1909 (LA to Phoenix): Only point-to-point race to count for championship points. Winning
car was a Buick. It finished over four hours ahead of the second place car.
1909 (Santa Monica): First race was for heavy cars; second race for light cars. Both gave
same amount of points.
1911 (Santa Monica): First race for stock chassis, second and third races which were run
concurrently for heavy and medium cars, respectively, and fourth race was a "free-for-all" with
only four starters.
1911 (Bakersfield): Only four cars entered.
1912: First race for light cars, second race for medium cars, and third race was a
"free-for-all." Attendance was 150,000.
1913 (Santa Monica): Frank Goode disqualified for carrying fuel away from pits.
1913 (San Diego): Attendance estimated at 100,000.
1913 (Corona): Both races run concurrently. Drivers received points according to highest
points in either race. Attendance estimated at 200,000.
1914 and 1916 (Santa Monica): First race was Vanderbilt Cup sanctioned by AAA. Second race
was United States Grand Prize sanctioned by ACA, but AAA awarded points.
1915 (Venice): One of Oldfield's rare AAA wins.
1915 (Ascot): Jack Callaghan wrecked on lap 14 and died the next day from the injuries.
1916: Lewis Jackson and three spectators killed in crash.
11/17: First race was for 300ci and under, second race was free-for-all.
3/20: First race was scheduled for the previous week, but was postponed due to rain.
11/20: Eddie O'Donnell and his riding mechanic, Lyall Jolls, killed on lap 138. Gaston
Chevrolet killed on lap 146.
2/21: In the second race, Roscoe Sarles beat Tom Milton by a tenth of a second who in turn
beat Jimmy Murphy by a tenth of a second.
4/21: In the first race (heat #1), Ralph DePalma beat Roscoe Sarles by .02 seconds. In the
fourth race (heat #4), Jimmy Murphy beat Roscoe Sarles by .04 seconds who in turn beat Eddie
Hearne by .04 seconds.
3/22: Race started one week earlier; stopped after 93 laps and run over.
4/22: In the third race, Jimmy Murphy beat Harry Hartz by .07 seconds.
12/22: Herschel McKee killed in practice. Qualifying positions determined by draw, but had
to achieve minimum speed of 105 mph to start.
2/23: Jimmy Murphy beat Bennett Hill by .06 seconds.
11/23: Car owner, George Wade, and photographer, Bill Hughes, killed when struck by Harry
Hartz's car during practice lap.
2/24 (Beverly Hills): Starting lineup determined by draw.
1924 (Culver City): Race delayed one week due to rain. First appearance of Miller Front
Drive.
3/25: First 25 miles were run one week earlier.
11/25: Ray Cariens killed on lap 24. 130 mph minimum qualifying speed required.
1934: Starting lineup determined by draw. Race completed under heavy fog.
1949: Rex Mays killed on lap 14 when he hit second turn inside pole, flipped, thrown out,
and hit by Hal Cole.
1968: Gurney lapped the entire field.
1972: Two yellow flags caused by jackrabbits on course.
1973-5: Heat races to determine the starting lineup were run one week prior to 500 mile
event. All the races awarded points.
3/78: Race delayed three weeks due to rain.
9/78: Al Unser, Sr. won by over 5 laps. Only 5 of the 31 starters finished the race.
1979: First race sanctioned by USAC, second race sanctioned by CART/SCCA.
1987: Mario Andretti lapped the entire field.
1988: Al Unser, Jr. lapped the entire field.
1991: The infamous pit lane crash between Michael Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi took
place.
1993: Robby Gordon disqualified for dangerous driving after 63 laps.
1997 (Fontana): Mauricio Gugelmin sets all time closed course record with a qualifying lap of 240.942
mph.
1999 (Fontana): Greg Moore killed on lap 9.
2000 (Fontana): First 33 laps run on Sunday before rain. Remainder run following day.
2001: Helio Castroneves won the pole and led from start to finish.
2001 (Fontana): Race start delayed due to rain. Race shortened due to darkness.
2002: Michael Andretti breaks CART record for longest span between wins at same race -- 16 years.
2002 (Fontana): Race red flagged with five laps to go. Race restarted with two laps to go. Fastest 500 mile race
ever run in the world.
2008: The last Champ Car race ever held.