IROC I - 1974

The International Race of Champions was an auto racing competition, featuring identically-prepared stock cars set up by a single team of mechanics, in an effort to make the race purely a test of driver ability. It was run with a small field of invited drivers (6-12) from all the major racing series including NASCAR, SCCA, FIA and USAC. Over the years CART and the IRL drivers, among others also participated.   IROC - (1974-2006) Main Page IROC - (1974-2006) Champions

 

The late Mark Donohue won three of the four events in IROC 1, a series contested on road courses in Porsche Carrera RSR cars. Emerson Fittipaldi was the fastest qualifier for the first race at Riverside, but he and George Follmer had to start from the rear of the field after missing a mandatory pre-race drivers' meeting. Donohue led from start-to-finish while Follmer charged from last to fourth place. In Race 2, Follmer came from ninth on the grid to win, as Donohue retired early. In Race 3, Donohue started on the pole and led all the way, as Follmer went from 12th to fifth. The field was then cut in half, with the top six points leaders from the first three events qualifying for the finale at Daytona. Again, it was a Donohue-Follmer battle, until Follmer spun. That victory was Donohue's last, as he then retired as an active driver, only to return to competition later that year. Donohue was killed the following season after a Formula One practice accident. (from IROC Website)

Final Standings
	IROC 1 Champion Mark Donohue
Position	Driver/Residence/Sanction	Money Earned
1	Mark Donohue/New Jersey/Can-Am	$54,000
2	Peter Revson/New York/SCCA'Can-Am/FIA	$21,200
3	Bobby Unser/Albuquerque, NM/USAC	$19,100
4	David Pearson/Spartanburg, SC/NASCAR	$14,600
5	George Follmer/Huntington Beach, CA/SCCA	$16,000
6	A. J. Foyt/Houston, TX/USAC	$9,900
7	Emerson Fittipaldi/Sao Paolo, Brazil/FIA	$8,300
8	Denis Hulme/New Zealand/FIA	$6,000
9	Bobby Allison/Hueytown, AL/NASCAR	$5,400
10	Richard Petty/Randleman, NC/NASCAR	$5,400
11	Gordon Johncock/Michigan/USAC Champ Car	$5,100
12	Roger McCluskey/Arizona/USAC Champ Car	$5,000

 

 

Race One

October 27, 1973

Riverside International Speedway

Riverside, CA

2.54-mile road course, 30 laps, 76.2 miles

 

Finish	Start	Driver	Laps	Status
1	1	Mark Donohue	30	running
2	5	Bobby Unser	30	running
3	2	Peter Revson	30	running
4	12	George Follmer	30	running
5	4	Denny Hulme	30	running
6	6	A.J. Foyt	30	running
7	8	Richard Petty	30	running
8	10	Roger McCluskey	30	running
9	3	David Pearson	28	oil leak
10	9	Gordon Johncock	28	running
11	7	Bobby Allison	14	transmission
12	11	Emerson Fittipaldi	9	gas leak

 

Race Three

October 28, 1973

Riverside International Raceway

Riverside, California

2.54-mile road course, 30 laps, 76.2 miles

 

Finish	Start	Driver	Laps	Status
1	1	Mark Donohue	30	running
2	7	Bobby Unser	30	running
3	10	Emerson Fittipaldi	30	running
4	11	David Pearson	30	running
5	12	George Follmer	30	running
6	8	A.J. Foyt	30	running
7	9	Peter Revson	30	running
8	5	Denny Hulme	30	running
9	6	Bobby Allison	20	engine
10	3	Richard Petty	19	throttle
11	4	Gordon Johncock	9	throttle
12	2	Roger McCluskey	8	oil leak

 

Time of Race: 46 minutes, 18 seconds

Average Speed: 100.914 MPH

Margin of Victory: 2.8 sec

Lead Changes: 0

 

Race Four

February 14, 1974

Daytona International Raceway

Daytona Beach, Florida

2.5-mile high-banked tri-oval, 40 laps, 100 miles

 

Finish	Start	Driver	Laps	Status
1	1	Mark Donohue	25	running
2	2	Peter Revson	25	running
3	5	Bobby Unser	25	running
4	3	David Pearson	23	running
5	4	George Follmer		transmission
6	6	A.J. Foyt		engine

 

Time of Race: 49 minutes

Average Speed: 114.979 mph

Margin of Victory: 8 sec

Lead Changes: 2