AAA Contest Board
Encyclopedia
The AAA Contest Board was the motorsports arm of American Automobile Association
. The contest board sanctioned races from 1904 until 1955, when AAA dissolved the board and decided to focus strictly on helping the automobiling public, as a result of the 1955 Le Mans disaster
. All of the races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
during that time period were sanctioned by AAA, including the Indianapolis 500
. AAA also Sanctioned the 1905
National Track Championship, the National Championship during 1916 and 1920 to 1955, and the Vanderbilt Cup
.
had AAA sanction his race as opposed to the Automobile Club of America, the predominant sanctioning body for major US racing at the time.
With the success of the racing board's experience sanctioning automobile events in 1904, the board announced a national track championship for 1905
. Though not historically considered a true national championship due to it only including short dirt oval sprint races, it was the first time in American racing history that a points system was used to decide a year end champion. From 1906 through 1915 the racing board, inexplicably, held no official championship title season. It did continue to sanction individual, one-off events, the Vanderbilt Cup and events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
In 1908 the ACA created the American Grand Prize, the first traces of Grand Prix
style racing in the US along with the then established Vanderbilt Cup. This race started a feud between the ACA and AAA. Later in 1908 it was decided that AAA would sanction all big time racing nationally and the ACA would sanction all international events held on American soil. On 2 December 1908, AAA dissolved the Racing Board and created the Contest Board later the same day. Though the rationale for this decision has been lost with time, the move was most likely done to allow AAA to oversee all automobile events and not just racing contests.
The Manufacturers Contest Association (MCA) urged AAA to organize racing so American manufacturers could race mostly stock configuration cars and ban the pure race cars being imported from Europe. The stock car style rules continued until 1916, when the Contest Board relaxed the rules allowing purpose built machines back into competition ahead of its first true championship season in 1916. Although AAA did not award national champions during 1906 through 1915, the American automobile journal Motor Age published who they regarded the most outstanding American driver during the years of 1909-1915. These picks have become the de facto
national champions of the day.
During World War I
, AAA suspended the national championship and almost stopped sanctioning races as a whole. This time also saw the demise of the American Grand Prize and the ACA totally folded during the war. American manufacturers saw the absence of European racers, and the relaxed rules due to no national level sanctioning as a chance for the US to catch up to the European racers who had dominated racing internationally up until that point. The Racing Board picked up the pieces and regularly held national championships from 1920 until the outbreak of World War II
in 1942. Post WWI, the race car specifications for the national championship were mostly aligned with what the Indianapolis Motor Speedway wanted to run during its Memorial Day
classic, and this still holds mostly true today. AAA, again, restarted the championship with the close of the war for the 1946 season and continued uninterrupted until 1955 which saw AAA completely pull out of auto racing following the 1955 Le Mans disaster
. The United States Auto Club took over the void filled by AAA's departure. During the last half of the Racing Boards existence they sanctioned many forms of racing such as midgets
, sprint cars
, sports cars
and stock cars
as well as top level championship car racing
.
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
. The contest board sanctioned races from 1904 until 1955, when AAA dissolved the board and decided to focus strictly on helping the automobiling public, as a result of the 1955 Le Mans disaster
1955 Le Mans disaster
The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race, when a crash caused large parts of racing car debris to fly into the crowd. The driver was killed, as were 83 spectators. A further 120 people were injured...
. All of the races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
during that time period were sanctioned by AAA, including the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
. AAA also Sanctioned the 1905
1905 AAA Championship Car season
The 1905 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 11 races, beginning in The Bronx, New York on June 10 and concluding in Poughkeepsie, New York on September 29. There was also one non-championship event in Detroit, Michigan. The AAA National Champion was Barney Oldfield...
National Track Championship, the National Championship during 1916 and 1920 to 1955, and the Vanderbilt Cup
Vanderbilt Cup
The Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing.-History:An international event, it was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held at a course set out in Nassau County on Long Island, New York. The announcement that the race was to be held caused...
.
History
AAA was established in Chicago, Illinois on 4 March 1902, by June of the same year AAA also established the Racing Board. Arthur Rayner Pardington was appointed chairman and the board sanctioned its first race, the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup held in Long Island, New York. It is unclear as to why William VanderbiltWilliam Kissam Vanderbilt II
William Kissam Vanderbilt II was a motor racing enthusiast and yachtsman and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family.-Biography:...
had AAA sanction his race as opposed to the Automobile Club of America, the predominant sanctioning body for major US racing at the time.
With the success of the racing board's experience sanctioning automobile events in 1904, the board announced a national track championship for 1905
1905 AAA Championship Car season
The 1905 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 11 races, beginning in The Bronx, New York on June 10 and concluding in Poughkeepsie, New York on September 29. There was also one non-championship event in Detroit, Michigan. The AAA National Champion was Barney Oldfield...
. Though not historically considered a true national championship due to it only including short dirt oval sprint races, it was the first time in American racing history that a points system was used to decide a year end champion. From 1906 through 1915 the racing board, inexplicably, held no official championship title season. It did continue to sanction individual, one-off events, the Vanderbilt Cup and events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
In 1908 the ACA created the American Grand Prize, the first traces of Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
style racing in the US along with the then established Vanderbilt Cup. This race started a feud between the ACA and AAA. Later in 1908 it was decided that AAA would sanction all big time racing nationally and the ACA would sanction all international events held on American soil. On 2 December 1908, AAA dissolved the Racing Board and created the Contest Board later the same day. Though the rationale for this decision has been lost with time, the move was most likely done to allow AAA to oversee all automobile events and not just racing contests.
The Manufacturers Contest Association (MCA) urged AAA to organize racing so American manufacturers could race mostly stock configuration cars and ban the pure race cars being imported from Europe. The stock car style rules continued until 1916, when the Contest Board relaxed the rules allowing purpose built machines back into competition ahead of its first true championship season in 1916. Although AAA did not award national champions during 1906 through 1915, the American automobile journal Motor Age published who they regarded the most outstanding American driver during the years of 1909-1915. These picks have become the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
national champions of the day.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, AAA suspended the national championship and almost stopped sanctioning races as a whole. This time also saw the demise of the American Grand Prize and the ACA totally folded during the war. American manufacturers saw the absence of European racers, and the relaxed rules due to no national level sanctioning as a chance for the US to catch up to the European racers who had dominated racing internationally up until that point. The Racing Board picked up the pieces and regularly held national championships from 1920 until the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1942. Post WWI, the race car specifications for the national championship were mostly aligned with what the Indianapolis Motor Speedway wanted to run during its Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
classic, and this still holds mostly true today. AAA, again, restarted the championship with the close of the war for the 1946 season and continued uninterrupted until 1955 which saw AAA completely pull out of auto racing following the 1955 Le Mans disaster
1955 Le Mans disaster
The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race, when a crash caused large parts of racing car debris to fly into the crowd. The driver was killed, as were 83 spectators. A further 120 people were injured...
. The United States Auto Club took over the void filled by AAA's departure. During the last half of the Racing Boards existence they sanctioned many forms of racing such as midgets
Midget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
, sprint cars
Sprint car racing
Sprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa....
, sports cars
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
and stock cars
Stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
as well as top level championship car racing
American Championship Car Racing
Since 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
.
Controversy
In 1927 the Contest Board changed the results of the 1909 season, the 1920 season, and awarded retrospective national championships for the years of 1917-1919 during WWI. In 1951 The board, again, retroactively awarded titles from 1902–1908 and changed the results of the 1905 season. These actions have made it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction regarding AAA sanctioned national racing.National Championship Results
| Year | Retroactively awarded AAA titles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1902 |  Harry HarknessHarry Harkness Harry Stephen Harkness was an early American aviator and racing driver. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, of a wealthy family and son of Standard Oil investor Lamon V. Harkness, Harkness financed the building of many early airplanes... |
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| 1903 | Barney Oldfield Barney Oldfield Berna Eli "Barney" Oldfield was an automobile racer and pioneer. He was born on a farm on the outskirts of Wauseon, Ohio. He was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour on an oval... |
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| 1904 | George Heath George Heath George Heath was an early American racing driver. A native Long Islander who spent much of his time in France, he won the first Vanderbilt Cup race in 1904 driving a Panhard and was retroactively awarded the 1904 National Championship in 1951. Heath returned to the Vanderbilt Cup in 1905 and... |
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| Year | AAA National Track Championship | ||
| 1905 1905 AAA Championship Car season The 1905 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 11 races, beginning in The Bronx, New York on June 10 and concluding in Poughkeepsie, New York on September 29. There was also one non-championship event in Detroit, Michigan. The AAA National Champion was Barney Oldfield... |
Barney Oldfield Barney Oldfield Berna Eli "Barney" Oldfield was an automobile racer and pioneer. He was born on a farm on the outskirts of Wauseon, Ohio. He was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour on an oval... |
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| Year | Retroactively awarded AAA titles | ||
| 1906 | Joe Tracy Joe Tracy Joe Tracy was a racing driver born in Waterford, Ireland who emigrated to the United States at age 19 and became an American citizen... |
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| 1907 | Eddie Bald Eddie Bald Edward Carl Bald, or Eddie Bald, was an American racing automobile driver who was retroactively awarded the 1907 National Championship in 1951 and was a champion bicycle racer in the 1890s with the nickname "The Cannon."... |
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| 1908 | Louis Strang |
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| 1909 1909 AAA Championship Car season The 1909 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 24 races, beginning in Portland, Oregon on June 12 and concluding with a point-to-point race from Los Angeles, California to Phoenix, Arizona on November 6. There were three events sanctioned by the Automobile Club of America in Lowell, Massachusetts... |
George Robertson George Robertson (race car driver) George H. Robertson was one of America's greatest pre-World War I racing drivers. His father ran one of New York's first big garage and George grew up surrounded by Mors, Panhards and other cars. He raced a Christie, a Hotchkiss, and a Simplex, as well as a Locomobile with which he won the 1908... |
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| 1910 1910 AAA Championship Car season The 1910 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 19 races, beginning in Atlanta, Georgia on May 5 and concluding in Long Island, New York on October 1. The de facto National Champion as poled by the American automobile journal Motor Age was Ray Harroun. Points were not awarded by the AAA Contest... |
Ray Harroun Ray Harroun Ray Harroun was an American racecar driver, born in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania.-Early driving:As noted in the Columbia Car webpages, Harroun participated in the original setting of the record from Chicago to New York in 1903, and the re-taking of that record in 1904... |
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| 1911 1911 AAA Championship Car season The 1911 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 21 races, beginning in San Francisco, California on February 22 and concluding in Savanna, Georgia on November 30. The de facto National Champion as poled by the American automobile journal Motor Age was Ralph Mulford and the winner of the inaugural... |
Ralph Mulford Ralph Mulford Ralph Mulford was an American racecar driver active during the formative years of the auto racing.... |
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| 1912 | Ralph DePalma Ralph DePalma Ralph De Palma was an Italian-American racecar driving champion, most notably winner of the 1915 Indianapolis 500. His entry at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame estimates that he won about 2000 races... |
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| 1913 | Earl Cooper Earl Cooper Earl Cooper was an American racecar driver.-Racing career:... |
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| 1914 | Ralph DePalma Ralph DePalma Ralph De Palma was an Italian-American racecar driving champion, most notably winner of the 1915 Indianapolis 500. His entry at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame estimates that he won about 2000 races... |
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| 1915 | Earl Cooper Earl Cooper Earl Cooper was an American racecar driver.-Racing career:... |
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| Year | AAA National Championship | ||
| 1916 |  Dario RestaDario Resta Dario Resta , nicknamed "Dolly", was an Italian Briton race car driver. Raised in England from the age of two, he began racing there starting in 1907. He took part in the Montagu Cup the very first race of the now historic Brooklands track. He set a record of in a half-mile run a few years later... |
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| Year | Retroactively awarded AAA titles due to World War I World War I World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918... |
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| 1917 | Earl Cooper Earl Cooper Earl Cooper was an American racecar driver.-Racing career:... |
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| 1918 | Ralph Mulford Ralph Mulford Ralph Mulford was an American racecar driver active during the formative years of the auto racing.... |
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| 1919 | Howard Wilcox |
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| Year | AAA National Championship | ||
| 1920 | Gaston Chevrolet Gaston Chevrolet Gaston Chevrolet was a French-born American racecar champion driver and automobile manufacturer.-Early life:... |
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| 1921 | Tommy Milton Tommy Milton Tommy Milton was an American race car driver best known as the first two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. He was notable for having only one functional eye -- a disability that would have disqualified him from competing in modern motorsports.Born in St... |
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| 1922 | Jimmy Murphy James Anthony Murphy James Anthony Murphy was a race car driver who was the American Racing Champion in 1922 and 1924.-Background:... |
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| 1923 | Eddie Hearne Eddie Hearne Eddie Hearne Eddie Hearne Eddie Hearne (March 1, 1887 - February 9, 1955 was an American racecar driver from Kansas City, Kansas who was active in the formative years of auto racing. He participated in the inaugural Indianapolis 500. He later was a long-time Duesenberg factory-backed driver... |
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| 1924 | Jimmy Murphy James Anthony Murphy James Anthony Murphy was a race car driver who was the American Racing Champion in 1922 and 1924.-Background:... |
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| 1925 | Pete DePaolo Pete DePaolo Pete DePaolo was an American race car driver. He won the 1925 Indianapolis 500.-Racing career:... |
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| 1926 | Harry Hartz Harry Hartz Harry Hartz was an American auto mechanic and race car driver.-Career:Harry Hartz was born in Pomona, California, and grew up in the Los Angeles area. At age eighteen, he began to drive in support events for the car races of the time... |
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| 1927 | Pete DePaolo Pete DePaolo Pete DePaolo was an American race car driver. He won the 1925 Indianapolis 500.-Racing career:... |
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| 1928 | Louis Meyer Louis Meyer Louis Meyer was an American Hall of Fame race car driver best known as the first three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.... |
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| 1929 | Louis Meyer Louis Meyer Louis Meyer was an American Hall of Fame race car driver best known as the first three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.... |
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| 1930 | Billy Arnold Billy Arnold For the professional baseball player & manager, see Billy Arnold Richard William Arnold won the 1930 Indianapolis 500 after leading all but first two laps of the race, the most ever by a winner of the race. He won by a margin of 7 minutes and 17 seconds. He was 24 years old at the time... |
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| 1931 | Louis Schneider Louis Schneider Louis F. Schneider won the 1931 Indianapolis 500.-Indy 500 results:-External links:... |
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| 1932 | Bob Carey Bob Carey (American racecar driver) Bob Carey was an American race car driver. He was killed in a crash at Ascot Park, in an attempt to set a new lap record.-Career:... |
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| 1933 | Louis Meyer Louis Meyer Louis Meyer was an American Hall of Fame race car driver best known as the first three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.... |
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| 1934 | Bill Cummings Bill Cummings Bill Cummings knicknamed "Wild Bill", won the 1934 Indianapolis 500 and set the diesel . Cummings died driving a passenger automobile on State Road 29 in Indianapolis, when he hit a guard rail and plunged into Lick Creek... |
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| 1935 | Kelly Petillo Kelly Petillo Cavino Michele "Kelly" Petillo, was an American race car driver.... |
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| 1936 | Mauri Rose Mauri Rose Mauri Rose was an American racecar driver.He started from the pole position driving a Maserati in the 1941 Indianapolis 500, but spark plug problems put him out of the race after sixty laps. He then took over the Wetteroth/Offenhauser car being driven by Floyd Davis that had started in 17th place.... |
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| 1937 | Wilbur Shaw Wilbur Shaw Warren Wilbur Shaw was a noted American racing driver and president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1945 until his death. Shaw was the automotive test evaluator for Popular Science magazine... |
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| 1938 | Floyd Roberts Floyd Roberts Floyd Roberts is a former Championship Car racing driver from Jamestown, North Dakota. He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1938 with a record speed of . He led for 92 laps. The following year, 1939, driving the same car, he was killed in a crash on the backstretch after hitting a wooden fence at near... |
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| 1939 1939 AAA Championship Car season 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... |
Wilbur Shaw Wilbur Shaw Warren Wilbur Shaw was a noted American racing driver and president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1945 until his death. Shaw was the automotive test evaluator for Popular Science magazine... |
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| 1940 1940 AAA Championship Car season 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... |
Rex Mays Rex Mays Rex Mays is a former AAA Championship Car race driver from Riverside, California. He made his Indianapolis 500 debut in 1934 and won the pole in 1935, 1936, and again in 1940 and finished second, he returned the next year and finished second again. Mays won the AAA National Championship in 1940... |
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| 1941 1941 AAA Championship Car season 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... |
Rex Mays Rex Mays Rex Mays is a former AAA Championship Car race driver from Riverside, California. He made his Indianapolis 500 debut in 1934 and won the pole in 1935, 1936, and again in 1940 and finished second, he returned the next year and finished second again. Mays won the AAA National Championship in 1940... |
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| 1942 | No automobile racing held due to World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... |
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| 1943 | |||
| 1944 | |||
| 1945 | |||
| 1946 | Ted Horn Ted Horn Ted Horn , born Eylard Theodore Von Horn, was an American race car driver. He won the AAA National Championship in 1946, 1947 and 1948 and collected 24 wins, 12 second-place finishes and 13 third-place finishes in 71 major American open-wheel races prior to his death at the DuQuoin State... |
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| 1947 | Ted Horn Ted Horn Ted Horn , born Eylard Theodore Von Horn, was an American race car driver. He won the AAA National Championship in 1946, 1947 and 1948 and collected 24 wins, 12 second-place finishes and 13 third-place finishes in 71 major American open-wheel races prior to his death at the DuQuoin State... |
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| 1948 | Ted Horn Ted Horn Ted Horn , born Eylard Theodore Von Horn, was an American race car driver. He won the AAA National Championship in 1946, 1947 and 1948 and collected 24 wins, 12 second-place finishes and 13 third-place finishes in 71 major American open-wheel races prior to his death at the DuQuoin State... |
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| 1949 | Johnnie Parsons Johnnie Parsons Johnnie Parsons was an American race car driver from Los Angeles, California who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1950.... |
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| 1950 | Henry Banks Henry Banks Henry Banks was an American midget car and "big car" driver.-Background:Henry Banks was born in England, but brought up in Royal Oak, Michigan. He was the son of an early European race-driver... |
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| 1951 | Tony Bettenhausen Tony Bettenhausen Melvin E. "Tony" Bettenhausen was an American racing driver, who won the National Championship in 1951 and 1958.... |
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| 1952 | Chuck Stevenson Chuck Stevenson Charles "Chuck" Stevenson was an American racecar driver.- AAA and USAC Championship Car series :... |
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| 1953 | Sam Hanks Sam Hanks Sam Hanks was an American racecar driver who won the 1957 Indianapolis 500. He was a barnstormer, and raced midget and Champ cars.-Racing career:... |
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| 1954 | Jimmy Bryan Jimmy Bryan James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:... |
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| 1955 1955 AAA Championship Car 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... |
Bob Sweikert Bob Sweikert Robert Charles 'Bob' Sweikert was an American racing driver, best known as the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis 500 and the 1955 National Championship, as well as the 1955 Midwest Sprint car championship - the only driver in history to sweep all three in a single season... |
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