1951 AAA Championship Car season

1951 AAA Championship Car season
1951 AAA Championship Car season
AAA National Championship Trail
Season
Races	15
Start date	May 30
End date	November 11
Awards
National champion	Tony Bettenhausen
Indianapolis 500 winner	Lee Wallard
	← 1950 1952 →

Last updated November 08, 2025

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.

Schedule and results

Rnd	Date	Race name	Track	Location	Type	Pole position	Winning driver
1	May 30	International 500 Mile Sweepstakes ^A	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	Speedway, Indiana	Paved	Duke Nalon	Lee Wallard
2	June 10	Rex Mays Classic	Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway	West Allis, Wisconsin	Dirt	Jack McGrath	Tony Bettenhausen
3	June 24	Langhorne 100	Langhorne Speedway	Langhorne, Pennsylvania	Dirt	Jack McGrath	Tony Bettenhausen
4	July 4	Darlington 250	Darlington Raceway	Darlington, South Carolina	Paved	Johnny McDowell	Walt Faulkner
NC	July 29	Indianapolis Sweepstakes	Williams Grove Speedway	Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania	Dirt	Troy Ruttman	Troy Ruttman
5	August 18	Springfield 100	Illinois State Fairgrounds	Springfield, Illinois	Dirt	Paul Russo	Tony Bettenhausen
6	August 26	Milwaukee 200	Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway	West Allis, Wisconsin	Dirt	Johnny McDowell	Walt Faulkner
7	September 1	Ted Horn Memorial	DuQuoin State Fairgrounds	Du Quoin, Illinois	Dirt	Johnnie Parsons	Tony Bettenhausen
8	September 3	Du Quoin 150^B	DuQuoin State Fairgrounds	Du Quoin, Illinois	Dirt	Tony Bettenhausen	Tony Bettenhausen
9	September 3	Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb	Pikes Peak Highway	Pikes Peak, Colorado	Hill	Louis Unser ^C	Al Rogers
10	September 8	Syracuse 100^D	New York State Fairgrounds	Syracuse, New York	Dirt	Tony Bettenhausen	Tony Bettenhausen
11	September 9	Detroit 100	Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway	Detroit, Michigan	Dirt	Johnny McDowell	Paul Russo
12	September 23	Denver 100	Centennial Park	Littleton, Colorado	Dirt	Tony Bettenhausen	Tony Bettenhausen
13	October 21	San Jose 100	San Jose Speedway	San Jose, California	Dirt	Tony Bettenhausen	Tony Bettenhausen
14	November 4	Phoenix 100	Arizona State Fairgrounds	Phoenix, Arizona	Dirt	Henry Banks	Johnnie Parsons
15	November 11	Bay Meadows 150	Bay Meadows Race Track	San Mateo, California	Dirt	Jack McGrath	Johnnie Parsons

Paved/Dirt Oval

Road Course/Hill Climb

Non-championship race

^A Indianapolis 500 was AAA-sanctioned and counted towards the 1951 FIA World Championship of Drivers title.

^B Race stopped after 101 laps due to rain.

^C 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.

^D Race stopped after 67 laps due to wreck.

Final points standings

Note1: 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)

Note2: There were scoring omissions in the AAA records regarding laps completed for eight drivers in the Darlington and Milwaukee races in 1951. The statistics shown include the most accurate representation of those races that is available.

Pos	Driver	INDY	MIL1	LAN	DAR	SPR	MIL2	DUQ1	DUQ2	PIK	SYR	DET	DNC	SJS	PHX	BAY	Pts
1	Tony Bettenhausen	9	1	1	2	1	10	1	1		1	4	1	1	13	2	2556
2	Henry Banks	6	11	10	7	4	5	6	5		6	9	2	3	2	3	1856.6
3	Walt Faulkner	15			1	DNQ	1	4	2		2	2	18	DNQ	6	DNS	1513.6
4	Jack McGrath	3	18	7	5	2	2	16	11		7		3	4	14	18	1460.4
5	Mike Nazaruk RY	2	8	9	8		16				18	3	15	16	18	15	1143
6	Johnnie Parsons	21	DNQ	DNS	23		3	2	16		17		14	7	1	1	1012
7	Lee Wallard	1															1000
8	Manuel Ayulo	DNS	10	4	6	17	17		6		12	6	7	DNQ	9	11	997.5
9	Andy Linden	4	15	8	12	DNQ	22	9	7		11				DNQ	5	911
10	Paul Russo	DNQ	4		13	14	9	3			15	1	13	2	DNQ	16	700
11	Bill Schindler	13	16	2	21	3	4	12			8		DNP		8	9	693.5
12	Cecil Green	22	2	3	3												650
13	Bobby Ball	5	DNQ										5	11	15	13	620
14	Chuck Stevenson	20	DNQ		9	5	6	10	4		9		DNP				538
15	Duane Carter	8	3	15	DNS	11		17			13	8				10	505
16	Sam Hanks	12						5	3		DNQ	5	10	DNQ			421.4
17	Jimmy Davies	16	14		24	18	13	13	17					5	3	8	315
18	Gene Force R	11	7		15	13	19		10			18		DNQ	DNQ	6	310.3
19	Cliff Griffith	28	9	11	11		7	8	9		DNQ						308.4
20	Neal Carter		DNQ	18	20	16					DNQ	13		14	4	4	300
21	Bill Mackey	19	13		4												300
22	Carl Forberg R	7			DNQ												300
23	Bill Vukovich R	29	DNQ	14	26	15	21	7	DNQ		3	7	11	18		DNQ	291.8
24	Joe James	33	17	12	28	12	15	DNQ	14		16	15	4	8	5	DNQ	283
25	Fred Agabashian	17	DNS	6	DNQ								6	6	17	12	278.2
26	Jim Rigsby R			DNS		10	11	14	12		DNS		12	10	11	7	233.1
27	Johnny McDowell	32		16	16	9	8	15	15			17	9	9	12	DNP	230
28	Gordon Reid R	DNQ	6	17	17	7	20	18	13		DNQ	14	16	13	7	14	204
29	Al Rogers									1							200
30	Rodger Ward	27	5	13	DNS	DNQ							8	17	10	17	192
31	Johnny Mauro									2							160
32	Duke Nalon	10															150
33	Louis Unser									3							140
34	Pete Woods									4			DNQ	DNQ	DNQ		120
35	Harry King R					DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	8		5		DNQ				117.5
36	Eddie Johnson										4	11					100.4
37	Ray Knepper	DNQ	DNQ	5	22												100
38	Herb Bryers									5							100
39	Troy Ruttman	23				6								15			80
40	Charles Bryant									6							80
41	Joe Garson R					8	DNQ	11	18		DNQ		DNQ			DNQ	70
42	Bob Finney									7							60
43	Shelby Hill									8							50
44	Mack Hellings	31		DNQ						9					DNQ		40
45	Johnnie Tolan	DNQ	12		DNS	DNQ	14		DNQ		DNQ	10	DNQ				40
46	Jimmy Good									10							30
47	Roy Sherman	DNQ		DNS	DNS												28
48	Buzz Barton										10						20.1
49	Delmar Desch									11							20
50	George Connor	30	DNQ	DNS	25	DNQ	12		DNQ		DNQ			DNQ			20
51	Walt Brown	26	DNQ		10												17
52	Frank Armi R	DNQ	DNQ									DNQ	17	12	16	DNQ	10
53	Hugh Thomas									12							10
-	Buster Warke										DNS	12					0
-	Wayne Sankey									13							0
-	Kenny Eaton	DNQ			14												0
-	Tommy Hinnershitz			DNQ							14						0
-	Mauri Rose	14															0
-	Glenn Harrison									14							0
-	Walt Moffatt R									15							0
-	Jimmy Jackson									16							0
-	Johnny Fedricks											16					0
-	Wayne England									17							0
-	Duke Dinsmore	24			DNQ		18				DNQ	DNQ					0
-	Carl Scarborough R	18	DNQ	DNQ	27	DNQ		DNQ	DNQ		DNQ		DNQ				0
-	Dick Fraizer			DNQ	18						DNQ	DNQ					0
-	Roger Barlow R									18							0
-	Rex Easton R		DNQ		19	DNQ											0
-	D. R. Atkinson R									19							0
-	Malcolm Brazier R									20							0
-	Walt Killinger									21			DNS				0
-	Phil Shafer									21							0
-	Milton Mabe									22							0
-	Buster Hammond									23							0
-	Richard DeMark R									24							0
-	Chet Miller	25															0
-	George Hammond									25							0
-	Art McKee									26							0
-	T. E. Russell									27			DNP				0
-	Andy Cimino R									28							0
-	Joel Thorne	DNQ								DNS							0
-	Clarence Doley									DNS							0
-	Clifford Foltz									DNS							0
-	Jim Hammond									DNS							0
-	Red Lawrence									DNS							0
-	Billy Ryan									DNS							0
-	Ray Shadbolt									DNS							0
-	Curt Stockwell									DNS							0
-	Harry Syer									DNS							0
-	Doc Shanebrook	DNQ	DNQ		DNQ												0
-	Joe Barzda	DNQ		DNQ	DNQ												0
-	Dick Page	DNQ												DNQ		DNQ	0
-	Bob Scott	DNQ												DNQ		DNQ	0
-	Myron Fohr	DNQ	DNQ														0
-	George Lynch	DNQ		DNQ													0
-	Jud Larson		DNQ	DNQ													0
-	Joe Sostilio		DNQ	DNQ													0
-	Mark Light			DNQ							DNQ						0
-	Potsy Goacher							DNQ			DNQ						0
-	Bill Boyd	DNQ												DNQ			0
-	Del Fanning											DNQ		DNQ			0
-	Jimmy Bryan	DNQ															0
-	Bill Cantrell	DNQ															0
-	Jimmy Daywalt	DNQ															0
-	George Fonder	DNQ															0
-	Jackie Holmes	DNQ															0
-	Norm Houser	DNQ															0
-	Jerry Hoyt	DNQ															0
-	Bill Johnson	DNQ															0
-	Danny Kladis	DNQ															0
-	Bayliss Levrett	DNQ															0
-	Roscoe Rann	DNQ															0
-	Mike Salay	DNQ															0
-	Bud Sennett	DNQ															0
-	Bob Sweikert	DNQ															0
-	Leroy Warriner	DNQ															0
-	Frank Burany		DNQ														0
-	John Crone					DNQ											0
-	Bobby Barker										DNQ						0
-	Eddie Sachs										DNQ						0
-	Bill Doster											DNQ					0
-	Slim Roberts												DNQ				0
-	Dempsey Wilson													DNQ			0
-	Jean Achard	DNP															0
Pos	Driver	INDY	MIL1	LAN	DAR	SPR	MIL2	DUQ1	DUQ2	PIK	SYR	DET	DNC	SJS	PHX	BAY	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

References

Åberg, Andreas. "AAA National Championship 1951". Driver Database. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
"1951 AAA National Championship Trail". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
Harms, Phil. "1951 Championship Driver Summary" (PDF). Motorsport.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 10, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine (p. 299-302)

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
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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 2025 2026
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.

1951 AAA Championship Car season

Contents

Schedule and results

Final points standings

References

See also