1949 AAA Championship Car season

1949 AAA Championship Car season
1949 AAA Championship Car season
AAA National Championship Trail
Season
Races	14
Start date	April 24
End date	November 6
Awards
National champion	Johnnie Parsons
Indianapolis 500 winner	Bill Holland
	← 1948 1950 →

Last updated March 24, 2024

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.

Schedule and results

Rnd	Date	Race Name	Track	Location	Type	Pole Position	Winning Driver
1	April 24	Arlington 100	Arlington Downs Raceway	Arlington, Texas	Dirt	Rex Mays	Johnnie Parsons
2	May 30	International 500 Mile Sweepstakes	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	Speedway, Indiana	Paved	Duke Nalon	Bill Holland
3	June 5	Milwaukee 100	Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway	West Allis, Wisconsin	Dirt	Rex Mays	Myron Fohr
4	June 19	Trenton 100	Trenton Speedway	Trenton, New Jersey	Dirt	Rex Mays	Myron Fohr
NC	July 17	Universal Speedways Race of Champions	Arlington Downs Raceway	Arlington, Texas	Dirt	Mel Hansen	Mel Hansen
NC	July 31	Indianapolis Sweepstakes	Williams Grove Speedway	Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania	Dirt	Duane Carter	Johnny Mantz
5	August 20	Springfield 100	Illinois State Fairgrounds	Springfield, Illinois	Dirt	Mel Hansen	Mel Hansen
6	August 28	Milwaukee 200	Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway	West Allis, Wisconsin	Dirt	Mel Hansen	Johnnie Parsons
7	September 3	DuQuoin 100	DuQuoin State Fairgrounds	Du Quoin, Illinois	Dirt	Tony Bettenhausen	Tony Bettenhausen
8	September 5	Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb	Pikes Peak Highway	Pikes Peak, Colorado	Hill	Al Rogers ^A	Al Rogers
9	September 10	Syracuse 100	New York State Fairgrounds	Syracuse, New York	Dirt	Spider Webb	Johnnie Parsons
10	September 11	Detroit 100	Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway	Detroit, Michigan	Dirt	Duke Dinsmore	Tony Bettenhausen
11	September 25	Springfield 100	Illinois State Fairgrounds	Springfield, Illinois	Dirt	Jimmy Davies	Johnnie Parsons
12	October 16	Langhorne 100	Langhorne Speedway	Langhorne, Pennsylvania	Dirt	Paul Russo	Johnnie Parsons
13	October 30	Golden State 100	California State Fairgrounds	Sacramento, California	Dirt	Fred Agabashian	Fred Agabashian
14	November 6	Del Mar 100	Del Mar Speedway	Del Mar, California	Dirt	Jimmy Davies	Jimmy Davies

Paved/Dirt Oval

Road Course/Hill Climb

Non-championship race

^A No pole is awarded for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, in this schedule on the pole is the driver who started first. No lap led was awarded for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, however, a lap was awarded to the drivers that completed the climb.

Final points standings

Note: The points became the car, when not only one driver led the car, the relieved driver became small part of the points. Points for driver method: (the points for the finish place) / (number the lap when completed the car) * (number the lap when completed the driver)

Pos	Driver	ARL	INDY	MIL1	TRE	SPR1	MIL2	DQSF	PIK	SYR	DET	SPR2	LAN	SAC	DMR	Pts
1	Johnnie Parsons	1	2	13	11	3	1	11		1	12	1	1	5	15	2280
2	Myron Fohr	4	4	1	1	6	10	8		6	3	DNS		4	3	1790
3	Bill Holland		1	9	16	4		2		DNP	7	12	9	13		1420
4	Walt Brown		DNS	10	3	7	2	5		4	8	5	11	6	6	1281
5	George Connor		3	16	DNQ	16	7	3		5	13	6		11	9	1200
6	Rex Mays	2	25	7	10	2	3	15		15	11	2		2	18	1030
7	Paul Russo		8	6	8	10	12	6		2	DNQ	15	4	10	5	920
8	Lee Wallard		23		15	5	21	4		16	5	3	6	7	2	760
9	Johnny Mantz	3	7	5	12	8	17			11	DNQ			DNS	8	660
10	Emil Andres		9	2	4	DNP	5	13		10		DNQ				512
11	Joie Chitwood		5													500
12	Tony Bettenhausen		DNQ	DNQ		18	15	1		9	1	9		DNQ	16	466
13	Mack Hellings		16	3	9				5					9	4	440
14	Jimmy Jackson		6						DNS							400
15	Mel Hansen		DNS	DNS	2	1	16	14		DNQ						376
16	Duane Carter		14	DNQ		15	6	9		7	14	7		16	10	350
17	Jimmy Davies RY	10								8	6	13	16	DNQ	1	330
18	Spider Webb		33	DNP						3	2	10		DNQ		330
19	Ralph Pratt R		DNQ	12		9	8	7			4					330
20	Duke Dinsmore		15	DNP	5	DNQ	DNS	DNQ		DNQ	10	DNQ	13	14	DNQ	254
21	Troy Ruttman R	8	12	18										3	12	250
22	Neal Carter R						11	17			9	11	2		14	240
23	Bayliss Levrett R	9	24	14		17	4	18			DNQ	16		8	17	206
24	Fred Agabashian		27											1		200
25	Al Rogers								1							200
26	Charles Van Acker		31	DNQ		11	9	10		DNQ	DNQ	8				180
27	Louis Unser								2							160
28	Norm Houser		10	DNQ	DNQ											150
29	Johnny Fedricks R										DNQ	14	3			140
30	Charles Bryant R								3							140
31	Mike Salay		DNQ		6		DNQ				DNQ	DNS	8			130
32	Johnny McDowell R	7	18	11	7											124
33	Jackie Holmes		22	4		14	18	DNQ								120
34	Chuck Stevenson R						14					4				120
35	George Hammond								4							120
36	Milt Fankhouser	6	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ		14	16	DNQ	10	12	13	120
37	Tommy Hinnershitz		DNQ							DNS			5			117
38	Frank Burany R	5	DNQ													100
39	Jim Rathmann R		11												DNQ	100
40	Phil Shafer								6							80
41	George Fonder R		20							17			7			60
42	Cal Niday R													18	7	60
43	Hugh Thomas								7							60
44	Jack McGrath		26	8	14											50
45	J.C. Shoemaker								8							50
46	Russ Snowberger								9							40
47	Herb Bryers								10							30
48	Buster Hammond								11							20
49	Hank Rogers					12	20			12			DNQ			20
50	Billy McGee R														DNS	17
51	Ottis Stine									DNS			14			14
52	Mark Light									18			12			10
53	Billy Devore		DNQ					12				DNQ				10
54	Walt Killinger								12							10
55	Hal Cole		19	DNQ	17									15	11	3
-	Bill Sheffler	11	17	15	DNQ											0
-	George Lynch		32			DNQ	13	16		DNP	15	18	15			0
-	Ted Duncan		DNQ	17	13	DNQ	19	DNP								0
-	Buster Warke			DNQ	18					13	DNQ		DNQ			0
-	Wally Stokes R		DNQ			13										0
-	Mauri Rose		13													0
-	Art McKee R								13							0
-	Milton Mabe R								14							0
-	Art Hillis								15							0
-	Glenn Harrison R								16							0
-	Hal Robson		DNQ								DNQ	17				0
-	Dick Rathmann R			DNQ										17		0
-	Delmar Desch								17							0
-	Ed Terry												17			0
-	Lloyd Axel R								18							0
-	Johnny Mauro		DNQ						19							0
-	Jimmy Good								20							0
-	William Cantrell		21	DNQ												0
-	Kenny Eaton R		DNQ				22									0
-	Manuel Ayulo		28													0
-	Duke Nalon		29													0
-	Sam Hanks		30	DNQ			DNQ	DNQ						DNQ	DNP	0
-	Joel Thorne		DNQ						DNS							0
-	Walt Von Tilius								DNS							0
-	Jim Hammond								DNS							0
-	Norman Robinson								DNS							0
-	Wayne Sankey								DNS							0
-	Buddy Shay								DNS							0
-	Jimmy Daywalt		DNQ				DNQ	DNQ				DNQ				0
-	Steve Truchan						DNQ	DNQ			DNQ	DNQ				0
-	Eddie Haddad		DNQ			DNQ	DNQ									0
-	Henry Banks		DNQ								DNQ	DNQ				0
-	Eddie Zalucki						DNQ	DNQ		DNP						0
-	Danny Kladis		DNQ	DNQ												0
-	Bill Boyd						DNP			DNQ						0
-	Les Anderson		DNQ													0
-	Frank Beardsley		DNQ													0
-	Randall Beinke		DNQ													0
-	Lindley Bothwell		DNQ													0
-	Frank Brisko		DNQ													0
-	Jim Brubaker		DNQ													0
-	Pat Flaherty		DNQ													0
-	Dick Fraizer		DNQ													0
-	Byron Horne		DNQ													0
-	Tommy Mattson		DNQ													0
-	George Metzler		DNQ													0
-	Chet Miller		DNQ													0
-	Bill Taylor		DNQ													0
-	Louis Tomei		DNQ													0
-	Doc Williams		DNQ													0
-	Bill Mackey					DNQ										0
-	Charles Szekendy					DNQ										0
-	George Weaver									DNQ						0
-	Bob Simpson										DNQ					0
-	Iggy Katona											DNQ				0
-	Eddie Johnson												DNQ			0
-	Johnny Smith													DNQ		0
-	Walt Faulkner														DNQ	0
-	Dempsey Wilson														DNQ	0
-	Bill Gouse									DNP						0
-	Joe Garson														DNP	0
-	Lenny Lowe														DNP	0
Pos	Driver	ARL	INDY	MIL1	TRE	SPR1	MIL2	DQSF	PIK	SYR	DET	SPR2	LAN	SAC	DMR	Pts

Color	Result
Gold	Winner
Silver	2nd place
Bronze	3rd place
Green	4th & 5th place
Light Blue	6th-10th place
Dark Blue	Finished (Outside Top 10)
Purple	Did not finish (Ret)
Red	Did not qualify (DNQ)
Brown	Withdrawn (Wth)
Black	Disqualified (DSQ)
White	Did not start (DNS)
Blank	Did not participate (DNP)
Blank	Not competing

In-line notation
Bold	Pole position
Italics	Ran fastest race lap
*	Led most race laps
RY Rookie of the Year
R Rookie

Related Research Articles

The 1970 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 18 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 28 and concluding at the same location on November 21. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Al Unser. After this season, dirt courses did not reappear in the USAC Championship until 1981-82. Road courses after this season did not reappear in the USAC Championship until 1977. The Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb was the only non-championship event.

The 1956 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana, on May 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 12. There were also three non-championship events. The USAC National Champion was Jimmy Bryan and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Pat Flaherty. This was the first year that the National Championship was sanctioned by the USAC, after the withdrawal of the AAA from all forms of racing after the 1955 season.

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 1969 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 24 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 30 and concluding in Riverside, California on December 7. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Mario Andretti.

The 1962 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 8 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 18. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Rodger Ward. Hugh Randall was killed in the first Langhorne 100 at Langhorne Speedway; he was 29 years old.

The 1959 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Daytona Beach, Florida on April 4 and concluding in Sacramento, California on October 25. There were also three non-championship events. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Rodger Ward. In this tragic season 7 fatal accidents occurred. During the pre-season, Marshall Teague was fatally injured in a crash at Daytona. He was 37 years old. In the first race of the season at Daytona, 34-year-old George Amick was killed in an accident on the last lap. In the second race of the season at Trenton, Dick Linder was killed; he was 36 years old. The third race of the season, the Indy 500, had two fatalities. On May 2, Jerry Unser was killed in a practice accident, and on May 19 death Bob Cortner was also killed in a practice accident. On July 19 at Mechanicsburg in the Indianapolis Sweepstakes non-championship race Van Johnson was killed in an accident; he was 32 years old. On August 30, 32-year-old Ed Elisian was killed at the Milwaukee Mile. The 1959 season could be considered one of the most tragic seasons in American open-wheel car history.

The 1960 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 10 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 20. There were also two non-championship events at Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and Pikes Peak, Colorado. This was the final year that the Indianapolis 500 was a part of the Formula One World Championship. The USAC National Champion was A. J. Foyt and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Jim Rathmann. Three time USAC/AAA National Champion, and 1958 Indianapolis 500 winner Jimmy Bryan, was killed in an accident during the Langhorne 100 at Langhorne Speedway; he was 34 years old.

The 1961 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 9 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 19. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was A. J. Foyt. The season was marred by the deaths of 1951 and 1958 season champion Tony Bettenhausen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Al Keller at Phoenix.

The 1963 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 21 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 17. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion was A. J. Foyt, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Parnelli Jones. Jim Clark's win at Milwaukee in August marked the first win for a rear-engined car in Champ Car competition.

The 1964 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 22 and concluding at the same location on November 22. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was A. J. Foyt. At Indianapolis in the 500 mile race Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald were killed during lap 2 of the race; Sachs was 37 years old, and MacDonald was 27. In the Tony Bettenhausen Memorial at Springfield, Bill Horstmeyer died during the race; he was 34 years old. In November, five days after the season ended, Bobby Marshman died in a testing accident at Phoenix; he was 28 years old.

The 1966 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 16 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 20 and concluding at the same location on November 20. There was also one non-championship event at Fuji Speedway in Japan. The USAC National Champion was Mario Andretti, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Graham Hill. At Indianapolis, Chuck Rodee was killed while qualifying for the 1966 Indianapolis 500. Also of note was the end of the career of two time 500 and two time National Champion Rodger Ward as he ran the final three races of his IndyCar career at the start of the season which included the final IndyCar victory of his career at Trenton.

The 1967 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 21 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona, on April 9 and concluding in Riverside, California, on November 26. This season saw three new road courses added to the schedule in addition to the Hoosier Grand Prix at IRP: Mosport in Canada; Circuit Mont-Tremblant also in Canada; and the season finale at Riverside International Raceway in southern California in the United States. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was A. J. Foyt.

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 1952 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 Chuck Stevenson, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Troy Ruttman. Johnny McDowell was killed at the Milwaukee while qualifying for the Rex Mays Classic. Joe James died in the San José 100 race.

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 1948 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Arlington, Texas on April 25 and concluding in Du Quoin, Illinois on October 10. The AAA National Champion was Ted Horn, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Mauri Rose. Ralph Hepburn was killed at Indianapolis in practice, and Ted Horn was killed at the last race in DuQuoin.

The 1947 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 11 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana, on May 30 and concluding in Arlington, Texas, on November 2. The AAA National Champion was Ted Horn, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Mauri Rose.

The 1946 AAA Championship Car season was the first season of American Championship car racing following World War II. After four years without automobile racing in the United States, the AAA Contest Board was initially concerned about having enough races, enough entrants, and suitable equipment, to contest season on such short notice for 1946. Even the Indianapolis 500 was in doubt, as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway had been fallen into a terrible state of neglect during the war years.

References

Åberg, Andreas. "AAA National Championship 1949". Driver Database. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
"1949 AAA National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
Harms, Phil. "1949 Championship Driver Summary" (PDF). Motorsport.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 10, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine (p. 306-309)

v t e American Championship car racing (Indy car) seasons
AAA	1905 1906–1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
USAC	1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95
CART	1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
CCWS	2004 2005 2006 2007 ~~2008~~
IRL	1996 1996–97 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
INDYCAR	2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Years marked in italics are not official championship years or upcoming seasons.

v t e AAA Championship Cars (1905–1955)
Seasons	1905 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
Indianapolis 500s	1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 ~~1942~~ 1943–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
National Champions	Billy Arnold Henry Banks Tony Bettenhausen Jimmy Bryan Bob Carey Gaston Chevrolet Bill Cummings Pete DePaolo (twice) Sam Hanks Harry Hartz Eddie Hearne Ted Horn (three times) Rex Mays (twice) Louis Meyer (three times) Tommy Milton Jimmy Murphy (twice) Barney Oldfield Johnnie Parsons Kelly Petillo Dario Resta Floyd Roberts Mauri Rose Louis Schneider Wilbur Shaw (twice) Chuck Stevenson Bob Sweikert
AAA Contest Board Years marked in italics are not official championship years.

1949 AAA Championship Car season

Contents

Schedule and results

Final points standings

Related Research Articles

References

See also