1978 USAC Mini-Indy Series season
The 1978 USAC Mini Indy Series season was the second season of the USAC sanctioned Formula Super Vee championship.
Race calendar and results
Round | Circuit | Location | Date | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winner | Headline event |
1 | Phoenix International Raceway | ![]() | 18 March | ![]() | ![]() | Jimmy Bryan 150 | |
2 | Trenton International Speedway | ![]() | 12 April | ![]() | ![]() | Gabriel 200 | |
3 | Mosport International Raceway | ![]() | 11 June | ![]() | ![]() | Molson Diamond Indy | |
4 | The Milwaukee Mile | ![]() | 18 June | ![]() | ![]() | Rex Mays 150 | |
5 | Texas World Speedway | ![]() | 6 August | ![]() | ![]() | Texas Grand Prix | |
6 | The Milwaukee Mile | ![]() | 20 August | ![]() | ![]() | Tony Bettenhausen 200 | |
7 | Ontario Motor Speedway | ![]() | 2 September | ![]() | ![]() | California 500 | |
8 | Ontario Motor Speedway | ![]() | 2 September | ![]() | ![]() | California 500 | |
9 | Trenton International Speedway | ![]() | 23 September | ![]() | ![]() | Machinist Union 150 | |
10 | Phoenix International Raceway | ![]() | 28 October | ![]() | ![]() | Miller High Life Bobby Ball 150 |
Teams and drivers
No. | Driver | Owner | Car | Engine | Note |
2 | ![]() | Austin Johnson | Lola | Volkswagen | |
3 | ![]() | Citation Engineering | Zink | Volkswagen | |
10 | ![]() | Crosslé Cars Pacific | March | Volkswagen | |
12 | ![]() | Race Research Inc. | Volkswagen | ||
19 | ![]() | Beth Ardisana | Lynx | Volkswagen | |
29 | ![]() | Simpson Racers | Lola | Volkswagen | |
37 | ![]() | Citation Engineering | Zink | Volkswagen | |
38 | ![]() | Citation Engineering | Zink | Volkswagen | |
39 | ![]() | Richard Tallon | Lola | Volkswagen | |
41 | ![]() | William Alsup, Jr. | Argo | Volkswagen | |
42 | ![]() | HCM Racing | Ralt | Volkswagen | |
43 | ![]() | Bill Scott Racing | Volkswagen | ||
45 | ![]() | Bertil Racing Engines | Lola | Volkswagen | |
46 | ![]() | Janet Moore | Lola | Volkswagen | |
48 | ![]() | WREP Industries | Volkswagen | ||
50 | ![]() | Black American Racers | Lola | Volkswagen | Thompson died from injuries sustained in a crash in the ninth round of the championship |
55 | ![]() | David Psachie | Ralt | Volkswagen | |
60 | ![]() | Lou Cicconi | Lola | Volkswagen | |
70 | ![]() | Syd Demovsky | Lola | Volkswagen | |
77 | ![]() | Fitzpatrick Racing Enterprises | Volkswagen | ||
82 | ![]() | Ralt American Ltd. | Ralt | Volkswagen | |
94 | ![]() | Aspen Racing | Wheeler | Volkswagen | |
97 | ![]() | American Eagle Racing | Lola | Volkswagen | |
98 | ![]() | Sale Chevrolet | Lola | Volkswagen | |
99 | ![]() | Linne Enterprises | Volkswagen |
Death of Tommy Thompson
racingdriver Tommy Thompson participated in the ninth round of the championship at Trenton International Speedway. On the final lap of the 42-lap race one of the other competitor slowed down. John Barringer had to swerve to avoid contact. However Thompson hit Barringer. Thompson's left front wheel and Barringer's right rear wheel became locked. Both cars hit the wall head-on. Thompsons car was launched over the wall. Both Barringer and Thompson were transported to St. Francis Medical Center. Thompson succumbed to his injuries on 28 September.Final standings
Pos. | Driver | ![]() PIR1 | ![]() TRE1 | ![]() MOS | ![]() MIL1 | ![]() TEX | ![]() MIL2 | ![]() ONT1 | ![]() ONT2 | ![]() TRE2 | ![]() PIR2 | Points |
1 | ![]() | 21 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 1046 |
2 | ![]() | 5 | 24 | 3 | 22 | 6 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 894 |
3 | ![]() | DNS | 20 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 26 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 7 | 831 |
4 | ![]() | 16 | 5 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 3 | 5 | 773 |
5 | ![]() | 1 | 15 | 24 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 26 | 9 | 674 | |
6 | ![]() | 25 | 21 | 10 | 5 | 27 | 6 | 14 | 19 | 2 | 4 | 506 |
7 | ![]() | 2 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 504 | |||||
8 | ![]() | 3 | 17 | 4 | 22 | 7 | 9 | 28 | 6 | 453 | ||
9 | ![]() | 1 | 22 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 428 | ||||
10 | ![]() | 4 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 5 | 404 | |||||
11 | ![]() | 3 | 1 | 340 | ||||||||
12 | ![]() | 4 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 24 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 23 | 318 |
13 | ![]() | 12 | 6 | 1 | 290 | |||||||
13 | ![]() | 2 | 4 | 13 | 22 | 25 | 290 | |||||
15 | ![]() | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 245 | ||||
16 | ![]() | 11 | 18 | 1 | 224 | |||||||
17 | ![]() | 8 | 5 | 19 | 18 | 8 | 208 | |||||
18 | ![]() | 2 | 21 | 163 | ||||||||
19 | ![]() | 3 | 140 | |||||||||
20 | ![]() | 13 | 6 | 8 | 135 | |||||||
21 | ![]() | 5 | 11 | 16 | 21 | 128 | ||||||
22 | ![]() | 12 | 10 | 28 | 6 | 13 | 127 | |||||
23 | ![]() | 7 | 7 | 15 | 115 | |||||||
24 | ![]() | 27 | 10 | 20 | 7 | 21 | 99 | |||||
25 | ![]() | 15 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 90 | |||||
26 | ![]() | 13 | 16 | 19 | 8 | 25 | 23 | 11 | 89 | |||
27 | ![]() | 6 | 80 | |||||||||
27 | ![]() | 6 | 80 | |||||||||
29 | ![]() | 26 | 24 | 25 | 7 | 20 | 16 | 76 | ||||
30 | ![]() | 12 | 8 | 18 | 23 | 17 | 18 | 75 | ||||
31 | ![]() | 12 | 11 | 9 | 28 | 72 | ||||||
32 | ![]() | 14 | 12 | 8 | 20 | 69 | ||||||
33 | ![]() | 7 | 60 | |||||||||
34 | ![]() | 8 | 50 | |||||||||
35 | ![]() | 9 | 14 | 45 | ||||||||
36 | ![]() | 18 | 28 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 12 | 27 | 41 | ||
37 | ![]() | 24 | 13 | 25 | 10 | 40 | ||||||
37 | ![]() | 11 | 11 | 40 | ||||||||
39 | ![]() | 22 | 10 | 33 | ||||||||
39 | ![]() | 16 | 20 | 17 | 11 | 33 | ||||||
41 | ![]() | 10 | 30 | |||||||||
41 | ![]() | 10 | 30 | |||||||||
43 | ![]() | 13 | DNS | 15 | 12 | 20 | 28 | |||||
44 | ![]() | 14 | 27 | 13 | t 15 | 24 | 15 | 25 | ||||
45 | ![]() | 11 | 19 | 24 | ||||||||
46 | ![]() | 17 | 28 | 28 | 17 | 16 | 17 | |||||
47 | ![]() | 15 | 21 | 13 | 13 | |||||||
47 | ![]() | 22 | 19 | 20 | 26 | 13 | ||||||
49 | ![]() | 25 | 12 | 12 | ||||||||
49 | ![]() | 19 | 14 | 24 | 12 | |||||||
51 | ![]() | 26 | 22 | 15 | 10 | |||||||
52 | ![]() | 18 | 23 | 28 | 9 | |||||||
52 | ![]() | 29 | 21 | 19 | 9 | |||||||
54 | ![]() | 23 | 15 | 8 | ||||||||
55 | ![]() | DNS | 17 | 6 | ||||||||
55 | ![]() | 23 | 22 | 6 | ||||||||
57 | ![]() | 13 | 5 | |||||||||
57 | ![]() | 13 | 5 | |||||||||
57 | ![]() | 14 | 5 | |||||||||
57 | ![]() | 14 | 5 | |||||||||
57 | ![]() | 16 | 5 | |||||||||
57 | ![]() | 27 | 24 | 5 | ||||||||
63 | ![]() | 17 | 4 | |||||||||
63 | ![]() | 17 | 4 | |||||||||
63 | ![]() | 18 | 4 | |||||||||
63 | ![]() | 20 | 4 | |||||||||
67 | ![]() | 21 | 3 | |||||||||
67 | ![]() | 23 | 3 | |||||||||
69 | ![]() | 25 | 2 | |||||||||
69 | ![]() | 25 | 2 | |||||||||
69 | ![]() | 26 | 2 | |||||||||
69 | ![]() | 26 | 2 | |||||||||
69 | ![]() | 26 | 2 | |||||||||
69 | ![]() | 27 | 2 | |||||||||
69 | ![]() | 27 | 2 | |||||||||
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