USAC Championship Dirt Cars (Silvercrown)

It was hard to beat the thrills of the old USAC Championship Dirt Cars of the 1960s-80s. They raced exclusively on one mile dirt tracks and were a part of the same points championship (through the mid 70s) as the rear engine (roadsters before that) asphalt cars that ran the Indy 500. Even after they put cages on the cars they remained a part of the Indy Car series. Eventually they became a series of their own, and that began the slide into what is left today the “odd” looking mostly asphalt cars

I photographed them in 100 mile events on the one mile dirt tracks in the fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Springfield, Missouri in the early 1980s. In the early 1990s and again in around 2004 and 2006 I photographed them on the blacktop at the Milwaukee Mile. A good show anywhere, but they were special on the mile dirt tracks.

You will find some good vintage pictures on the Auto Racing Memories site. Mitch G made the post including the photos.

Auto Racing Memories, USAC Championship Dirt Cars of the 1960s Photos by Mitch G

The photos below are mine from the Milwaukee Mile. They have not been shown before. The lone b&w dirt shot was from Springfield in 1987.

Current USAC Silvercrown Series