IROC II - 1975

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

IROC II - 1975

Several changes were made in the IROC format for the second year. Oval races were added at Michigan and Daytona, and the Porsches were replaced with Chevrolet Camaros. Bobby Unser won the first race when a last lap "slingshot" effort by his pursuers failed to work. Ronnie Peterson won the pole despite never having seen an oval before. Race 1 was marred by the accident of Jody Scheckter and a later entanglement between Richard Petty and A. J. Foyt. Emerson Fittipaldi won Race 2 on the road course at Riverside after moving up from seventh on the grid. Bobby Unser and Bobby Allison tangled on the first turn sending Allison to the hospital with a fractured vertebrae. Unser was uninjured and restarted the race in a backup car. Allison came back one day later to win Race 3, broken back and all. Fittipaldi kept the crowd on its feet with a stirring drive from 12th to third. Nine drivers advanced to Daytona, perhaps one of the best races in IROC history, with eight of the nine starters leading at least once across the start/finish line. Unser just edged out A.J. Foyt to win the final race and the series title. (from IROC Website)

Final Points
	IROC 2 Champion Bobby Unser
Position	Driver/Residence/Sanction	Money Earned
1	Bobby Unser/Albuquerque, NM/USAC	$41,000
2	A. J. Foyt/Houston, TX/USAC	27,600
3	Cale Yarborough/Timmonsville, SC/NASCAR	22,200
4	Bobby Allison/Hueytown, AL/NASCAR	20,400
5	Emerson Fittipaldi/Sao Paolo, Brazil/FIA	18,300
6	David Pearson/Spartanburg, SC/NASCAR	16,500
7	George Follmer/Huntington Beach, CA/SCCA	15,300
8	Ronnie Peterson/Orebro, Sweden/FIA	12,300
9	Johnny Rutherford/Ft. Worth, TX/USAC	9,900
10	Richard Petty/Randleman, NC/NASCAR	6,000
11	Graham Hill/London, England/FIA	5,400
12	Jody Scheckter/E. London, S. Africa/FIA	4,500

 

Race One

September 14, 1974

Michigan International Speedway

Brooklyn, Michigan

Two-mile high-banked oval, 50 laps, 100 miles

 

Finish	Start	Driver	Laps	Status
1	6	Bobby Unser	50	Running
2	8	Cale Yarborough	50	Running
3	7	David Pearson	50	Running
4	3	Bobby Allison	50	Running
5	11	George Follmer	50	Running
6	9	Emerson Fittipaldi	50	Running
7	1	Ronnie Peterson	50	Running
8	12	Johnny Rutherford	50	Running
9	2	A. J. Foyt	38	Accident
10	10	Richard Petty	38	Accident
11	4	Graham Hill	35	Ignition
12	5	Jody Scheckter	16	Accident

 

Race Three

October 27, 1974

Riverside International Raceway

Riverside, California

2.54-mile road course, 30 laps, 76.2 miles

 

Finish	Start	Driver	Laps	Status
1	1	Bobby Allison	30	Running
2	2	Bobby Unser	30	Running
3	12	Emerson Fittipaldi	30	Running
4	10	A. J. Foyt	30	Running
5	11	George Follmer	30	Running
6	3	Graham Hill	30	Running
7	4	Johnny Rutherford	30	Running
8	6	Ronnie Peterson	30	Running
9	5	Cale Yarborough	30	Running
10	8	Richard Petty	29	Running
11	9	David Pearson	19	Blown Engine
12	7	Jody Scheckter	6	Oil leak

 

Time of Race: 46 minutes, 7.726 seconds

Average Speed: 99.114 MPH

Margin of Victory: 3.149

Lead Changes: 1

 

Race Four

February 14, 1975

Daytona International Raceway

Daytona Beach, Florida

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

 

Finish	Start	Driver	Laps	Status
1	2	Bobby Unser	40	Running
2	5	A. J. Foyt	40	Running
3	7	Cale Yarborough	40	Running
4	4	Bobby Allison	40	Running
5	6	David Pearson	40	Running
6	1	Emerson Fittipaldi	40	Running
7	8	Ronnie Peterson	30	Accident
8	3	George Follmer	3	Accident
9	9	Johnny Rutherford	3	Accident

 

Time of Race: 35 minutes, .049 seconds

Average Speed: 167.516 MPH

Margin of Victory: Two feet

Lead Changes: 12