The 1955 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 11 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 6. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Bob Sweikert. Manny Ayulo was killed at Indianapolis while practicing for the 1955 Indianapolis 500, and Bill Vukovich, the two-time defending winner, was killed in the race itself. Jack McGrath, the two-time champion, was killed in the final race at Phoenix on lap 85. This was the last year of the AAA National Championship; USAC sanctioned the series starting the next year.
The 1941 AAA Championship Car season consisted of three races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Syracuse, New York on September 1. There was also one non-championship event in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion was Rex Mays and the Indianapolis 500 winners were Floyd Davis and Mauri Rose. The National Championship was not held again until 1946, due to World War II.
The 1940 AAA Championship Car season consisted of three races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Syracuse, New York on September 2. There was also one non-championship event in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion was Rex Mays and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Wilbur Shaw. The fatal crash happened in this season. George Bailey died in a practice at Indianapolis before the 1940 Indianapolis 500, he was 40 years old. And Lou Webb died on the season ending race at Syracuse, he was 29 years old.
The 1939 AAA Championship Car season consisted of three races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Syracuse, New York on September 2. There was also one non-championship event in Springfield, Illinois. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Wilbur Shaw. The Springfield 100 was originally scheduled as a AAA non-championship even, but the association withdrew their sanction the day of the race, and it was held as an unsanctioned race on 19 August at Springfield and won by John Crone.
The 1938 AAA Championship Car season consisted of two races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Syracuse, New York on September 10. There were also two non-championship events. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Floyd Roberts. Billy Winn died at Springfield on the non-championships race.
The 1954 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 14. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion was Jimmy Bryan, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Bill Vukovich. Bob Scott was killed in the Independence Day Sweepstakes race at Darlington.
The 1953 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 11. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion was Sam Hanks, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Bill Vukovich. Chet Miller died while practicing for the Indianapolis 500.
The 1951 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 15 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in San Mateo, California on November 11. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion was Tony Bettenhausen, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Lee Wallard.
The 1950 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Darlington, South Carolina on December 10. There were also two non-championship events. The AAA National Champion was Henry Banks, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Johnnie Parsons.
The 1949 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 14 races, beginning in Arlington, Texas on April 24 and concluding in Del Mar, California on November 6. There were also two non-championship events. The AAA National Champion was Johnnie Parsons, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Bill Holland. The season was marred by George Metzler's death at Indianapolis in practice, Bill Sheffler's death at Trenton also in practice, and Rex Mays's death in the final race at Del Mar.
The 1946 AAA Championship Car season was the first season of American Championship car racing following World War II. After four years without racing in the United States, the AAA Contest Board was initially concerned about having enough races, enough entrants, and suitable equipment, for a 1946 season. Even the Indianapolis 500 was in doubt, as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was neglected during the war. Track owner Eddie Rickenbacker sold the track to Tony Hulman in November 1945, by which point it had fallen into a terrible state of disrepair. As the season progressed, it proved to be a success, and marked a successful return of the National Championship. Hulman's swift and herculean effort to renovate Indianapolis allowed for the 1946 Indianapolis 500 to be run as scheduled on May 30, and it was won by George Robson.
The 1936 AAA Championship Car season consisted of four races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Westbury, New York on October 12. There were also three non-championship events. The AAA National Champion was Mauri Rose, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Louis Meyer. Al Gordon and his driving mechanics Spider Matlock died at Ascot at the non-championship race. They were 34 and 35 years old.
The 1935 AAA Championship Car season consisted of six races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Langhorne, Pennsylvania on October 13. There was also one non-championship event. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Kelly Petillo. In this year the Indy 500 was tragical, because Johnny Hannon died in practice, then Stubby Stubblefield died in qualifying and Clay Weatherly died in the race. They were 27, 28 and 25 years old.
The 1934 AAA Championship Car season consisted of four races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Inglewood, California on December 23. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Bill Cummings. Pete Kreis died at Indianapolis in practice and George Brayen died at Syracuse in the race. They were 34 and 30 years old.
The 1933 AAA Championship Car season consisted of three races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Syracuse, New York on September 9. There was also one non-championship event. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Louis Meyer. It was a tragic year at at Indianapolis, where William Denver and his riding mechanics Bob Hurst died in practice and in the 500 mile race died Mark Billman than Lester Spangler and his riding mechanics G. L. Jordan in two different accidents. The season ended on 9 September at Syracuse, where a 15 lap non-championship race was scheduled to run after the main event, but was cancelled due to darkness.
The 1932 AAA Championship Car season consisted of six races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in San Leandro, California on November 13. The AAA National Champion was Bob Carey and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Fred Frame. Melville Jones died at Indianapolis in practice, than Bennie Bennefiel and his riding mechanic Harry Cox died on the qualification.
The 1931 AAA Championship Car season consisted of seven races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Syracuse, New York on September 12. There was also one non-championship race. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Louis Schneider. Joe Caccia and his driving mechanic Clarence Grover died at Indianapolis in practice. Jimmy Gleason died at Syracuse in practice. Sun Hawk was the first Native American driver in the AAA history.
The 1929 AAA Championship Car season consisted of five races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Tyrone, Pennsylvania on September 2. There were also three non-championship races. The AAA National Champion was Louis Meyer and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Ray Keech.
The 1927 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 11 races, beginning in Culver City, California on March 6 and concluding in Salem, New Hampshire on October 12. There were also three non-championship races. The AAA National Champion was Peter DePaolo and the Indianapolis 500 winner was George Souders.
The 1916 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 15 races, beginning in Brooklyn, New York on May 13 and concluding in Los Angeles, California on November 30. There were also 12 non-championship races. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Dario Resta.
Wilbur Shaw 
