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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)
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Final Points
|
| |
IROC 6 Champion
Mario Andretti
|
|
| 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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*Did not show for final race, forfeits purse
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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 |
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Yellow Flags:
Lap 1, Unser spin; Lap 2, Sneva spin; Lap 57, Unser, Johncock accident
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Rauzulu's Street