1954 AAA Championship Car season
Encyclopedia
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
.
Speedway, Indiana
Speedway is a town in Wayne Township, Marion County, Indiana, United States. The population was 12,881 at the 2000 census. Speedway is the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, from which the town derives its name, and is a complete enclave of Indianapolis....
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
on May 30 and concluding in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
on November 14. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Mechanicsburg is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, USA, eight miles west of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Mechanicsburg was settled in 1806 and incorporated as a borough on April 12, 1828...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The AAA
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,...
National Champion was 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:...
, and 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...
winner was Bill Vukovich
Bill Vukovich
Bill Vukovich was a Serbian American automobile racing driver. He won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500 plus two more American Automobile Association National Championship races...
.
Schedule and results
Rnd | Date | Race Name | Track | Location | Type | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | May 30 | International 500 Mile Sweepstakes 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... |
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.... |
Speedway Speedway, Indiana Speedway is a town in Wayne Township, Marion County, Indiana, United States. The population was 12,881 at the 2000 census. Speedway is the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, from which the town derives its name, and is a complete enclave of Indianapolis.... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
Paved Oval | Jack McGrath Jack McGrath John James "Jack" McGrath was an American racecar driver.A major player in the "mighty midgets" at Los Angeles' Gilmore Speedway in the late 1940s, McGrath won the first CRA championship in 1946 and was dubbed "King of the Hot Rods." His efforts, along with those of friend and teammate Manuel... |
Bill Vukovich Bill Vukovich Bill Vukovich was a Serbian American automobile racing driver. He won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500 plus two more American Automobile Association National Championship races... |
2 | June 6 | Rex Mays Classic | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway Milwaukee Mile The Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954.... |
West Allis West Allis, Wisconsin West Allis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The population was 61,254 at the 2000 census. Its name derives from Edward P. Allis, who started the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company in the 19th century. The site of the town was... , Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is... |
Paved Oval | Bill Vukovich Bill Vukovich Bill Vukovich was a Serbian American automobile racing driver. He won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500 plus two more American Automobile Association National Championship races... |
Chuck Stevenson Chuck Stevenson Charles "Chuck" Stevenson was an American racecar driver.- AAA and USAC Championship Car series :... |
3 | June 20 | Langhorne 100 | Langhorne Speedway Langhorne Speedway Langhorne Speedway was an automobile racetrack in Middletown Township, Bucks County, near the borough of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia.... |
Langhorne Langhorne, Pennsylvania Langhorne is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,622 at the 2010 census.The name "Langhorne" is used broadly to describe the majority of surrounding Middletown Township, which for the most part uses Langhorne's zip code of 19047... , Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... |
Dirt Oval | Joe Sostilio Joe Sostilio Joe Sostilio was a Hall of Fame auto racing driver from Natick, Massachusetts. He was born in Newton, Massachusetts, Sostilio was a prominent midget and stockcar driver.... |
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:... |
4 | July 5 | Independence Day Sweepstakes | Darlington Raceway Darlington Raceway Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"... |
Darlington Darlington, South Carolina Darlington is a city in and the county seat of Darlington County, in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is a center for tobacco farming. The population was 6,720 at the 2000 census and is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area... , South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence... |
Paved Oval | Chuck Stevenson Chuck Stevenson Charles "Chuck" Stevenson was an American racecar driver.- AAA and USAC Championship Car series :... |
Manny Ayulo Manny Ayulo Manuel Ayulo was an American racecar driver. His efforts, along with those of friend and teammate Jack McGrath, helped establish track roadsters as viable race cars... |
NC | July 25 | Indianapolis Sweepstakes | Williams Grove Speedway Williams Grove Speedway Williams Grove Speedway is a half-mile automobile race track located in Williams Grove, between Mechanicsburg and Dillsburg in Pennsylvania, USA. It opened in 1939, and hosted Championship Car races from 1949 to 1959 named the "Indianapolis Sweepstakes", contested by a small field of the best Champ... |
Mechanicsburg Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Mechanicsburg is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, USA, eight miles west of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Mechanicsburg was settled in 1806 and incorporated as a borough on April 12, 1828... , Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... |
Dirt Oval | Jimmy Davies Jimmy Davies Jimmy Davies was an American racecar driver in Champ cars and midgets. He was the second man to win three USAC National Midget Championships.... |
Jimmy Davies Jimmy Davies Jimmy Davies was an American racecar driver in Champ cars and midgets. He was the second man to win three USAC National Midget Championships.... |
5 | August 21 | Springfield 100 | Illinois State Fairgrounds Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack is a one mile long clay oval motor racetrack on the grounds of the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, the state capital. Constructed in the late 19th century and reconstructed in 1927, the "Springfield Mile" as it is known has hosted competitive auto racing... |
Springfield Springfield, Illinois Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area... , Illinois Illinois Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... |
Dirt Oval | Jiggs Peters | Jimmy Davies Jimmy Davies Jimmy Davies was an American racecar driver in Champ cars and midgets. He was the second man to win three USAC National Midget Championships.... |
6 | August 29 | Milwaukee 250 | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway Milwaukee Mile The Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954.... |
West Allis West Allis, Wisconsin West Allis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The population was 61,254 at the 2000 census. Its name derives from Edward P. Allis, who started the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company in the 19th century. The site of the town was... , Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is... |
Paved Oval | 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:... |
Manny Ayulo Manny Ayulo Manuel Ayulo was an American racecar driver. His efforts, along with those of friend and teammate Jack McGrath, helped establish track roadsters as viable race cars... |
7 | September 6 | Ted Horn Memorial | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack is a one-mile clay oval motor racetrack in Du Quoin, Illinois, about southeast of St Louis, Missouri. It is a stop on the ARCA and USAC Silver Crown tours.-History:... |
Du Quoin Du Quoin, Illinois Du Quoin is a city in Perry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,448 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Du Quoin is located at .... , Illinois Illinois Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... |
Dirt Oval | Don Freeland Don Freeland Don Freeland was an American racecar driver who is best known for competing in the Indianapolis 500 eight times.... |
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:... |
8 | September 6 | Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | Pikes Peak Highway Pikes Peak Highway The Pikes Peak Highway is a toll road that runs from Cascade, Colorado to the summit of Pikes Peak in El Paso County, Colorado, at an altitude of... |
Pikes Peak Pikes Peak Pikes Peak is a mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, west of Colorado Springs, Colorado, in El Paso County in the United States of America.... , Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains... |
Hill Climb | Larry Crockett Larry Crockett Larry "Crash" Crockett was an American racecar driver. Crockett made 10 Championship Car starts all in the 1954 season with a best finish of 4th in the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb which counted for National Championship points at the time and finished in 11th in the 1954 points championship... |
Keith Andrews Keith Andrews (driver) Keith Andrews was an American racecar driver. He was killed after crashing his car during testing for the 1957 Indianapolis 500. The car was destroyed and Andrews died soon after... |
9 | September 11 | Syracuse 100 | New York State Fairgrounds Great New York State Fair The Great New York State Fair is an annual farmers' exposition and a 12-day showcase of entertainment, education, industry, technology, and more, sponsored by the State of New York. Additionally there are midway rides, , and concerts. The first fair took place in Syracuse in 1841... |
Syracuse Syracuse, New York Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603... , New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... |
Dirt Oval | Don Freeland Don Freeland Don Freeland was an American racecar driver who is best known for competing in the Indianapolis 500 eight times.... |
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... |
10 | September 18 | Hoosier Hundred | Indiana State Fairgrounds Indiana State Fair The Indiana State Fair is an annual fair held in Indianapolis, Indiana, usually in the month of August. The first fair was held in 1881 and the 2009 fair had the highest number of attendees at 973,902.... |
Indianapolis Indianapolis 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... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
Dirt Oval | Manny Ayulo Manny Ayulo Manuel Ayulo was an American racecar driver. His efforts, along with those of friend and teammate Jack McGrath, helped establish track roadsters as viable race cars... |
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:... |
11 | October 17 | Golden State 100 | California State Fairgrounds California State Fairgrounds Race Track California State Fairgrounds Race Track was a dirt oval racing track located in Sacramento, California. The track was built in 1906 for horse racing on the site of the California Exposition. It was active for auto racing in 1907, 1912, and from 1946 until 1970... |
Sacramento Sacramento, California Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,... , 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... |
Dirt Oval | Jack McGrath Jack McGrath John James "Jack" McGrath was an American racecar driver.A major player in the "mighty midgets" at Los Angeles' Gilmore Speedway in the late 1940s, McGrath won the first CRA championship in 1946 and was dubbed "King of the Hot Rods." His efforts, along with those of friend and teammate Manuel... |
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:... |
12 | November 7 | Bobby Ball Memorial XM Satellite Radio Indy 200 The XM Satellite Radio Indy 200 was an IndyCar race held at the Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. The event began in 1915 on a dirt oval at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. The race was revived in 1950 by the American Automobile Association, and then passed to the United States... |
Arizona State Fairgrounds Arizona State Fair The Arizona State Fair is an annual state fair, held at a permanent fairgrounds in Phoenix, Arizona. It was first held in 1884, but has had various interruptions due to cotton crop failure, the Great Depression era, and World War II years. Since 1946, the fair has been held regularly each year... |
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... , Arizona Arizona Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix... |
Dirt Oval | Shorty Templeman Shorty Templeman Clark "Shorty" Templeman was an American racecar driver.-Championship car:... |
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:... |
13 | November 14 | Silver State Century | Las Vegas Park Speedway Las Vegas Park Speedway The Las Vegas Park Speedway was a horse and automobile racing facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was built to be a horse racing facility and it held single races in NASCAR Grand National , AAA, and USAC Stock cars before it was demolished. It opened as the Las Vegas Jockey Club.-Construction:Joseph M... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Dirt Oval | 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:... |
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:... |
Leading National Championship standings
# | Driver | Team | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 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:... |
Dean Racing Enterprises | 2630 |
2 | Manny Ayulo Manny Ayulo Manuel Ayulo was an American racecar driver. His efforts, along with those of friend and teammate Jack McGrath, helped establish track roadsters as viable race cars... |
Peter Schmidt | 1290 |
3 | Jack McGrath Jack McGrath John James "Jack" McGrath was an American racecar driver.A major player in the "mighty midgets" at Los Angeles' Gilmore Speedway in the late 1940s, McGrath won the first CRA championship in 1946 and was dubbed "King of the Hot Rods." His efforts, along with those of friend and teammate Manuel... |
Hinkle | 1220 |
=4 | Bill Vukovich Bill Vukovich Bill Vukovich was a Serbian American automobile racing driver. He won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500 plus two more American Automobile Association National Championship races... |
Pat Clancy, Dean Racing Enterprises | 1000 |
=4 | Jimmy Reece Jimmy Reece Jimmy Reece was an American racecar driver. He died in a racing accident during a 1958 champ car race at Trenton International Speedway.-Indy 500 results:... |
Malloy | 1000 |
See also
- 1954 Indianapolis 5001954 Indianapolis 500The 1954 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Monday, May 31, 1954 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the second round of the 1954 World Drivers' Championship.- Classification :- Notes :...