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Post by Blaise Zebrataur on Jul 11, 2017 7:02:31 GMT -5
Here is how the field will line up for the first race of the season at the Michigan International Speedway.
1.3-Bobby Allison
2.7-David Pearson
3.2-Benny Parsons
4.6-Donnie Allison
5.12-Darrell Waltrip
6.11-Neil Bonnett
7.4-Cale Yarborough
8.1-Dave Marcis
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Post by Blaise Zebrataur on Jul 11, 2017 16:00:39 GMT -5
Race #1 - NASCAR Qualifier
The IROC Series made their 1st stop of 1979 at the Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, Michigan.
NASCAR star Bobby Allison led the field to the Green Flag and he would quickly begin to show of his skills, keeping all seven other drivers behind him for the first five laps before fellow NASCAR star and brother Donnie Allison would pass and lead briefly. During the course of the 50 laps, the Alabama Gang(Bobby&Donnie Allison) would dominate the field, leading 41 of the 50 laps but it would be a forgotten Alabama Gang member who would make his move in the final laps.
Using the strategy that Al Unser had used to win the previous two Michigan races, Bonnett ran in the middle of the pack until with ten laps moved up to third and when the Allison brother's both ran out of gas, Bonnett had saved enough fuel and was able to hold off Benny Parsons to win in his first IROC Series start.
Other Noticeables:
Neil Bonnett scored his 1st win of the year,
Bonnett led 1 time for 4 laps, including the final 4 laps,
It was the 1st win of his career in the IROC Series in his 1st start,
Neil Bonnett(1st), Donnie Allison(6th) and Dave Marcis(8th) made their IROC Series debuts,
1.11-Neil Bonnett (4 laps led)
2.2-Benny Parsons (5 laps led)
3.4-Cale Yarborough
4.7-David Pearson
5.3-Bobby Allison (15 laps led)
6.6-Donnie Allison (26 laps led)
7.12-Darrell Waltrip
8.1-Dave Marcis-1 lap
Bobby Allison-1-5
Donnie Allison-6
Bobby Allison-7-9
Donnie Allison-10-20
Benny Parsons-21-24
Donnie Allison-25-27
Benny Parsons-28
Donnie Allison-29-39
Bobby Allison-40-46
Neil Bonnett-47-50
9 Lead Changes among 4 drivers
Caution Flags: 0 for 0 laps
Margin of Victory: 0.276 Seconds
Time of Race: 44 Minutes and 21 Seconds
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Post by Blaise Zebrataur on Aug 2, 2017 8:00:11 GMT -5
Here is how the field will line up for the second race of the season the USAC Qualifier at the Michigan International Speedway.
1.3-Al Unser
2.2-Danny Ongais
3.7-Gordon Johncock
4.4-Rick Mears
5.6-Tom Sneva
6.1-A.J. Foyt
7.11-Bobby Unser
8.8-Johnny Rutherford
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Post by Blaise Zebrataur on Aug 2, 2017 14:00:17 GMT -5
Race #2 - USAC Qualifier
The IROC Series made their 2nd stop of 1979 at the Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, Michigan.
USAC star Al Unser led the field to the Green Flag and he would quickly begin to show of his skills, keeping all seven other drivers behind him as Unser completely dominated the race as his lead grew up to three seconds by the time the race reached five laps to go. However Unser ran over some debris which caused him to make a pit stop, handing the lead over to Tom Sneva, who was able to hold off Bobby Unser for the remaining three laps to score his first career IROC Series win.
Other Noticeables:
Tom Sneva scored his 1st win of the year,
Sneva led 1 time for 3 laps, including the final 3 laps,
It was the 1st win of his career in the IROC Series in his 4th start,
Rick Mears(3rd) and Danny Ongais(4th) made their IROC Series debuts
1.6-Tom Sneva (3 laps led)
2.11-Bobby Unser
3.4-Rick Mears
4.2-Danny Ongais
5.7-Gordon Johncock
6.3-Al Unser (47 laps led)
7.1-A.J. Foyt
8.8-Johnny Rutherford-1 lap
Al Unser-1-47
Tom Sneva-48-50
1 Lead Change among 2 drivers
Caution Flags: 0 for 0 laps
Margin of Victory: 11.542 Seconds
Time of Race: 44 Minutes and 38 Seconds
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Post by Blaise Zebrataur on Aug 23, 2017 8:00:10 GMT -5
Here is how the field will line up for the third race of the season the Road Racing Qualifier at the Riverside International Raceway.
1.4-Peter Gregg
2.3-Emerson Fittipaldi
3.18-Patrick Depailler
4.2-Niki Lauda
5.8-Alan Jones
6.7-Mario Andretti
7.1-David Hobbs
8.11-John Watson
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Post by Blaise Zebrataur on Aug 23, 2017 14:06:42 GMT -5
Race #3 - Road Racing Qualifier
The IROC Series made their 3rd stop of 1979 at the Riverside International Raceway, in Riverside, California.
IMSA star Peter Gregg led the field to the Green Flag and he would quickly begin to show of his skills in his debut event for the IROC Series, leading the first seven laps before FIA star Alan Jones took over and began to pull away from the field leading his first laps in his own series debut. Over the course of the race one driver had moved up through the field and that was Mario Andretti as he would take the lead late before being passed on the last lap by Jones. Coming to the Checkers, Andretti was able to get a run in Turn 11 and was able to beat Jones back to the line to score his first win in the IROC Series.
Other Noticeables:
Mario Andretti scored his 1st win of the year,
Andretti led 2 times for 11 laps, including the final lap,
It was the 1st win of his career in the IROC Series in his 9th start,
Alan Jones(2nd), John Watson(3rd), Peter Gregg(4th), David Hobbs(6th), Patrick Depailler(7th) and Niki Lauda(8th) made their IROC Series debuts,
1.7-Mario Andretti (11 laps led)
2.8-Alan Jones (12 laps led)
3.11-John Watson
4.4-Peter Gregg (7 laps led)
5.3-Emerson Fittipaldi
6.1-David Hobbs
7.18-Patrick Depailler
8.2-Niki Lauda
Peter Gregg-1-7
Alan Jones-8-18
Mario Andretti-19-28
Alan Jones-29
Mario Andretti-30
4 Lead Changes among 3 drivers
Caution Flags: 0 for 0 laps
Margin of Victory: 0.069 Seconds
Time of Race: 54 Minutes and 47 Seconds
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Post by Blaise Zebrataur on Sept 6, 2017 12:00:18 GMT -5
Here is how the field will line up for the fourth race of the season the Road Racing Final at the Riverside International Raceway.
1.4-Gordon Johncock
2.3-Peter Gregg
3.2-Bobby Allison
4.17-Emerson Fittipaldi
5.5-Cale Yarborough
6.15-Alan Jones
7.12-Mario Andretti
8.14-Al Unser
9.6-Tom Sneva
10.18-A.J. Foyt
11.7-Neil Bonnett
12.10-Donnie Allison
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Post by Blaise Zebrataur on Sept 6, 2017 14:00:47 GMT -5
Race #4 - Road Racing Final
The IROC Series made their 4th stop of 1979 at the Riverside International Raceway, in Riverside, California.
USAC star Gordon Johncock led the field to the Green Flag and he would quickly begin to show of his skills as he would lead the first seven laps as this race had more competition then several other Riverside events as wrecks, battles for the lead and the return to victory lane of a former champion at the end of the day. Cale Yarborough would take the lead after a restart before he was passed by Mario Andretti before taking the lead back on Lap 20.
Al Unser, who was the defending IROC Series Champion, had gotten damaged in the previous caution but had moved his way up into the top three when Yarborough made contact with Andretti, spinning him and Neil Bonnett out but no caution would fly, allowing Unser drive past a slowed Yarborough and would go on uncontested to win the race that was ended by a late race caution.
Other Noticeables:
Al Unser scored his 1st win of the year,
Unser led 1 time for 10 laps, including the final 10 laps,
It was the 3rd win of his career in the IROC Series and his first since 1978 at Michigan; 7 races ago,
1.14-Al Unser (10 laps led)
2.18-A.J. Foyt
3.2-Bobby Allison
4.12-Mario Andretti (5 laps led)
5.17-Emerson Fittipaldi
6.4-Gordon Johncock (7 laps led)
7.10-Donnie Allison
8.6-Tom Sneva
9.5-Cale Yarborough (8 laps led)
10.7-Neil Bonnett-1 lap
11.15-Alan Jones-2 laps
12.3-Peter Gregg-5 laps (Accident)
Gordon Johncock-1-7
Cale Yarborough-8-14
Mario Andretti-15-19
Cale Yarborough-20
Al Unser-21-30
4 Lead Changes among 4 drivers
Caution Flags: 3 for 6 laps
Lap 5 (Car #3 Accident Turn 5),
Lap 16 (Car #14 and 4 Accident Turn 11),
Lap 28 (Car #4 Spin Turn 2)
Margin of Victory: Under Caution
Time of Race: 1 Hour, 3 Minutes and 34 Seconds
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Post by Blaise Zebrataur on Oct 5, 2017 11:02:08 GMT -5
Here is how the field will line up for the fifth and final race of the season the Oval Final at the Atlanta International Raceway.
1.5-Mario Andretti
2.11-Cale Yarborough
3.12-Bobby Allison
4.4-Alan Jones
5.6-Emerson Fittipaldi
6.18-Gordon Johncock
7.7-Neil Bonnett
8.3-Tom Sneva
9.8-Peter Gregg
10.1-Donnie Allison
11.2-Al Unser
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Post by Blaise Zebrataur on Oct 5, 2017 14:01:29 GMT -5
Race #5 - Oval Final
The IROC Series made their 5th and final stop of 1979 at the Atlanta International Raceway, in Hampton, Georgia.
FIA star Mario Andretti led the field to the Green Flag as the eleven drivers made history as for the first time in the short history of the IROC Series, drivers raced at the Atlanta International Raceway and it would be Andretti who would forever write his name in the history books as the first ever lap leader at Atlanta. Just like how the former season finale at Daytona would be exciting, the fans in attendance were treated to a great show by the eleven drivers.
Alabama Gang member Neil Bonnett took command early in the race for for much of the event drivers struggled to stay with him but a late caution would set up a twenty lap dash to the finish. Cale Yarborough would pass his fellow NASCAR star Bonnett with less then five laps to go but Bonnett stayed right on his bumper and with one lap to go he made his move in turn one, retaking the lead and held of Yarborough and Peter Gregg for the win and also won the IROC Championship for 1979.
Other Noticeables:
Neil Bonnett scored his 2nd win of the year,
Bonnett led 9 times for 37 laps, including the final lap,
It was the 2nd win of his career in the IROC Series and his first since Michigan; 4 races ago,
Neil Bonnett, who finished 1st, is the 1979 IROC Series Champion, winning the title by 7 points over Cale Yarborough
1.7-Neil Bonnett (37 laps led)
2.11-Cale Yarborough (8 laps led)
3.8-Peter Gregg (9 laps led)
4.3-Tom Sneva (2 laps led)
5.6-Emerson Fittipaldi
6.2-Al Unser
7.5-Mario Andretti (4 laps led)
8.18-Gordon Johncock
9.12-Bobby Allison
10.1-Donnie Allison
11.4-Alan Jones-13 laps (Gearbox) (6 laps led)
Mario Andretti-1-4
Neil Bonnett-5-6
Cale Yarborough-7
Neil Bonnett-8-20
Cale Yarborough-21
Neil Bonnett-22
Alan Jones-23-26
Neil Bonnett-27-30
Cale Yarborough-31
Neil Bonnett-32-38
Alan Jones-39-40
Neil Bonnett-41-46
Tom Sneva-47-48
Peter Gregg-49-53
Neil Bonnett-54-55
Peter Gregg-56
Cale Yarborough-57
Peter Gregg-58-60
Neil Bonnett-61
Cale Yarborough-62-65
Neil Bonnett-66
20 Lead Changes among 6 drivers
Caution Flags: 1 for 4 laps
Lap 49 (Car #5 Spin Turn 1)
Margin of Victory: 0.101 Seconds
Time of Race: 48 Minutes and 11 Seconds
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