1919 AAA Championship Car season


The 1919 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 21 races, beginning in Santa Monica, California on March 15 and concluding in Cincinnati, Ohio on October 12. AAA did not award points towards a National Championship during the 1919 season, and did not declare a National Champion. Howdy Wilcox was the winner of the Indianapolis 500.
The de facto National Champion as polled by the American automobile journal Motor Age, was Howdy Wilcox. Wilcox was named the champion by Chris G. Sinsabaugh, an editor at Motor Age, based upon merit and on track performance. A points table was created retroactively in 1927. At a later point, it was recognized by historians that these championship results should be considered unofficial.

Schedule and results

DateRace Name
Distance 		TrackLocationTypeNotesPole positionWinning driver
March 15Santa Monica Race Santa Monica Road Race CourseSanta Monica, California7.36 mile road courseWalter Melcher fatally injuredCliff DurantCliff Durant
March 23All-Star Sweepstakes Ascot SpeedwaySouth Los Angeles, California1 mile dirt ovalEddie PullenRoscoe Sarles
May 19Victory Sweepstakes Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalTommy Milton
May 31Liberty 500 Mile Sweepstakes Indianapolis Motor SpeedwaySpeedway, Indiana2.5 mile brick oval33-car field; Arthur Thurman, Louis LeCocq, and the latter's riding mechanic Robert Bandini fatally injuredRené ThomasHowdy Wilcox
June 14International Sweepstakes Race 1 Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalTommy Milton
June 14International Sweepstakes Race 2 Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalRalph Mulford
June 14International Sweepstakes Race 3 Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalRalph Mulford
June 14International Sweepstakes Race Main Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalRalph DePalma
July 4Tacoma Race 1 Pacific Coast SpeedwayTacoma, Washington2 mile board ovalRalph Mulford
July 4Tacoma Race 2 Pacific Coast SpeedwayTacoma, Washington2 mile board ovalLouis Chevrolet
July 4Tacoma Race 3 Pacific Coast SpeedwayTacoma, Washington2 mile board ovalLouis Chevrolet
July 4Independence Auto Derby Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalEmilio Jandelli, riding mechanic for Ray Howard, fatally injured in practiceJoe ThomasGaston Chevrolet
July 19Uniontown Heat 1 Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalTommy Milton
July 19Uniontown Heat 2 Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalDave Lewis
July 19Uniontown Heat 3 Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalI. P. Fetterman
July 19Uniontown Heat 4 Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalRoscoe Sarles
July 19Uniontown Main Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalTommy Milton
August 23Elgin National Trophy Race Elgin Road Race CourseElgin, Illinois8.384 mile road courseRalph MulfordTommy Milton
September 13rd Annual Autumn Classic Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalJoe Boyer relieved Gaston Chevrolet on lap 118.Gaston Chevrolet/Joe Boyer
September 20Sheepshead Bay Race 6 Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalGaston Chevrolet
October 12Cincinnati Race Cincinnati Motor SpeedwaySharonville, Ohio2 mile board ovalJoe Boyer

Leading National Championship standings

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.
# DriverSponsorPoints
1Howdy WilcoxPeugeot1110
2Eddie HearneDuesenberg1070
3Gaston ChevroletFrontenac980
4Roscoe SarlesBarney Oldfield950
5Tommy MiltonDuesenberg905

General references

  • http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1919.htm accessed 12/1/15