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PrivacyIROC VI - 1979
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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.
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IROC VI - 1979
The format for IROC 6 was different, with special qualifying races staged for the NASCAR, Indy Car and road racing drivers, and the first four finishers in each advanced to two final contests. The road racing finale was a heartbreaker for Gordon Johncock. He led from the start, only to spin just three laps from the finish after a yellow flag for oil from Al Unser's blown engine. Mario Andretti inherited the lead and the victory. In the oval track finale at Atlanta, Andretti led until the last three laps, when Cale Yarborough nudged him out of the groove, and Neil Bonnett took the lead. A four-car photo finish saw Bonnett take the checkered flag by half-a-fender over Andretti. Bobby Allison just nipped Yarborough for third in between Andretti and Bonnett. Al Unser lost control late in the event and was tagged by Johncock. His first-second finishes in the road course and oval finals gave Andretti the IROC title. (from IROC Website)
Final Points |
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IROC 7 Champion Bobby Allison IROC 6 Champion Mario Andretti 
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Position |
Driver/Residence/Sanction |
Money Earned |
|
1 |
Mario Andretti/Nazareth, PA/FIA |
$75,000 |
|
2 |
Neil Bonnett/Hueytown, AL/NASCAR |
28,500 |
|
3 |
Cale Yarborough/Timmonsville, SC/NASCAR |
28,500 |
|
4 |
Bobby Allison/Hueytown, AL/NASCAR |
21,000 |
|
5 |
Alan Jones/London, England/FIA |
20,000 |
|
6 |
Gordon Johncock/Phoenix, AZ/USAC |
19,000 |
|
7 |
Tom Sneva/Spokane, WA/USAC |
18,000 |
|
8 |
Emerson Fittipaldi/Lanay, Switzerland/FIA |
17,000 |
|
9 |
Peter Gregg/Jacksonville,FL/IMSA |
16,000 |
|
10 |
Donnie Allison/Hueytown, AL/NASCAR |
15,000 |
|
11 |
Al Unser/Albuquerque, NM/USAC |
15,000 |
|
12 |
* A. J. Foyt/Houston, TX/USAC |
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NASCAR Qualifying Race |
| June 17, 1978 |
| Michigan International Speedway |
| Brooklyn, Michigan |
| Two-mile high-banked oval, 50 laps, 100 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
1 |
1 |
Bobby Allison |
50 |
Running |
2 |
7 |
Cale Yarborough |
50 |
Running |
3 |
4 |
Donnie Allison |
50 |
Running |
4 |
6 |
Neil Bonnett |
50 |
Running |
5 |
2 |
David Pearson |
50 |
Running |
6 |
3 |
Benny Parsons |
50 |
Running |
7 |
8 |
Dave Marcis |
50 |
Running |
8 |
5 |
Darrell Waltrip |
4 |
Accident |
| Fastest Qualifier: Bobby Allison, 154.682 MPH |
| Time of Race: 40 minutes, 4.99 seconds |
| Lead Changes: 15 |
| Average Speed: 147.119 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: Three feet |
| Yellow Flag: Lap 4, Accident (Waltrip, Yarborough) |
| Qualifiers for Finals: First four finishers |
USAC Qualifying Race |
| September 16, 1978 |
| Michigan International Speedway |
| Brooklyn, Michigan |
| Two-mile high-banked oval, 50 laps, 100 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
1 |
6 |
A. J. Foyt |
50 |
Running |
2 |
1 |
Al Unser |
50 |
Running |
3 |
3 |
Gordon Johncock |
50 |
Running |
4 |
5 |
Tom Sneva |
50 |
Running |
5 |
2 |
Danny Ongais |
50 |
Running |
6 |
8 |
Johnny Rutherford |
2 |
Accident |
7 |
4 |
Rick Mears |
2 |
Accident |
8 |
7 |
Bobby Unser |
2 |
Accident |
| Fastest Qualifier: Al Unser, 155.106 MPH |
| Time of Race: 40 minutes, 2.78 seconds |
| Lead Changes: 15 |
| Average Speed: 152.901 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: 3 feet |
| Red Flag: Lap 2, Accident (Rutherford, Mears, B. Unser) |
| Qualifiers for finals: First four finishers |
Road Racing Qualifying Race |
| October 14, 1978 |
| Riverside International Raceway |
| Riverside, California |
| 2.54-mile road course, 30 laps, 76.2 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
1 |
1 |
Peter Gregg |
30 |
Running |
2 |
2 |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
30 |
Running |
3 |
6 |
Mario Andretti |
30 |
Running |
4 |
5 |
Alan Jones |
30 |
Running |
5 |
7 |
David Hobbs |
30 |
Running |
6 |
3 |
Patrick DePailler |
30 |
Running |
7 |
8 |
John Watson |
30 |
Running |
8 |
4 |
Niki Lauda |
1 |
Clutch |
| Fastest Qualifier: Peter Gregg, 102.580 MPH |
| Time of Race: 45 minutes, 42.606 seconds |
| Lap Leaders: Gregg, 1-30 |
| Average Speed: 100.022 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: 2.5 seconds |
| Qualifiers for Finals: First four finishers |
Road Racing Final |
| October 15, 1978 |
| Riverside International Raceway |
| Riverside, California |
| 2.54-mile road course, 30 laps, 76.2 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
1 |
7 |
Mario Andretti |
30 |
Running |
2 |
5 |
Cale Yarborough |
30 |
Running |
3 |
3 |
Bobby Allison |
30 |
Running |
4 |
6 |
Alan Jones |
30 |
Running |
5 |
4 |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
30 |
Running |
6 |
1 |
Gordon Johncock |
30 |
Running |
7 |
11 |
Neil Bonnett |
30 |
Running |
8 |
9 |
Tom Sneva |
30 |
Running |
9 |
2 |
Peter Gregg |
30 |
Running |
10 |
12 |
Donnie Allison |
30 |
Running |
11 |
8 |
Al Unser |
25 |
Blown engine |
12 |
10 |
A. J. Foyt |
18 |
Handling |
| Fastest Qualifier: Gordon Johncock, 102.917 MPH |
| Time of Race: 45 minutes, 24.465 seconds |
| Average Speed: 100.688 MPH |
| Lap Leaders: Johncock, 1-27; Andretti, 28-30 |
| Margin of Victory: .985 seconds |
| Yellow Flags: Lap 25, Unser engine |
Oval Final |
| March 17, 1979 |
| Atlanta International Raceway |
| Hampton, Georgia |
| 1.522-mile, high-banked oval, 66 laps, 100 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
1 |
7 |
Neil Bonnett |
66 |
Running |
2 |
1 |
Mario Andretti |
66 |
Running |
3 |
3 |
Bobby Allison |
66 |
Running |
4 |
2 |
Cale Yarborough |
66 |
Running |
5 |
8 |
Tom Sneva |
66 |
Running |
6 |
6 |
Gordon Johncock |
65 |
Running |
7 |
9 |
Peter Gregg |
65 |
Running |
8 |
4 |
Alan Jones |
64 |
Running |
9 |
5 |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
64 |
Running |
10 |
11 |
Al Unser |
57 |
Accident |
11 |
10 |
Donnie Allison |
18 |
Valve cover |
| Time of Race:42 minutes, 27 seconds |
| Lead Changes: 5 |
| Average Speed: 143.960 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: One foot |
Yellow Flags: Lap 1, Unser spin; Lap 2, Sneva spin; Lap 57, Unser, Johncock accident |