1978 USAC Mini-Indy Series season explained

The 1978 USAC Mini Indy Series season was the second season of the USAC sanctioned Formula Super Vee championship.

Race calendar and results

Round	Circuit	Location	Date	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winner	Headline event
1[1]			18 March				Jimmy Bryan 150
2[2]			12 April				Gabriel 200
3[3]			11 June				Molson Diamond Indy
4[4]			18 June				Rex Mays 150
5[5]			6 August	Harry MacDonald			Texas Grand Prix
6[6]			20 August	Dennis Firestone			Tony Bettenhausen 200
7[7]			2 September	Dennis Firestone			California 500
8[8]				Tommy Thompson
9[9]			23 September	Dennis Firestone			Machinist Union 150
10[10]			28 October	Kevin Cogan			Miller High Life Bobby Ball 150

Teams and drivers

No.	Driver	Owner	Car	Engine	Note
2		Austin Johnson
3
10
12		Race Research Inc.
19		Beth Ardisana
29		Simpson Racers
37
38
39		Richard Tallon
41		William Alsup Jr.
42		HCM Racing
43		Bill Scott Racing
45		Bertil Racing Engines
46		Janet Moore
48		WREP Industries
50					Thompson died from injuries sustained in a crash in the ninth round of the championship
55		David Psachie
60		Lou Cicconi
70		Syd Demovsky
77		Fitzpatrick Racing Enterprises
82
94		Aspen Racing
97		American Eagle Racing
98		Sale Chevrolet
99		Linne Enterprises

Death of Tommy Thompson

African-American racing driver Tommy Thompson participated in the ninth round of the championship at Trenton International Speedway. On the final lap of the 42-lap race one of the other competitor slowed down. John Barringer had to swerve to avoid contact. However Thompson hit Barringer. Thompson's left front wheel and Barringer's right rear wheel became locked. Both cars hit the wall head-on. Thompsons car was launched over the wall. Both Barringer and Thompson were transported to St. Francis Medical Center. Thompson succumbed to his injuries on 28 September.^[11]

Final standings

Color	Result
Gold	Winner
Silver	2nd place
Bronze	3rd place
Green	4th & 5th place
Light Blue	6th–10th place
Dark Blue	11th place or lower
Purple	Did not finish
Red	Did not qualify (DNQ)
Brown	Withdrawn (Wth)
Black	Disqualified (DSQ)
White	Did not start (DNS)
Blank	Did not participate (DNP)
	Driver replacement (Rpl)
	Injured (Inj)
	No race held (NH)

Pos.	Driver											Points
1		21	2	1	23	2	10	1	2	4	12	1046
2		5	24	3	22	6	1	24	1	16	2	894
3		DNS	20	4	3	1	26	2	3	23	7	831
4		16	5	14	2	7	5	5	22	3	5	773
5			1	15	24	3	9	3	5	26	9	674
6		25	21	10	5	27	6	14	19	2	4	506
7							2	6	4	18	3	504
8			3	17	4	22		7	9	28	6	453
9		1	22	16	7	9	4					428
10						4	7	4	18	5		404
11							3				1	340
12		4	9	6	21	24	15	10	10	19	23	318
13				12	6					1		290
13		2	4			13				22	25	290
15		8		7	9			9	8	14		245
16		11	18	1								224
17			8	5		19	18			8		208
18				2				21				163
19		3										140
20							13			6	8	135
21						5	11	16		21		128
22					12	10		28	6		13	127
23			7				7			15		115
24			27		10	20				7	21	99
25			15	11		11	14			9		90
26		13	16		19	8	25	23		11		89
27			6									80
27		6										80
29			26				24	25	7	20	16	76
30			12	8		18	23			17	18	75
31		12	11	9	28							72
32					14	12		8	20			69
33		7										60
34				8								50
35		9	14									45
36		18	28	16		17	17	12	12		27	41
37		24		13	25						10	40
37								11	11			40
39								22		10		33
39							16	20	17		11	33
41		10										30
41			10									30
43			13	DNS		15	12				20	28
44						14	27	13	t 15	24	15	25
45					11		19					24
46					17	28	28	17	16			17
47		15						21	13			13
47		22	19		20	26						13
49						25				12		12
49								19	14		24	12
51					26		22	15				10
52								18	23		28	9
52								29	21		19	9
54		23			15							8
55		DNS	17									6
55		23									22	6
57										13		5
57					13							5
57											14	5
57		14										5
57						16						5
57								27	24			5
63		17										4
63											17	4
63					18							4
63							20					4
67						21						3
67						23						3
69										25		2
69		25										2
69		26										2
69								26				2
69											26	2
69					27							2
69										27		2

Notes and References

1. Web site: Round 1. Ultimate Racing History. 25 July 2015.
2. Web site: Round 2. Ultimate Racing History. 25 July 2015.
3. Web site: Round 3. Ultimate Racing History. 25 July 2015.
4. Web site: Round 4. Ultimate Racing History. 25 July 2015.
5. Web site: Round 5. Ultimate Racing History. 25 July 2015.
6. Web site: Round 6. Ultimate Racing History. 25 July 2015.
7. Web site: Round 7. Ultimate Racing History. 25 July 2015.
8. Web site: Round 8. Ultimate Racing History. 25 July 2015.
9. Web site: Round 9. Ultimate Racing History. 25 July 2015.
10. Web site: Round 10. Ultimate Racing History. 25 July 2015.
11. Web site: Race driver succumbs to N.J. crash injuries. Baltimore Afro-American. 25 July 2015.