The USAC plane crash that imploded American open-wheel racing

In April of 1978, a chartered plane full of USAC officials crashed just outside of Indianapolis, killing everyone on board. With American open-wheel racing already in disarray as team owners began to demand greater accountability from their sanctioning body, the plane crash only served to accelerate a battle we've come to know as the Split.

What role did that plane crash play in the ultimate fracturing of CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) from USAC? And how did that crash unsettle the very foundations of American motorsport as we knew it? That's exactly what we'll find out in this episode of “Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys.”

To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys: https://linktr.ee/deadlypassionsterriblejoys 

Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deadlypassionsterriblejoys

Subscribe on Substack: https://deadlypassionsterriblejoys.substack.com/ 

Follow DPTJ on BlueSky: @deadlypassions-pod.bsky.social

Follow DPTJ on Instagram: @deadlypassionsterriblejoys

Follow DPTJ on Twitter/X: @terriblejoy_pod

Watch on YouTube: @eliz_blackstock

Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on BlueSky: @elizablackstock.bsky.social

Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Instagram: @elizablackstock

Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Twitter/X: @eliz_blackstock

Order Racing with Rich Energy: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/racing-with-rich-energy

Episode Bibliography: 

• Indy Split: The Big Money Battle that Nearly Destroyed Indy Racing by John Oreovicz

• The IndyCar Wars: The 30-Year Fight for Control of American Open-Wheel Racing by Sigurd E. Whitaker

• https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/03/13/The-widows-of-five-US-Auto-Club-officials-killed/8257384843600/

• https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=169290

• https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2014/04/23/plane-crash-claims-usac-officials/8012327/

• https://oilpressure.com/2012/04/23/a-night-to-remember/ 

• https://www.usacracing.com/news/a-tribute-to-those-lost-in-the-1978-usac-plane-crash 

• https://static1.squarespace.com/static/583d8975cd0f686c5dea13d7/t/590dc64229687fab6af914f8/1494074952454/USAC-plane-crash-Article-2.pdf

• https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/03/13/The-widows-of-five-US-Auto-Club-officials-killed/8257384843600/ 

• https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=a5cpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hckEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1079%2C1093218 

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/311499816/?match=1&terms=%22USAC%22&_gl=1%2ari34n%2a_up%2aMQ..%2a_gs%2aMQ..&gclid=CjwKCAiAqrG9BhAVEiwAaPu5zinarN6sTwRXIAG8BQ7n5kyw7AKyBsnsc1bFahJmRyS6Uh9Oub71ohoCHcgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds 

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/311988043/?match=1&terms=%22USAC%22&_gl=1%2a1hqof32%2a_up%2aMQ..%2a_gs%2aMQ..&gclid=CjwKCAiAqrG9BhAVEiwAaPu5zinarN6sTwRXIAG8BQ7n5kyw7AKyBsnsc1bFahJmRyS6Uh9Oub71ohoCHcgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds