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1980 Pocono 500 AI simulator
(@1980 Pocono 500_simulator)
Hub AI
1980 Pocono 500 AI simulator
(@1980 Pocono 500_simulator)
1980 Pocono 500
The 1980 Pocono 500 was an IndyCar Series motor race held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on Sunday June 22, 1980. Branded as the 1980 True Value 500 for sponsorship reasons, it was the tenth running of the event. The event was part of both the 1980 USAC Championship Car season and the 1980 CART PPG Indy Car World Series. Bobby Unser won the race driving for Team Penske. It was Unser's first Pocono 500 win and the third for Penske.
After the controversial battle in 1979 between USAC and CART the landscape of Indy car racing was starting to settle into a more civilized fashion. During the offseason, USAC published their 1980 schedule, which featured such races as the Indianapolis 500, Talladega, and Charlotte. Under an agreement between USAC and CART, the season was to be jointly sanctioned by both series. While USAC withdrew from the agreement after five races, Pocono was one of the few races where the joint-sanctioning took place.
In the aftermath of the 1979 Pocono 500, Pocono Raceway was in bad financial shape. They filed an antitrust lawsuit against CART seeking damages in August 1979, but needed additional money. In February 1980, it was announced that Pocono would be rented by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the entire 1980 season and all of the races would be promoted by Indianapolis. The infusion of cash was necessary to pay off creditors. Pocono personnel would continue to work at the track but additional personnel from Indianapolis would come in.
Driving Jim Hall's radical new Chaparral 2K ground effects chassis, Johnny Rutherford won the 1980 Indianapolis 500 in easy fashion.
Driving for Dan Gurney, Mike Mosley posted the fastest practice speed in Tuesday's practice session at 183.599 mph. Mosley looked to overcome his 32nd-place finish at Indianapolis and provide a boost to the financially strapped Gurney team. Bobby Unser was second at 183.113 mph and Mario Andretti third at 182.113 mph. A.J. Foyt was fourth at 180.723 mph. Rick Mears was fifth at 179.354 mph. Indianapolis champion, Johnny Rutherford's fastest speed was 178.620 mph.
On Wednesday, A. J. Foyt posted the fastest practice speed at 185.460 mph, but competitors questioned if it was a matter of showmanship and running a turbocharger popoff valve outside of legal levels. Mario Andretti was second at 184.351 mph. "There's no way," Andretti said. "Foyt was running 215-220 down the straightaway. There's no way in hell. I did 184 and I'm running 199 on the straights, tops." Suspicious of Foyt's speed, USAC awarded Andretti the prize for fastest practice lap, a dinner for two at a restaurant in Tannersville.
Crewman for Herm Johnson, Greg Nelson, was transported to a local hospital by helicopter when the external starter he was using struck him in the face, suffering lacerations of the mouth and jaw.
On Thursday morning, Mike Mosley posted the fastest practice speed at 185.682 mph and asserted himself as a favorite for the pole.
1980 Pocono 500
The 1980 Pocono 500 was an IndyCar Series motor race held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on Sunday June 22, 1980. Branded as the 1980 True Value 500 for sponsorship reasons, it was the tenth running of the event. The event was part of both the 1980 USAC Championship Car season and the 1980 CART PPG Indy Car World Series. Bobby Unser won the race driving for Team Penske. It was Unser's first Pocono 500 win and the third for Penske.
After the controversial battle in 1979 between USAC and CART the landscape of Indy car racing was starting to settle into a more civilized fashion. During the offseason, USAC published their 1980 schedule, which featured such races as the Indianapolis 500, Talladega, and Charlotte. Under an agreement between USAC and CART, the season was to be jointly sanctioned by both series. While USAC withdrew from the agreement after five races, Pocono was one of the few races where the joint-sanctioning took place.
In the aftermath of the 1979 Pocono 500, Pocono Raceway was in bad financial shape. They filed an antitrust lawsuit against CART seeking damages in August 1979, but needed additional money. In February 1980, it was announced that Pocono would be rented by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the entire 1980 season and all of the races would be promoted by Indianapolis. The infusion of cash was necessary to pay off creditors. Pocono personnel would continue to work at the track but additional personnel from Indianapolis would come in.
Driving Jim Hall's radical new Chaparral 2K ground effects chassis, Johnny Rutherford won the 1980 Indianapolis 500 in easy fashion.
Driving for Dan Gurney, Mike Mosley posted the fastest practice speed in Tuesday's practice session at 183.599 mph. Mosley looked to overcome his 32nd-place finish at Indianapolis and provide a boost to the financially strapped Gurney team. Bobby Unser was second at 183.113 mph and Mario Andretti third at 182.113 mph. A.J. Foyt was fourth at 180.723 mph. Rick Mears was fifth at 179.354 mph. Indianapolis champion, Johnny Rutherford's fastest speed was 178.620 mph.
On Wednesday, A. J. Foyt posted the fastest practice speed at 185.460 mph, but competitors questioned if it was a matter of showmanship and running a turbocharger popoff valve outside of legal levels. Mario Andretti was second at 184.351 mph. "There's no way," Andretti said. "Foyt was running 215-220 down the straightaway. There's no way in hell. I did 184 and I'm running 199 on the straights, tops." Suspicious of Foyt's speed, USAC awarded Andretti the prize for fastest practice lap, a dinner for two at a restaurant in Tannersville.
Crewman for Herm Johnson, Greg Nelson, was transported to a local hospital by helicopter when the external starter he was using struck him in the face, suffering lacerations of the mouth and jaw.
On Thursday morning, Mike Mosley posted the fastest practice speed at 185.682 mph and asserted himself as a favorite for the pole.