The United States Auto Club, is one of the sanctioning bodies for racing in the United States of America. It has sanctioned many culturally significant races in the U.S. in the past. Between 1956 and 1997, the organisation made sure the Indianapolis 500, known colloquially as the Indy 500, ran without a hitch. 

In more recent years, the USAC ensures that a variety of racing series, ranging from the Silver Crown series to Stadium Super Trucks to the Pirelli World Challenge happen with the say so of their organisation. 

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The USAC started in 1955 after the American Automobile Association removed itself from auto racing. The reason was the Le Mans incident (which killed a driver, 80 spectators and injured 180 others in what is widely considered the worst motorsport accident in history) and the death of the Billy Vukovich at the Indy 500. Shortly after, the chairman of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tony Hulman, took over and formed the sanctioning body. Since then, it has been of the organisations that dictate rules, car design and other features for high level championship auto racing. For a couple of years, the USAC had different rules prescribed for dirt racing and for pavement racing. 

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Numerous drivers honed their skills on the various USAC sanctioned racing series. To this day, the organisation oversees the Silver Crown Series, the Ignite Ethanol Fuel Series, the National Midget Series, amongst a few others.

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The USAC was not without controversy. Following a plane crash in 1978 which killed many of the sanctioning body’s officials, Indy car owners and drivers banded together to represent themselves as they felt the USAC did not do enough to ensure the events were well attended. On top of that, many of the owners and drivers felt that they weren’t being fairly compensated. What followed was the formation of the Championship Auto Racing Teams. The USAC lobbied to ban them from competition but ultimately failed after a court sided with the drivers and owners. 

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After a couple of issues between CART and the USAC, the two settled into co-existing where the sanctioning body gave permission for races like the Indy 500 and CART set the race schedules.