1946 AAA Championship Car season

1946 AAA Championship Car season
AAA National Championship Trail
Season
Races 77
Start date April 14
End date November 10
Awards
National champion Ted Horn
Indianapolis 500 winner George Robson
Chronology
Previous season Next season
1941 1947

The 1946 AAA Championship Car season was the first season of American Championship car racing following World War II. After four years without racing in the United States, the AAA Contest Board was concerned about having enough races and entrants for the 1946 season. Even the Indianapolis 500 was in doubt, as the speedway was neglected during the war, and owner Eddie Rickenbacker sold the track to Tony Hulman only in November 1945.[1]

Previously, only races of over 100 miles (160 km) on tracks one mile (1.6 km) or longer were able to hold National Championship events, however the AAA opened the championship to "Big Car" races (today known as Sprint Cars). The season consisted of 77 races (6 Champ Car races and 71 Big Car races), beginning in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania on April 14 and concluding in Richmond, Virginia on November 10.[2] After car counts were better than expected, confusion arose over whether the 71 Big Car events counted towards the National Championship; news sources of the time reported points only from the Champ Car events.[3] However, the Contest Board mentions reverting to only Champ Car races eligible for the National Championship in 1947,[2][4] and the prize money and 1947 car numbers match the points standings for the full 77-race schedule.[5][6][7][2] The AAA National Champion was Ted Horn, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was George Robson.

Contents

Schedule and results

Rnd Date Race Name Length Track Location Type Class Pole Position Winning Driver
NC March 31 Mike Benton Sweepstakes 20 mi (32 km) Lakewood Speedway Atlanta, Georgia Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Jimmy Wilburn
1 April 14 Williams Grove Race 15 mi (24 km) Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Walt Ader
2 April 28 Williams Grove Race 15 mi (24 km) Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
3 May 5 Eastern Inaugural Trophy Sweepstakes 20 mi (32 km) Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Joie Chitwood
4 May 19 Williams Grove Race 15 mi (24 km) Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Joie Chitwood
5 May 26 Inaugural Sam Nunis Trophy Sweepstakes 12.5 mi (20.1 km) Reading Fairgrounds Speedway Reading, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Walt Ader
6 May 26 Winchester Race 15 mi (24 km) Winchester Speedway Winchester, Indiana Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bus Wilbert
7 May 30 Altamont Race 15 mi (24 km) Altamont Speedway Altamont, New York Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bumpy Bumpus
8 May 30 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes 500 mi (800 km) Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana Paved Oval Champ Car Cliff Bergere George Robson
9 May 30 Trenton Race 20 mi (32 km) Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Johnny Shackleford
10 June 2 Lakewood Race 25 mi (40 km) Lakewood Speedway Atlanta, Georgia Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
11 June 9 Thompson Race 15 mi (24 km) Thompson International Speedway Thompson, Connecticut Paved Oval Big Car  ? Oscar Ridlon
12 June 9 Williams Grove Race 15 mi (24 km) Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Joie Chitwood
13 June 9 Winchester Race 15 mi (24 km) Winchester Speedway Winchester, Indiana Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bus Wilbert
14 June 16 Flemington Race 12.5 mi (20.1 km) Flemington Speedway Flemington, New Jersey Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
15 June 23 Dayton Race 15 mi (24 km) Dayton Speedway Dayton, Ohio Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Elbert Booker
16 June 23 Greensboro Race 12.5 mi (20.1 km) Greensboro Agricultural Fairgrounds Greensboro, North Carolina Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
17 June 23 Thompson Race 15 mi (24 km) Thompson International Speedway Thompson, Connecticut Paved Oval Big Car  ? Oscar Ridlon
18 June 29 Dayton Race 10 mi (16 km) Dayton Speedway Dayton, Ohio Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bus Wilbert
19 June 30 Langhorne 100 100 mi (160 km) Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Champ Car Ted Horn Rex Mays
20 June 30 Powell Race 7.5 mi (12.1 km) Powell Motor Speedway Powell, Ohio Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Joie Chitwood
21 June 30 Thompson Race 12.5 mi (20.1 km) Thompson International Speedway Thompson, Connecticut Paved Oval Big Car  ? Joe Verebly
22 July 4 Lakewood Race 20 mi (32 km) Lakewood Speedway Atlanta, Georgia Dirt Oval Big Car Bill Holland Ted Horn
23 July 7 Lakewood Race 50 mi (80 km) Lakewood Speedway Atlanta, Georgia Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
24 July 7 Williams Grove Race 15 mi (24 km) Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Johnny Shackleford
25 July 14 Inaugural Nunis Sweepstakes 17.5 mi (28.2 km) Reading Fairgrounds Speedway Reading, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Joie Chitwood
26 July 20 DuBois Race 10 mi (16 km) DuBois Fairgrounds DuBois, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car Ted Horn Ted Horn
27 July 20 Selinsgrove Race 10 mi (16 km) Selinsgrove Speedway Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
28 July 21 Dayton Race 10 mi (16 km) Dayton Speedway Dayton, Ohio Dirt Oval Big Car  ? George Connor
29 July 21 Langhorne Race 20 mi (32 km) Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? George Robson
30 July 21 Selinsgrove Race 10 mi (16 km) Selinsgrove Speedway Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
31 July 27 Harrington Race 10 mi (16 km) Delaware State Fairgrounds Harrington, Delaware Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
32 July 28 Williams Grove Race 15 mi (24 km) Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
33 August 3 Washington Race 10 mi (16 km) Arden Downs Washington, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
34 August 4 Powell Race 7.5 mi (12.1 km) Powell Motor Speedway Powell, Ohio Dirt Oval Big Car  ? George Robson
35 August 10 Batavia Race 10 mi (16 km) Batavia Fairgrounds Batavia, New York Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
36 August 11 Bedford Race 10 mi (16 km) Bedford Speedway Bedford, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
37 August 11 Langhorne Race 20 mi (32 km) Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? George Robson
38 August 11 Winchester Race 10 mi (16 km) Winchester Speedway Winchester, Indiana Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Elbert Booker
39 August 18 Skowhegan Race 10 mi (16 km) Skowhegan Fairgrounds Skowhegan, Maine Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
40 August 18 Williams Grove Race 15 mi (24 km) Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? George Robson
41 August 24 Hamburg Race 10 mi (16 km) Hamburg Fairgrounds Hamburg, New York Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
42 August 25 Dayton Race 10 mi (16 km) Dayton Speedway Dayton, Ohio Dirt Oval Big Car  ? George Robson
43 August 25 Uniontown Race 10 mi (16 km) Uniontown Speedway Uniontown, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
44 August 30 Essex Junction Race 10 mi (16 km) Essex Junction Fairgrounds Essex Junction, Vermont Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
45 August 31 Altamont Race 10 mi (16 km) Altamont Speedway Altamont, New York Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
46 August 31 Hamburg Race 10 mi (16 km) Hamburg Fairgrounds Hamburg, New York Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
47 September 1 Flemington Race 10 mi (16 km) Flemington Speedway Flemington, New Jersey Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
48 September 1 Winchester Race 10 mi (16 km) Winchester Speedway Winchester, Indiana Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Charles Van Acker
49 September 2 Flemington Race 10 mi (16 km) Flemington Speedway Flemington, New Jersey Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
50 September 2 Atlanta 100 98 mi (158 km)A Lakewood Speedway Atlanta, Georgia Dirt Oval Champ Car Rex Mays George Connor
NC September 2 Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb 12.42 mi (19.99 km) Pikes Peak Highway Pikes Peak, Colorado Hill Climb Champ Car Louis Unser Louis Unser
51 September 6 Rutland Race 10 mi (16 km) Vermont State Fairgrounds Rutland, Vermont Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Lee Wallard
52 September 7 Port Royal Race 8 mi (13 km) Port Royal Speedway Port Royal, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
53 September 8 Williams Grove Race 15 mi (24 km) Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
54 September 15 Indianapolis 100 100 mi (160 km) Indiana State Fairgrounds Indianapolis, Indiana Dirt Oval Champ Car Rex Mays Rex Mays
55 September 15 Reading Race 12.5 mi (20.1 km) Reading Fairgrounds Speedway Reading, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
56 September 21 Allentown Fair Race 10 mi (16 km) Allentown Fairgrounds Allentown, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
57 September 22 Great Barrington Race 4 mi (6.4 km) Great Barrington Race Track Great Barrington, Massachusetts Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Joie Chitwood
58 September 22 Milwaukee 100 100 mi (160 km) Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway West Allis, Wisconsin Dirt Oval Champ Car Rex Mays Rex Mays
59 September 22 Powell Race 5 mi (8.0 km) Powell Motor Speedway Powell, Ohio Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
60 September 28 Bloomsburg Race 10 mi (16 km) Bloomsburg Fairgrounds Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
61 September 28 Lakewood Race 20 mi (32 km) Lakewood Speedway Atlanta, Georgia Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
62 September 28 Shelby Race 10 mi (16 km) Shelby Motor Speedway Shelby, North Carolina Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Walt Ader
63 September 29 Trenton Race 20 mi (32 km) Trenton International Speedway Trenton, New Jersey Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Joie Chitwood
64 October 5 Lakewood Race 20 mi (32 km) Lakewood Speedway Atlanta, Georgia Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
65 October 5 Winston-Salem Race 10 mi (16 km) Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Winston-Salem, North Carolina Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Tommy Hinnershitz
66 October 6 Dayton Race 10 mi (16 km) Dayton Speedway Dayton, Ohio Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Hal Robson
67 October 6 George Robson Memorial 100 mi (160 km) Good Time Park Goshen, New York Dirt Oval Champ Car Emil Andres Tony Bettenhausen
68 October 6 Greensboro Race 10 mi (16 km) Greensboro Agricultural Fairgrounds Greensboro, North Carolina Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
69 October 6 George Robson Memorial 15 mi (24 km) Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Lucky Lux
70 October 12 Charlotte Race 10 mi (16 km) Charlotte Fairgrounds Charlotte, North Carolina Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
71 October 12 Atlantic Rural Exposition 10 mi (16 km) Strawberry Hill Raceway Richmond, Virginia Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
72 October 12 Greensboro Race 7.5 mi (12.1 km) Greensboro Agricultural Fairgrounds Greensboro, North Carolina Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
73 October 19 Raleigh Race 10 mi (16 km) State Fair Speedway Raleigh, North Carolina Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Walt Ader
74 October 26 Charlotte Race 10 mi (16 km) Charlotte Fairgrounds Charlotte, North Carolina Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Hank Rogers
75 October 26 National Championship Trophy Race 25 mi (40 km) Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Bill Holland
76 November 9 Shelby Race 15 mi (24 km) Shelby Motor Speedway Shelby, North Carolina Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Ted Horn
77 November 10 Richmond Race 12.5 mi (20.1 km) Strawberry Hill Raceway Richmond, Virginia Dirt Oval Big Car  ? Tommy Hinnershitz

^A Scheduled for 100 miles, stopped early due to fatal accident involving George Robson and George Barringer. Rex Mays was leading at the time of the accident, but after a protest, was found to have been involved in the accident and had his win stripped.

Leading National Championship standings

 #  Driver Team Points
1 Ted Horn Ted Horn Engineering, Boyle, Peters 2448
2 George Robson† Thorne Engineering, Christie, Weirick 1544
3 Emil Andres Elgin Piston Pin, Riverside Tire, Nyquist 1348
4 Bill Holland Malamud 1280
5 Tommy Hinnershitz Ted Horn Engineering 896.8

† Robson was killed in the race at Lakewood Speedway on September 2

Points system

Position/
Miles		 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
4 8 6 4 3 — — — — — — — —
5 10 8 6 4 — — — — — — — —
7.5 15 12 9 6 — — — — — — — —
8 16 13 10 6 — — — — — — — —
10 20 16 12 8 4 2 — — — — — —
12.5 25 20 15 10 5 2.5 — — — — — —
15 30 24 18 12 6 3 — — — — — —
17.5 35 28 21 14 9 5.5 — — — — — —
20 40 32 24 16 12 8 — — — — — —
25 50 40 30 25 20 10 5 — — — — —
50 100 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5 — —
100 200 160 140 120 100 80 60 50 40 30 20 10
500 1000 800 700 600 500 400 300 250 200 150 100 50

References

Notes

  1. ^ Printz, John G.; Ken M. McMaken. The 1946 AAA National Championship. 
  2. ^ a b c Capps, H. Donald (October 2009). "The Curious Case of the 1946 Season: An Inconvenient Championship". Rear View Mirror. 8W / FORIX. Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5y4ZNt8N0. Retrieved 19 April 2011. 
  3. ^ "14 Auto Racing Stars Meet at Goshen Today". The New York Times. October 6, 1946. 
  4. ^ "Official Bulletin AAA Contest Board". 18 December 1946. p. 3. 
  5. ^ "Distribution of National Prize Fund for 1946 to the Drivers and Car Owners Holding Ten Highest Places in the National Point Standing". AAA Records Resume. 
  6. ^ "By Their Numbers You Shall Know Them". Speed Age 1 (1): 30. May 1947. 
  7. ^ National Speed Sport News: 112 & 163. January 1947. 

See also

AAA
NASCAR
USAC
CART / CCWS
IRL / INDYCAR
Years marked in italics are not official championship years.
AAA Championship Cars (1905–1955)
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National Champions
Billy Arnold • Henry Banks • Tony Bettenhausen • Jimmy Bryan • Bob Carey • Gaston Chevrolet • Bill Cummings • Peter DePaolo (twice) • Sam Hanks • Harry Hartz • Eddie Hearne • Ted Horn (three times) • Rex Mays (twice) • Louis Meyer (three times) • Tommy Milton • Jimmy Murphy (twice) • Barney Oldfield • Johnnie Parsons • Kelly Petillo • Dario Resta • Floyd Roberts • Mauri Rose • Louis Schneider • Wilbur Shaw (twice) • Chuck Stevenson • Bob Sweikert
AAA Contest Board
Years marked in italics are not official championship years.