.48-Mike Mosley
24.38-Jerry Karl
25.12-Mario Andretti
26.8-Dick Simon
27.40-Tom Bagley
28.66-Roger Rager
29.46-Gary Bettenhausen
30.18-Dennis Firestone
31.86-Al Loquasto
32.97-Jim McElreath
33.32-Tony Bettenhausen Jr

Race #4 - True Value 500

The CART Series made their 4th stop of 1980 at the Pocono International Raceway, in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, for the inaugural True Value 500.

Larry Cannon led a field of thirty three drivers to the green as for the first time in the CART Series history, drivers raced at the Pocono International Raceway. Heading off into turn 1, points leader Johnny Rutherford made a three wide pass and would go on to lead the first ever lap at the track. The race turned out to be a great one for the fans in attendance as battles for the leads, wrecks and and a surprise winner with cap off the day. Rutherford would lead much of the first part of the race before Bobby Unser would have his turn at the lead, but he would fall back after being in a early wreck that knocked his wing off the back of his car as well as mechanical problems later in the race.

Up front Bill Alsup would work his way up and with less then seventy to go, he would take the lead and despite two late cautions that led to a one lap shootout, Alsup would hold on and score his first career CART Series win.

Other Noticeables:
Bill Alsup scored his 1st win of the year,
Alsup led 1 time for 65 laps, which were the final 65 laps,
It was the 1st win of his career in the CART Series in his 16th start,
Tony Bettenhausen Jr, who finished 21st, made his CART Series debut,
Johnny Rutherford, who finished 15th, kept his points lead, leading Pancho Carter by 212 points

1.41-Bill Alsup (65 laps led)
2.10-Pancho Carter
3.24-Sheldon Kinser (41 laps led)
4.95-Larry Cannon
5.34-Vern Schuppan
6.43-Howdy Holmes
7.81-Lee Kunzman
8.9-Tom Sneva-1 lap
9.12-Mario Andretti-1 lap
10.1-Rick Mears-1 lap
11.38-Jerry Karl-1 lap
12.7-Jerry Sneva-1 lap
13.29-Billy Engelhart-1 lap
14.5-Al Unser-1 lap
15.4-Johnny Rutherford-2 laps (41 laps led)
16.14-A.J. Foyt-2 laps
17.25-Danny Ongais-2 laps
18.37-John Martin-2 laps
19.40-Tom Bagley-2 laps
20.59-Joe Saldana-3 laps
21.32-Tony Bettenhausen Jr-3 laps
22.2-Billy Vukovich Jr.-3 laps
23.18-Dennis Firestone-3 laps
24.48-Mike Mosley-3 laps
25.28-Herm Johnson-4 laps (Accident)
26.66-Roger Rager-4 laps
27.30-Phil Threshie-4 laps
28.86-Al Loquasto-5 laps
29.97-Jim McElreath-5 laps
30.11-Bobby Unser-15 laps (Header) (53 laps led)
31.46-Gary Bettenhausen-23 laps (Camshaft)
32.8-Dick Simon-71 laps (Camshaft)
33.47-Phil Caliva-146 laps (Valve)

Larry Cannon-Pole
Johnny Rutherford-1-33
Sheldon Kinser-34
Johnny Rutherford-35-36
Bobby Unser-37-61
Sheldon Kinser-62-69
Johnny Rutherford-70-72
Bobby Unser-73-100
Sheldon Kinser-101-104
Johnny Rutherford-105-107
Sheldon Kinser-108-135
Bill Alsup-136-200

10 Lead Changes among 4 drivers

Caution Flags: 5 for 20 laps
Lap 36 (Cars #8 and 18 Spin Turn 3),
Lap 106 (Car #11 Spin Turn 1),
Lap 130 (Car #8 Stalled Turn 1),
Lap 189 (Car #7 Spin Turn 2),
Lap 195 (Cars #28 and 29 Accident Turn 1)

Margin of Victory: 0.437 Seconds

Time of Race: 4 Hours, 1 Minute and 31 Seconds

The field has finished qualifying for the 5th race of the season the Red Roof Inns 250 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Vern Schuppan won the pole, with a time of 96.455 seconds, beating Johnny Rutherford by 0.080 seconds.

Other Noticeables:
Vern Schuppan won his 1st pole of the year,
Schuppan won his 1st career pole in the CART Series in his 10th start,
Johnny Rutherford, who will start 2nd, has a 212 point lead over Pancho Carter

1.34-Vern Schuppan
2.4-Johnny Rutherford
3.41-Bill Alsup
4.20-Gordon Johncock
5.97-Roger Mears
6.61-Tom Gloy
7.5-Al Unser
8.9-Tom Sneva
9.82-Rick Muther
10.10-Pancho Carter
11.1-Rick Mears
12.25-Danny Ongais
13.47-Phil Caliva
14.11-Bobby Unser
15.65-Bill Tempero
16.46-Gary Bettenhausen
17.43-Howdy Holmes
18.66-Roger Rager
19.21-Tim Richmond
20.37-John Martin
21.42-John Wood
22.92-John Mahler
23.24-Sheldon Kinser
24.38-Jerry Karl

Race #5 - Red Roof Inns 250

The CART Series made their 5th stop of 1980 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, in Lexington, Ohio, for the inaugural Red Roof Inns 250.

Vern Schuppan led a field of twenty four drivers to the green as drivers raced for the first time at the Mid-Ohio track in Ohio but it would be points leader Johnny Rutherford who would lead the first lap. Much like Rutherford did at Indy earlier in the season, Rutherford's Chaparral Racing car was unstoppable as he would lose the lead only during a round of pitstops and would go on to score his third win of 1980.

Other Noticeables:
Johnny Rutherford scored his 3rd win of the year,
Rutherford led 2 times for 64 laps, including the final 18 laps,
It was the 4th win of his career in the CART Series and his first since Indianapolis; 3 races ago,
Tom Gloy, who finished 3rd, made his CART Series debut,
Johnny Rutherford, who finished 1st, kept his points lead, leading Pancho Carter by 422 points

1.4-Johnny Rutherford (64 laps led)
2.20-Gordon Johncock
3.61-Tom Gloy (1 lap led)
4.41-Bill Alsup
5.34-Vern Schuppan
6.97-Roger Mears
7.10-Pancho Carter
8.82-Rick Muther
9.66-Roger Rager
10.1-Rick Mears
11.9-Tom Sneva
12.47-Phil Caliva
13.11-Bobby Unser
14.65-Bill Tempero
15.5-Al Unser
16.46-Gary Bettenhausen-1 lap
17.43-Howdy Holmes-1 lap
18.92-John Mahler-1 lap
19.24-Sheldon Kinser-1 lap
20.21-Tim Richmond-1 lap
21.25-Danny Ongais-1 lap
22.42-John Wood-1 lap
23.37-John Martin-45 laps (Piston)
24.38-Jerry Karl-47 laps (Piston)

Vern Schuppan-Pole
Johnny Rutherford-1-46
Tom Gloy-47
Johnny Rutherford-48-65

2 Lead Changes among 2 drivers

Caution Flags: 1 for 2 laps
Lap 19 (Car #38 Stalled Turn 1)

Margin of Victory: 16.356 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 56 Minutes and 21 Seconds