200:
182:
156:
119:
20:
46:
399:
moved inside George Dyer for fifth place. The two cars moved inside of a lapped car and entered the turn three-wide. The lapped car squeezed Dyer down the track and his left-front wheel clipped Mears' right-rear wheel. Mears flipped over and tumbled towards the wall, hitting the concrete and catching
471:
was second, five laps behind Unser. Despite retiring from the race with six to go, Johncock finished third. Tom Bagley and Lee
Kunzman completed the top-five. Overcoming his flip in the Mini-Indy race the day before, Roger Mears finished sixth, 42 laps down. Only five cars were running at the end of
419:
31 cars were lined up on pit road before the start of the race but only 30 had engines. 19th place starter, Jerry Karl had his engine repossessed by a creditor after qualifying. He and his team pushed the car back to the garage and he finished last. Bob Harkey's car failed to start and he was pushed
456:
On lap 128, Bob Harkey's team finally got his engine running and he emerged from the garage to start his first lap of the race. Harkey eventually finished 18th, having completed 60 laps. Despite leading the most laps, Johnny
Rutherford fell out of the race after 129 laps due to engine failure. Upon
463:
Gordon
Johncock took the lead from Unser with 22 laps remaining. The two leaders made their final refueling stop under green with less than 20 laps to go. Needing to get Johncock out of the pits ahead of Unser, Johncock's crew failed to fill the car with enough fuel. With seven laps remaining,
442:
On the restart for the first caution, Danny Ongais passed Tom Sneva for the lead. Johnny
Rutherford took the lead on lap 15 and asserted himself as the fastest car. Rutherford led 96 of the next 104 laps. On lap 18, polesitter Tom Sneva suffered a suspension failure and hit the turn one wall.
351:
A.J. Foyt posted the fastest speed of all cars in the
California 500 on day two. With a two-lap average of 201.365 mph, Foyt started 24th for the race. Driving Foyt's original car, George Snider qualified 25th at 186.490 mph. Only 30 cars qualified for the race.
339:
Qualifying was a two-lap, five-mile average speed. Tom Sneva's first lap was 200.401 mph, with a two-lap average of 199.933 mph to win the pole. Johnny
Rutherford was second at 199.734 mph. Danny Ongais completed the front-row at 198.697 mph.
415:
and gave encouragement that the event was growing after years of financial struggles. General
Manager Ray Smartis said, "the event has stabilized as a Labor Day weekend fixture, and we feel it will continue to experience growth each year."
467:
Unser took the lead after
Johncock's retirement and drove to victory. Unser won all 500-mile races in 1978 and was his fourth consecutive 500-mile win including the 1977 California 500.
423:
The much-anticipated pairing of A.J. Foyt and
Parnelli Jones lasted less than a lap. As soon as the green flag waved, A.J. Foyt's transmission broke. As the field entered turn one,
761:
453:
bodywork broke coming out of turn four. The car spun several times but didn't hit anything. The crew replaced the broken bodywork pieces and he returned to the race.
449:
crashed in turn four on lap 78. Al Unser hit debris from the wreck and broke his front wing. His crew replaced the car's nose and he returned to the race. On lap 89,
460:
With 52 laps remaining, Wally
Dallenbach blew an engine and retired. Two laps later, the second-place car of Rick Mears also fell out with engine failure.
464:
Johncock held a seven car-length lead over Unser. Suddenly, coming out of turn three, Johncock ran out of fuel and pulled to the side of the track.
751:
388:
won the pole for race one. On lap 11, Firestone spun out while leading to avoid a crashing car in front of him. That gave the lead to
756:
369:
229:
36:
278:, giving him the opportunity to win all three races in IndyCar's Triple Crown in one calendar year. Unser had also won the
727:
709:
688:
667:
603:
585:
564:
543:
525:
507:
489:
624:
649:
323:. 1966 was the last year Foyt drove a car that he didn't build. It was the same chassis Al Unser used to win the
431:
collided in turn one and crashed into the wall. Walther suffered a cracked vertebra in his neck. George Snider,
164:
64:
395:
The race ended under caution after a spectacular crash with three laps remaining. Going down the backstretch,
343:
23 cars qualified on day one, excluding A.J. Foyt who failed to make a qualifying run because of an oil leak.
411:
A crowd of 80,000 spectators attended the race. Newspapers at the time said it was the best crowd since the
289:
228: in Ontario, California, on Sunday, September 3, 1978. The event was race number 13 of 18 in the
301:
237:
225:
74:
357:
271:
412:
324:
279:
78:
439:
parked their cars before the first pit stops. None of them had refueling tanks in their pits.
403:
In race two, Firestone beat Alsup in a close finish by only three one hundredths of a second.
432:
385:
436:
275:
248:
USAC held the second race of the 1978 season at Ontario with a 200-mile race on March 26.
204:
327:. Foyt said Jones' car was 250 pounds lighter than his own chassis, that he entered for
320:
285:
261:
208:
168:
45:
745:
468:
450:
428:
353:
328:
319:
Wednesday's practice saw A.J. Foyt surprisingly take practice laps in a car owned by
199:
186:
181:
155:
118:
106:
19:
457:
Rutherford's retirement, Al Unser inherited the lead as he chased the Triple Crown.
424:
249:
446:
396:
373:
293:
127:
389:
297:
257:
313:
253:
123:
356:
was added to the field as a 31st position. It was the first time since the
267:
233:
160:
143:
368:
A pair of 25-lap support races were held on Saturday, consisting of
734:. (California). Associated Press. September 4, 1978. p. 35.
716:. (California). Associated Press. September 4, 1978. p. 40.
674:. (California). Associated Press. September 4, 1978. p. 40.
631:. (California). Associated Press. September 3, 1978. p. 42.
571:. (California). Associated Press. September 1, 1978. p. 12.
550:. (California). Associated Press. August 31, 1978. p. 10.
532:. (California). Associated Press. August 30, 1978. p. 12.
695:. (Indiana). Associated Press. September 4, 1978. p. 30.
610:. (Indiana). Associated Press. September 2, 1978. p. 10.
592:. (Indiana). Associated Press. September 2, 1978. p. 27.
656:. (Indiana). Associated Press. September 5, 1978. p. 9.
224:, the ninth running of the event, was held at the
514:. (Indiana). Associated Press. August 29, 1978. p. 23.
496:. (Indiana). Associated Press. August 27, 1978. p. 34.
236:, who became the only driver with win all three races in
400:
on fire. He quickly ran from the car and was uninjured.
360:
that less than 33 cars were in a 500-mile Indycar race.
288:
withdrew from the California 500 in order to chase the
586:"Foyt Fastest for Cal 500, But Speed Comes Day Late"
490:"Al Unser Shoots For Triple Crown in California 500"
193:
175:
149:
142:
134:
112:
105:
95:
85:
70:
60:
52:
28:
292:. While Andretti originally intended to drive for
8:
762:Motorsport competitions in the United States
16:
728:"Al Unser Wins Cal 500; Foyt Lasts One Lap"
683:
681:
650:"Unser Wins Cal 500 That Outdraws Dodgers"
15:
704:
702:
644:
642:
640:
638:
580:
578:
559:
557:
347:Time Trials Day Two - Friday September 1
619:
617:
544:"Battle for Cal 500 Pole Position Wins"
481:
392:, who led the rest of the way and won.
312:Practice began on Tuesday, August 29.
296:, his place at the team was taken by
7:
138:199.933 mph (321.761 km/h)
625:"Firestone, Alsup Split Mini Indys"
526:"Sneva Fastest at Ontario Practice"
689:"Cal 500 Unser's Crowning Victory"
384:With a speed of 150.502 mph,
14:
316:was fastest at 196.057 mph.
230:1978 USAC Championship Car season
37:1978 USAC Championship Car season
710:"Al Unser Winner in the Cal 500"
198:
180:
154:
117:
44:
18:
508:"Al Unser Wins as Gordie Spins"
1:
668:"Odd Couple's Debut is Brief"
565:"Sneva Grabs Pole at Ontario"
335:Pole Day - Thursday August 31
290:1978 Formula One championship
752:1978 in American motorsport
778:
629:San Bernardino County Sun
89:Permanent racing facility
43:
33:
757:Motorsport in California
308:Practice and Time Trials
370:USAC's Mini Indy Series
189: (Fletcher Racinf)
101:500.000 mi / 804.672 km
264:race also at Ontario.
238:IndyCar's Triple Crown
232:. The race was won by
226:Ontario Motor Speedway
75:Ontario Motor Speedway
56:September 3, 1978
604:"Ontario Field Short"
358:1947 Indianapolis 500
272:1978 Indianapolis 500
35:Race 13 of 18 in the
420:back to the garage.
413:1970 California 500
325:1977 California 500
280:1977 California 500
222:1978 California 500
91:2.500 mi / 4.023 km
79:Ontario, California
65:1978 California 500
25:
24:1978 California 500
252:won the race over
732:Los Angeles Times
714:Los Angeles Times
693:Indianapolis Star
672:Los Angeles Times
608:Indianapolis Star
590:Indianapolis Star
512:Indianapolis Star
494:Indianapolis Star
300:, who had won at
256:. That same day,
215:
214:
39:
769:
736:
735:
724:
718:
717:
706:
697:
696:
685:
676:
675:
664:
658:
657:
646:
633:
632:
621:
612:
611:
600:
594:
593:
582:
573:
572:
561:
552:
551:
540:
534:
533:
522:
516:
515:
504:
498:
497:
486:
433:Bill Vukovich II
386:Dennis Firestone
203:
202:
185:
184:
159:
158:
122:
121:
48:
34:
26:
23:
22:
777:
776:
772:
771:
770:
768:
767:
766:
742:
741:
740:
739:
726:
725:
721:
708:
707:
700:
687:
686:
679:
666:
665:
661:
648:
647:
636:
623:
622:
615:
602:
601:
597:
584:
583:
576:
563:
562:
555:
542:
541:
537:
524:
523:
519:
506:
505:
501:
488:
487:
483:
478:
451:Pancho Carter's
437:Roger McCluskey
409:
382:
366:
364:Mini-Indy Races
349:
337:
310:
282:the past year.
276:1978 Pocono 500
246:
218:
205:Gordon Johncock
197:
179:
153:
116:
100:
90:
81:, United States
17:
12:
11:
5:
775:
773:
765:
764:
759:
754:
744:
743:
738:
737:
719:
698:
677:
659:
634:
613:
595:
574:
553:
535:
517:
499:
480:
479:
477:
474:
408:
405:
381:
378:
365:
362:
348:
345:
336:
333:
321:Parnelli Jones
309:
306:
304:in late-July.
286:Mario Andretti
262:USAC Stock Car
245:
242:
217:Motor car race
216:
213:
212:
209:Patrick Racing
195:
191:
190:
177:
173:
172:
151:
147:
146:
140:
139:
136:
132:
131:
114:
110:
109:
103:
102:
97:
93:
92:
87:
83:
82:
72:
68:
67:
62:
58:
57:
54:
50:
49:
41:
40:
31:
30:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
774:
763:
760:
758:
755:
753:
750:
749:
747:
733:
729:
723:
720:
715:
711:
705:
703:
699:
694:
690:
684:
682:
678:
673:
669:
663:
660:
655:
651:
645:
643:
641:
639:
635:
630:
626:
620:
618:
614:
609:
605:
599:
596:
591:
587:
581:
579:
575:
570:
569:Lompoc Record
566:
560:
558:
554:
549:
545:
539:
536:
531:
527:
521:
518:
513:
509:
503:
500:
495:
491:
485:
482:
475:
473:
470:
469:Pancho Carter
465:
461:
458:
454:
452:
448:
444:
440:
438:
434:
430:
429:Phil Threshie
426:
421:
417:
414:
406:
404:
401:
398:
393:
391:
387:
379:
377:
375:
371:
363:
361:
359:
355:
354:Jim McElreath
346:
344:
341:
334:
332:
330:
329:George Snider
326:
322:
317:
315:
307:
305:
303:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
281:
277:
273:
269:
265:
263:
259:
255:
251:
243:
241:
240:in one year.
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
210:
206:
201:
196:
192:
188:
187:Pancho Carter
183:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
157:
152:
148:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
120:
115:
111:
108:
107:Pole position
104:
98:
94:
88:
84:
80:
76:
73:
69:
66:
63:
61:Official name
59:
55:
51:
47:
42:
38:
32:
27:
21:
731:
722:
713:
692:
671:
662:
653:
628:
607:
598:
589:
568:
547:
538:
529:
520:
511:
502:
493:
484:
466:
462:
459:
455:
445:
441:
425:Salt Walther
422:
418:
410:
402:
394:
383:
367:
350:
342:
338:
318:
311:
284:
266:
250:Danny Ongais
247:
221:
219:
29:Race details
548:Daily Press
530:Daily Press
447:Mike Mosley
397:Roger Mears
374:Formula Vee
294:Team Penske
128:Team Penske
746:Categories
654:Times-Mail
476:References
472:the race.
390:Bill Alsup
298:Rick Mears
258:A. J. Foyt
244:Background
314:Tom Sneva
254:Tom Sneva
220:The
169:Chaparral
124:Tom Sneva
270:won the
268:Al Unser
260:won the
234:Al Unser
165:Jim Hall
161:Al Unser
99:200 laps
96:Distance
71:Location
302:Atlanta
207: (
163: (
126: (
435:, and
380:Race 1
376:cars.
176:Second
144:Podium
113:Driver
86:Course
194:Third
150:First
427:and
407:Race
274:and
135:Time
53:Date
372:of
748::
730:.
712:.
701:^
691:.
680:^
670:.
652:.
637:^
627:.
616:^
606:.
588:.
577:^
567:.
556:^
546:.
528:.
510:.
492:.
331:.
77:,
211:)
171:)
167:/
130:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
