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| {{American Championship Car race report infobox
| | #REDIRECT [[1979 Pocono 500]] |
| |Country = USA
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| |Race = Music 500 presented by Sam Goody
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| |Image = Pocono Raceway.svg
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| |Caption =
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| |Date = June 24
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| |Year = 1979
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| |Series = USAC Championship Car
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| |Official name = [[ABC Supply 500|Pocono 500]]
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| |Round_No = 5th
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| |Location = [[Long Pond, Pennsylvania]]
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| |Course = Permanent racing facility
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| |Course_mi = 2.5
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| |Course_km = 4.023
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| |Distance_laps = 200
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| |Distance_mi = 500
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| |Distance_km = 804.672
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| |Weather = Temperatures up to {{convert|60|F|C}}; wind speeds up to {{convert|14|mph|km/h}}<ref>{{cite web|title=1979 Pocono 500 weather information|url=https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/pa/avoca/KAVP/date/1979-6-24|publisher=Wunderground|accessdate=April 25, 2023}}</ref>
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| |Pole_Driver = [[A. J. Foyt]]
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| |Pole_Team = [[A. J. Foyt Racing]]
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| |Pole_Time = 182.334 mph
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| |Pole_Country = USA
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| |Fast_Driver =
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| |Fast_Team =
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| |Fast_Time =
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| |Fast_Lap =
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| |Fast_Country =
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| |First_Driver = [[A.J. Foyt]]
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| |First_Team = A.J. Foyt Racing
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| |First_Country = USA
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| |Second_Driver = [[Jim McElreath]]
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| |Second_Team = Shirley McElreath
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| |Second_Country = USA
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| |Third_Driver = [[Larry Dickson]]
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| |Third_Team = Russ Polak
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| |Third_Country = USA
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| }} | | }} |
| The '''1979 Music 500 presented by Sam Goody''', the 9th running of the event, was held at the [[Pocono Raceway]] in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on Sunday June 24, 1979. [[A. J. Foyt]] won the race, his third [[ABC Supply 500|Pocono 500]] win. The race is notable for its role in role in the confrontation between separate [[American open-wheel car racing|Indy car racing]] sanctioning bodies, [[United States Auto Club|USAC]] and [[Championship Auto Racing Teams|CART]].
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| ==Background==
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| After eight years with [[Schaefer Beer|Schaefer]] as presenting sponsor of The Pocono 500, title sponsorship for the race was picked up by [[Pickwick Records|Pickwick International]] who named it the Music 500 presented by [[Musicland]] and [[Sam Goody]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ibb.co/LJj289G |work=Scrantonian |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Pocono Raceway Announced Pickwick |date=May 13, 1979 |page=63}}</ref>
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| During race weekend, in the infield on Friday were concerts by [[Ronnie Milsap]], [[Henry Paul (musician)|Henry Paul Band]], and Funky Communication Committee. There was also a demonstration by the Budweiser Hot Air Balloon. On Saturday, concerts included [[Sister Sledge]], [[Nantucket (band)|Nantucket]] and [[Wet Willie]]. Saturday also was the Pocono 500 drivers meeting, hot air balloon demonstrations, and a custom van competition.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ibb.co/LJj289G |work=Scrantonian |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Pocono Raceway Announced Pickwick |date=May 13, 1979 |page=63}}</ref>
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| ==Controversy==
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| The race was sanctioned by [[United States Auto Club|USAC]], and was part of the [[1979 USAC Championship Car season|1979 USAC National Championship]]. Many of the top teams in open-wheel racing were part of the inaugural [[1979 SCCA/CART Indy Car Series]]. The Pocono 500 was a major aspect of the first [[American Championship car racing|open-wheel]] "split".
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| In late 1978, the [[Championship Auto Racing Teams|CART]] series was formed as a collective of race teams who formed a sanctioning body to address problems they faced in auto racing, ones they felt were ignored by USAC. While some events switched allegiance to CART, the [[Triple Crown (IndyCar)|Triple Crown]] of 500 mile races comprising Indianapolis, Pocono, and Ontario maintained loyalty to USAC.
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| On April 19, the USAC board of directors voted unanimously to reject the entries for the [[1979 Indianapolis 500]] of six key teams: [[Penske Racing|Penske]], [[Patrick Racing|Patrick]], [[McLaren]], [[Fletcher Racing|Fletcher]], [[Chaparral Cars|Chaparral]], and [[All American Racers|Gurney]]. These six teams (19 cars) were alleged to be "harmful to racing" and "not in good standing with USAC."<ref name="1996 Hungness">{{cite book|last=Hungness|first=Carl |title=1996 Indianapolis 500 Yearbook |publisher=Carl Hungness Publishing |volume=24|year=1996 |edition=1st |isbn =0-915088-76-2}}</ref> USAC sent the owners a telegram informing them of the situation while they were participating in the CART race at [[Atlanta Motor Speedway|Atlanta]], the [[1979 Gould Twin Dixie 125|Gould Twin Dixie 125s]].<ref name="Miller 5-6-09">{{cite news|url=http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-cart-usac-memories-indy-1979/|title=INDYCAR: CART/USAC Memories – Indy 1979|publisher=[[Speed (TV channel)|Speed]]|work=Indycar|first=Robin|last=Miller|author-link=Robin Miller (journalist)|date=2009-05-06|access-date=2011-12-16|archive-date=2012-06-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613010359/http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-cart-usac-memories-indy-1979/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
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| On April 26, the "rejected six" teams filed suit in the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana|U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana]], requesting an [[injunction]] to allow the teams to compete in the 1979 Indy 500. They cited [[Competition law|antitrust]] and [[restraint of trade]].<ref name="1996 Hungness" /> On May 5, [[United States federal judge|judge]] [[James Ellsworth Noland]] issued the injunction, but restrained the teams from disrupting or interfering with the running of the event. Rick Mears won the Indianapolis 500 for Team Penske.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rick Mears Wins 63d '500'|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11434528/|first=Robin|last=Miller|author-link=Robin Miller (journalist)|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 28, 1979|access-date=June 2, 2017}}{{Open access}}</ref>
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| On June 1, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway declared that the 1980 Indianapolis 500 would be invitation only. In order to receive an automatic invitation, teams would have to run at Pocono on June 24 and Ontario on September 2. The move also protected the Speedway legally from disallowing entries.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14382921/1980-indy-500-invitational/ |work=Indianapolis Star |location=(Indiana) |agency=Associated Press |title=1980 500 By Invitation Only |date=June 2, 1979 |page=1}}</ref>
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| CART declared they would boycott all remaining races sanctioned by USAC. They openly suggested they could run a 500 kilometer race at [[Trenton Speedway]] on the same day as Pocono and would honor Pocono tickets. On June 11, CART dropped those plans "in a good faith move in the best interest of auto racing."
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| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38700649/the-indianapolis-news/ |work=Indianapolis News |location=(Indiana) |agency=Associated Press |title=CART Seeks Treaty OK From USAC |date=June 12, 1979 |page=23}}</ref>
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| Only one CART driver, [[Danny Ongais]], ignored the boycott and entered the Pocono 500. Ongais's sponsor, Panasonic, insisted that he enter the Pocono 500 saying they needed the New York area exposure and that they needed to be part of Pocono's week of music concerts leading up to the 500.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ibb.co/XFGv1Hk |work=The Republic |location=(Indiana) |agency=Associated Press |title=USAC-CART Fued Near End? Ongais may Hold the Key |date=June 12, 1979 |page=15}}</ref>
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| Pocono had a small entry list with nowhere near the amount of cars to fill the 33 car starting grid. Knowing that the last place finisher was guaranteed at least $3,500, many teams rushed to find old Indy cars to enter in the race. [[Roger Rager]] entered a 1968 Eagle. [[Frank Weiss]] entered a 1970 Manta. [[Al Loquasto]] drove a 1971 McLaren. This led some to joke that the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum]] would be closed while their classic inventory was raced at Pocono.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eN4hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5877%2C503661 |work=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Nobody Loses at Music 500 |date=June 21, 1979 |page=47}}</ref>
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| ==Practice==
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| Practice began on Tuesday with Danny Ongais fastest at 178.006 mph.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97756501/kent-waldrep-and-bob-hurt-disappointed/ |work=Fort Worth Star Telegram |location=(Texas) |agency=Associated Press |title=Headlines: auto racing |date=June 20, 1979 |page=35}}</ref>
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| In Thursday practice, Jerry Sneva suffered an engine failure and spun wildly down the frontstretch.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ibb.co/ZSVYHGP |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Indiana) |agency=Associated Press |title=USAC-CART Fued Near End? Ongais may Hold the Key |date=June 22, 1979 |page=17}}</ref> His car was withdrawn from the race.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.champcarstats.com/races/1979u05.htm |title = 1979 Music 500 Results}}</ref>
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| ==Time Trials==
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| On Thursday, qualifying was set by a two-lap average time trial. Danny Ongais set the pace early with an average 182.315 mph. Later, [[A. J. Foyt]] surpassed Ongais to take the pole with a speed of 182.334 mph. Johnny Parsons was the third fastest at 179.104 mph. [[Janet Guthrie]] qualified fourth at 179.051 mph, the best starting spot of her career.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=e94hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6079%2C2114203 |work=Reading Eagle Chronicle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Foyt Ongais Sit Atop Short Field |date=June 24, 1979 |page=75}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ed4hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2839%2C901634 |work=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Slow First Lap Costly as Ongais Misses Pole |date=June 22, 1979 |page=25}}</ref>
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| 23 cars qualified for the race on day 1. [[Jerry Karl]] was the slowest with a speed of 128.251 mph, 54 mph slower than A.J. Foyt's pole speed.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ed4hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2839%2C901634 |work=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Slow First Lap Costly as Ongais Misses Pole |date=June 22, 1979 |page=25}}</ref>
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| Only two cars made qualifying attempts on Friday. After Jerry Karl's crew discovered a mechanical problem, he requalified at 172.463 mph and retained his 23rd starting spot. Jerry Sneva was hired to drive Wayne Woodward's car and qualified 169.030 mph. As a day two qualifier, he started 24th. [[Eldon Rasmussen|Eldon Rasmussen's]] car did not arrive in time to qualify, but with a short field, he was allowed to start the race without posting a qualifying speed.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=et4hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5715%2C1195146 |work=Reading Eagle Chronicle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Foyt's Oil Pressure Sour Note for Pocono Music |date=June 23, 1979 |page=10}}</ref>
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| ==Race==
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| With 25 cars starting the race, it was the smallest field for a 500-mile Indy car race since 22 cars started the [[1925 Indianapolis 500]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=et4hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5715%2C1195146 |work=Reading Eagle Chronicle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Foyt's Oil Pressure Sour Note for Pocono Music |date=June 23, 1979 |page=10}}</ref>
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| On the pace laps before the start of the race, dozens of spectators ran to the edge of the track in turn one. The cars were brought back onto pit road and the green flag was delayed by 30 minutes while the spectators were returned to the infield.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nGEsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z84EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2219%2C5153492 |work=Herald Journal |location=(South Carolina) |agency=Associated Press |title=Foyt Wins Handily at Pocono |date=June 25, 1979 |page=B1}}</ref> [[George Snider|George Snider's]] car suffered a cracked engine block after the pace laps and was unable to restart the race.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.champcarstats.com/races/1979u05.htm |title = 1979 Music 500 Results}}</ref>
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| Starting from the middle of the front row, Danny Ongais took the lead at the start and led the first 12 laps. [[Johnny Parsons]] took the lead on lap 13 and held it for five laps before Ongais repassed him. The first caution came out on lap 19 when the AMC engine of Bob Harkey expired.<ref name="AJ Displays Winning Way Again">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34928461/the-indianapolis-star/ |work=Indianapolis Star |location=(Indiana) |agency=Associated Press |title=AJ Displays Winning Way Again |date=June 25, 1979 |page=22}}</ref>
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| Johnny Parsons fell out with a burned piston after 35 laps. [[Roger McCluskey]] led multiple laps in an Indy car race for the first time since his 1973 championship season when he led six laps.
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| Eldon Rasmussen crashed badly on lap 75 when his rear wing fell off at the end of the frontstretch and he hit the turn one wall nearly head-on. Rasmussen was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion, broken right leg, and broken ribs. Rasmussen was hospitalized for three weeks and never again competed in an Indy car race.<ref name="AJ Displays Winning Way Again"/>
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| The race evolved into a three-car battle between Foyt, Ongais, and [[Larry Dickson]]. Dickson was driving the same chassis that [[Tom Sneva]] was driving when he won the 1977 Pocono 500.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fN4hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5113%2C3179306 |work=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Foyt Scores Record Third Win at Pocono |date=June 25, 1979 |page=23}}</ref> Dickson repeated his strong run from 1978 and led 19 laps around halfway.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1979_Music_500_Presented_by_Musicland_And_Sam_Goody/UO/ |title = 1979 Music 500 Results - Racing-Reference}}</ref>
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| Roger McCluskey fell out of the race in an unusual manner on lap 102. The rear bulkhead on his car separated, which caused the left sidepod to rub the left-rear tire. The tire eventually blew which caused a spin in turn three.<ref name="AJ Displays Winning Way Again"/>
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| AJ Foyt retook the lead on lap 114, followed by Danny Ongais. Foyt led for the next 23 laps before a pit decision cost him the lead. Under green flag pit stops, Foyt's crew added fuel only, while Ongais's team also changed tires. Ongais was able to pass Foyt and extend his lead to 18 seconds. While leading on lap 148, Ongais suffered an engine failure and finished 12th.
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| Upon Ongais's retirement, Foyt inherited a six-second lead over Larry Dickson. On lap 161, Dickson ran out of fuel and it took the crew 42 seconds to restart him. That gave Foyt a one lap lead over second.
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| The caution flag came out on lap 167 when two spectators ran across the track in turn one.
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| While running third with 15 laps remaining, Gary Bettenhausen blew an engine in turn three and spun in the oil to bring out the seventh caution of the day.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fN4hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5113%2C3179306 |work=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Foyt Scores Record Third Win at Pocono |date=June 25, 1979 |page=23}}</ref>
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| With three laps remaining, second place runner Larry Dickson entered the pits with a fuel pickup problem. Jim McElreath passed Dickson for second. Foyt led the final 53 laps and beat McElreath by two laps. It was Foyt's third Pocono 500 win and he earned $78,562.<ref name="AJ Displays Winning Way Again"/>
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| With crowd estimates in 1978 around 110,000, a lack of CART drivers and poor weather kept spectators away in 1979. Due to the [[1979 oil crisis]], gas shortages in the Pennsylvania area also kept spectators from driving to the track. Estimates ranged from 35,000 to 50,000 spectators on hand.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fN4hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5113%2C3179306 |work=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Foyt Scores Record Third Win at Pocono |date=June 25, 1979 |page=23}}</ref>
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| ==Aftermath==
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| Danny Ongais was fined $5,000 dollars by CART for disobeying the CART boycott.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ibb.co/jbwgd5s |work=Indianapolis News |location=(Indiana) |agency=Associated Press |title=Foyt: Won't Race at Ontario |date=July 5, 1979 |page=29}}</ref>
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| Eight days after the Pocono 500, [[Ontario Motor Speedway]] changed their sanctioning for September's California 500 from USAC to CART.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101579435/the-indianapolis-star/ |work=Indianapolis Star |location=(Indiana) |agency=Associated Press |title=Ontario Hitches Ride on CART |date=July 3, 1979 |page=23}}</ref>
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| On August 30, Pocono Raceway filed an antitrust lawsuit against CART seeking $6.3 million in damages. The resulting boycott caused the normal crowd of near 125,000 spectators to be cut in half and caused the track to lose $2 million. With antitrust lawsuits, damages are tripled to arrive at the $6.3 million figure. In addition to CART, other defendants in the suit were [[Team Penske]], [[Roger Penske]], [[Patrick Racing]], [[Pat Patrick (auto racing)|U.E. "Pat" Patrick]], and Gould Inc.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dpUtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3138%2C6720657 |work=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=CART Sued by Pocono |date=August 31, 1979 |page=26}}</ref> After a similar boycott in 1981, the lawsuit was increased to $9 million.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=198hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OaIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4910%2C5683016 |work=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Pocono Names CART, Penske in Suit |date=July 10, 1981 |page=17}}</ref> The suit was settled in early 1982.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LRwxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5-MFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4101%2C1201208 |work=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Pocono Gets CART 500 |date=May 2, 1982 |page=87}}</ref>
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| ==References==
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| {{Reflist|2}}
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| [[Category:IndyCar Series races]]
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| [[Category:1979 in American motorsport]]
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| [[Category:1979 in sports in Pennsylvania|Music]]
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| [[Category:Motorsport in Pennsylvania]]
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| [[Category:Motorsport competitions in the United States]]
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