1909 AAA Championship Car season
Encyclopedia
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
. The de facto
National Champion as poled by the American automobile journal Motor Age was Bert Dingley
. Points were not awarded by the AAA Contest Board
during the 1909 season. Champions of the day were decided by Chris G. Sinsabaugh, an editor at Motor Age, based on merit and on track performance. The points table was created retroactively in 1927 keeping Dingley as champion. In 1951 the championship standings were reworked, stripping the traditional champion of his title and giving it to George Robertson
. All championship results should be considered unofficial.
* William Bourque and his riding mechanic Harry Holcomb fatally injured on lap 58
** Race halted at 235 miles due to track breaking up. AAA report states that race was halted at 245 miles. Claude Kellem, Charles Merz's riding mechanic, was killed. Merz's car broke through the fence and crashed into spectators fatally injuring Howard H. Jolliff and James West.
*** Event sanctioned by Automobile Club of America, 301–450, 231–300 & 161–230 run simultaneously.
**** All classes run simultaneously.
* Bert Dingley
was poled as national champion in 1909 and held his championship when points were applied in 1927. These are the final standing as of 1951 after AAA revised the championship trail for 1909. The earliest know occurrence of George Robertson holding the title was in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 program.
The points paying system for the 1909–1915 and 1917–1919 season were retroactively applied in 1927 and revised in 1951 using the points system from 1920. Points were awarded as follows.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
on June 12 and concluding with a point-to-point race from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
on November 6. There were three events sanctioned by the Automobile Club of America in Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
. 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 Champion as poled by the American automobile journal Motor Age was Bert Dingley
Bert Dingley
Bert Dingley was an American racecar driver. He was initially recognized as the first American Championship Car Racing champion in 1909...
. Points were not awarded by the AAA Contest Board
AAA Contest Board
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...
during the 1909 season. Champions of the day were decided by Chris G. Sinsabaugh, an editor at Motor Age, based on merit and on track performance. The points table was created retroactively in 1927 keeping Dingley as champion. In 1951 the championship standings were reworked, stripping the traditional champion of his title and giving it to George Robertson
George Robertson
George Robertson may refer to:*George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen , UK Defence Secretary, NATO Secretary-General*George Croom Robertson , Scottish philosopher*George R. Robertson , American actor*George S...
. All championship results should be considered unofficial.
Schedule and results
| Date | Race Name, Distance (m) | Track | Location | Type | Notes | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 12 | Portland Race 1, 44 | Portland Road Race Circuit | Portland, Oregon Portland, Oregon Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... |
Road Course | Stock class, costing $1600 or under | Howard Covey | |
| June 12 | Portland Race 2, 44 | Portland Road Race Circuit | Portland, Oregon Portland, Oregon Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... |
Road Course | Limited to stock chassis of less than $3000 | Charlie Arnold | |
| June 12 | Wemme Cup Race, 102 | Portland Road Race Circuit | Portland, Oregon Portland, Oregon Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... |
Road Course | Free-For-All class. | Bert Dingley Bert Dingley Bert Dingley was an American racecar driver. He was initially recognized as the first American Championship Car Racing champion in 1909... |
|
| June 18 | Indiana Trophy Race, 233 | Crown Point Road Race Circuit Crown Point Road Race Circuit The Crown Point Road Race Circuit was an automobile race course located in northwest Indiana, and operated only during the summer of 1909. It was made up of public highways, with a lap distance of . The majority of the course was on rural highways, with several long straightaways, one exceeding . ... |
Crown Point, Indiana Crown Point, Indiana As of the census of 2010, there were 27,317 people and 10,976 households in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 88.20% White, 6.30% African American, 0.20% Native American, 1.80% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 1.90% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races... |
Road Course | Limited to stock chassis of maximum of 300 ci | Joe Matson Joe Matson Joe Matson was an American racecar driver.-Indy 500 results:... |
|
| June 19 | Cobe Trophy Race Cobe Trophy Race The Cobe Trophy Race was an automobile race held in Indiana, in 1909 and 1910. The trophy was named for, and donated by, Ira M. Cobe, president of the Chicago Automobile Club. As one of the first long-distance races in the area, it was billed as the "Vanderbilt of the west," a reference to the ... , 396 |
Crown Point Road Race Circuit | Crown Point, Indiana Crown Point, Indiana As of the census of 2010, there were 27,317 people and 10,976 households in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 88.20% White, 6.30% African American, 0.20% Native American, 1.80% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 1.90% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races... |
Road Course | Limited to stock chassis of over 300 ci | Louis Chevrolet Louis Chevrolet Louis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American race car driver of French descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of... |
|
| July 5 | Denver Trophy Race, 290 | Brighton Road Race Circuit | Denver, Colorado Denver, Colorado The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains... |
Road Course | Limited to stock chassis, Open engine | Eaton McMillan | |
| July 5 | Ferris Trophy Race, 202 | Santa Monica Road Race Circuit | Santa Monica, California Santa Monica, California Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and... |
Road Course | Limited to stock chassis, light cars | Harris Hanshue | Harris Hanshue |
| July 10 | Shelter Trophy Race, 202 | Santa Monica Road Race Circuit | Santa Monica, California Santa Monica, California Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and... |
Road Course | Limited to stock chassis, heavy cars | Bert Dingley Bert Dingley Bert Dingley was an American racecar driver. He was initially recognized as the first American Championship Car Racing champion in 1909... |
|
| August 19 | Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race The Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race was an automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in each of the two years prior to the first Indianapolis 500. The trophy was sponsored by the Prest-O-Lite Company, a manufacturer of automotive lighting systems... *, 250 |
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.... |
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S... |
Dirt Oval | Stock chassis, 301–450 ci. | Bob Burman Bob Burman Bob Burman was an American racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing.-Biography:He was born on April 23, 1884 in Imlay City, Michigan. He was the winner of the Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race in 1909. He competed at the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911... |
|
| August 20 | G & J Trophy Race, 100 | 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.... |
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S... |
Dirt Oval | Stock chassis. | Lewis Strang Lewis Strang Lewis Strang was an American racecar driver. Strang was pole sitter for the inaugural Indianapolis 500. He was killed in a testing accident, becoming the first Indy 500 veteran to die.... |
|
| August 21 | Wheeler-Schebler Trophy Race**, 235 | 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.... |
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S... |
Dirt Oval | Limited to stock chassis | Leigh Lynch Leigh Lynch Leigh Lynch was an American racecar driver, who was active in the years 1906-1910.-Racing Career:Lynch won the 1909 Wheeler-Schebler Trophy Race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This race which was shorted to 235 miles from its originally-planned 300, due to deteriorating track conditions... |
|
| September 6 | Vesper Club Trophy Race***, 212 | Merrimack Valley Course | Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County... |
Road Course | Limited to stock chassis, 301–450 ci | Lee Lorimer | Bob Burman Bob Burman Bob Burman was an American racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing.-Biography:He was born on April 23, 1884 in Imlay City, Michigan. He was the winner of the Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race in 1909. He competed at the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911... |
| September 6 | Yorick Club Trophy Race***, 159 | Merrimack Valley Course | Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County... |
Road Course | Limited to stock chassis, 231–300 ci, | John Coffey John Coffey John "Jack" Francis Coffey born in New York, New York was an Infielder for the Boston Doves , Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox .... |
Louis Chevrolet Louis Chevrolet Louis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American race car driver of French descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of... |
| September 6 | Merrimack Valley Trophy Race***, 127 | Merrimack Valley Course | Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County... |
Road Course | Limited to stock chassis, 161–230 ci | Joseph Grinnon | Willie Knipper |
| September 6 | Lowell Trophy Race***, 318 | Merrimack Valley Course | Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County... |
Road Course | Limited to stock chassis, 451–600 ci | George Robertson George Robertson George Robertson may refer to:*George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen , UK Defence Secretary, NATO Secretary-General*George Croom Robertson , Scottish philosopher*George R. Robertson , American actor*George S... |
|
| September 29 | Riverhead Class A****, 228 | Riverhead Road Race Circuit | Riverhead, New York | Road Course | $4001 and over | 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... |
|
| September 29 | Riverhead Class B****, 182 | Riverhead Road Race Circuit | Riverhead, New York | Road Course | $3001–4000 | Frank Lescault | |
| September 29 | Riverhead Class C****, 137 | Riverhead Road Race Circuit | Riverhead, New York | Road Course | $2001–3000 | William Sharp William Sharp William Sharp may refer to:*William Sharp , English engraver*William Sharp , English-born lithographer and painter; lived in Boston, Massachusetts... |
|
| September 29 | Riverhead Class D****, 113 | Riverhead Road Race Circuit | Riverhead, New York | Road Course | $1251–2000 | Louis Chevrolet Louis Chevrolet Louis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American race car driver of French descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of... |
|
| September 29 | Riverhead Class E****, 91 | Riverhead Road Race Circuit | Riverhead, New York | Road Course | $851–1250 | Arthur See | |
| October 9 | Philadelphia Race, 200 | Fairmount Park Fairmount Park Fairmount Park is the municipal park system of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It consists of 63 parks, with , all overseen by the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, successor to the Fairmount Park Commission in 2010.-Fairmount Park proper:... |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,... |
Road Course | Stock Chassis | George Robertson George Robertson George Robertson may refer to:*George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen , UK Defence Secretary, NATO Secretary-General*George Croom Robertson , Scottish philosopher*George R. Robertson , American actor*George S... |
|
| October 24 | Portola Festival Race, 254 | Portola Road Race Course | San Francisco, California San Francisco, California San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland... |
Road Course | Points allocated on advertised total distance of 450 miles | Jack Fleming Jack Fleming Leo W. "Jack" Fleming was an American sports announcer for the West Virginia Mountaineers football and basketball teams. He also served as the announcer for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers and the NBA's Chicago Bulls. One of his most famous calls was for the Steelers in 1972, on the 'Immaculate... |
|
| October 30 | William K. Vanderbilt Cup, 278 | Long Island Motor Parkway Long Island Motor Parkway The Long Island Motor Parkway , also known as the Vanderbilt Parkway and Motor Parkway, was the first roadway designed for automobile use only. It was privately built by William Kissam Vanderbilt with overpasses and bridges to remove intersections... |
Long Island, New York | Road Course | Limited to stock chassis, 301–600 ci | Lewis Strang Lewis Strang Lewis Strang was an American racecar driver. Strang was pole sitter for the inaugural Indianapolis 500. He was killed in a testing accident, becoming the first Indy 500 veteran to die.... |
Harry Grant Harry Grant Harry Grant was an American auto racing driver. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, driving an ALCO, Grant won the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup on Long Island. He then competed in the Indianapolis 500 four times between 1911 and 1915. He had his best showing in 1915, finishing in 5th place... |
| November 6 | → Cactus Derby, 480 | Los Angeles to Phoenix | Los Angeles Los Ángeles Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... to Phoenix Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data... |
Point to Point | Limited to stock chassis | Joe Nikrent Joe Nikrent Joseph August Nikrent was an American racecar driver. He competed in four AAA Championship Car races from 1909 to 1913, winning the 1909 point-to-point race between Phoenix, Arizona and Los Angeles behind the wheel of a Buick... |
Leading National Championship standings
| # | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Robertson George Robertson George Robertson may refer to:*George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen , UK Defence Secretary, NATO Secretary-General*George Croom Robertson , Scottish philosopher*George R. Robertson , American actor*George S... * |
1480 |
| 2 | Louis Chevrolet Louis Chevrolet Louis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American race car driver of French descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of... |
1300 |
| 3 | Joe Nikrent Joe Nikrent Joseph August Nikrent was an American racecar driver. He competed in four AAA Championship Car races from 1909 to 1913, winning the 1909 point-to-point race between Phoenix, Arizona and Los Angeles behind the wheel of a Buick... |
1110 |
| 4 | Bob Burman Bob Burman Bob Burman was an American racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing.-Biography:He was born on April 23, 1884 in Imlay City, Michigan. He was the winner of the Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race in 1909. He competed at the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911... |
1100 |
| 5 | Bert Dingley Bert Dingley Bert Dingley was an American racecar driver. He was initially recognized as the first American Championship Car Racing champion in 1909... |
920 |
Bert Dingley
Bert Dingley was an American racecar driver. He was initially recognized as the first American Championship Car Racing champion in 1909...
was poled as national champion in 1909 and held his championship when points were applied in 1927. These are the final standing as of 1951 after AAA revised the championship trail for 1909. The earliest know occurrence of George Robertson holding the title was in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 program.
The points paying system for the 1909–1915 and 1917–1919 season were retroactively applied in 1927 and revised in 1951 using the points system from 1920. Points were awarded as follows.
| Miles/ Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 80 | 45 | 25 | 15 | 10 | X | X | X | X | x |
| 50 | 100 | 55 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 5 | X | X | X | X |
| 60 | 120 | 65 | 35 | 25 | 15 | X | X | X | X | X |
| 80 | 160 | 80 | 45 | 30 | 20 | X | X | X | X | X |
| 100 | 200 | 110 | 60 | 35 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 5 | X | X |
| 150 | 300 | 160 | 90 | 50 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 10 | X | X |
| 200 | 400 | 210 | 110 | 60 | 40 | 25 | 15 | 10 | X | X |
| 250 | 500 | 260 | 140 | 80 | 50 | 35 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| 300 | 600 | 420 | 220 | 120 | 70 | 45 | 35 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| 400 | 800 | 420 | 220 | 120 | 70 | 45 | 35 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| 500 | 1000 | 520 | 270 | 140 | 90 | 60 | 50 | 40 | 35 | 30 |
See also
American Championship Car RacingAmerican 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...