1918 AAA Championship Car season explained

The 1918 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 16 races, beginning in Uniontown, Pennsylvania on May 16 and concluding there on September 2. There were also 3 non-championship races. AAA did not award points towards a National Championship during the 1918 season, and did not declare a National Champion.[1]

The de facto National Champion as polled by the American automobile journal Motor Age, was Ralph Mulford. Mulford 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 (miles)
TrackLocationTypeNotesPole positionWinning driver
May 16Liberty Sweepstakes Heat 1 (27)Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalTommy Milton
Liberty Sweepstakes Heat 2 (27)Ralph Mulford
Liberty Sweepstakes Heat 3 (27)Eddie Hearne
Liberty Sweepstakes Heat 4 (27)Louis Chevrolet
Liberty Sweepstakes Main (27)Ralph Mulford
June 1Harkness Handicap (100)Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalNon-championship eventRalph DePalma
June 22Chicago 100 (100)Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board ovalNon-championship eventLouis Chevrolet
July 4Liberty Handicap (100)Cincinnati Motor SpeedwaySharonville, Ohio2 mile board ovalNon-championship eventRalph DePalma
July 4Tacoma Race 1 (24)Pacific Coast SpeedwayTacoma, Washington2 mile board ovalCliff Durant
Tacoma Race 2 (50)Cliff Durant
Tacoma Race 3 (75)Eddie Hearne
July 18Independence Auto Derby (112.5)Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalLouis Chevrolet
July 28Chicago Race 1 (10)Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board ovalRalph DePalma
Chicago Race 2 (20)Ralph DePalma
Chicago Race 3 (30)Ralph DePalma
August 17International Sweepstakes Race 1 (20)Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalRalph DePalma
International Sweepstakes Race 2 (30)Ralph DePalma
International Sweepstakes Race 3 (50)Ralph DePalma
September 2Liberty Sweepstakes (112.5)Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalRalph Mulford

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
1Ralph MulfordFrontenac515
2Louis ChevroletFrontenac485
3Eddie HearneDuesenberg350
4Ralph DePalmaPackard320
5Cliff DurantChevrolet230

References

Notes and References

  1. Capps . H. Donald . February–March 2010 . John Glenn Printz and the Struggle for the Past: The A.A.A. Catastrophe - Arthur Means, Val Haresnape, Russ Catlin, and Bob Russo . Rear View Mirror . 7 . 6 . 21–38.