1917 AAA Championship Car season


The 1917 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 21 races, beginning in Los Angeles, California on March 4 and concluding there on November 29. The de facto National Champion as poled by the American automobile journal Motor Age was Earl Cooper. The Indianapolis 500 was not held this year. Points were not awarded by the AAA Contest Board during the 1917 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 – all championship results should be considered unofficial.

Schedule and results

DateRace Name
Distance 		TrackLocationTypeNotesPole positionWinning driver
March 4George Washington Sweepstakes Ascot ParkLos Angeles, California1 mile dirt ovalJoe BoyerEarl Cooper
May 10Universal Trophy Race Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board oval300 cu in.Louis ChevroletWilliam Taylor
May 30Sharonville Sweepstakes Cincinnati Motor SpeedwaySharonville, Ohio2 mile board ovalRalph DePalmaLouis Chevrolet
June 16War Derby Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board ovalLouis ChevroletEarl Cooper
July 4Omaha Derby Omaha SpeedwayOmaha, Nebraska1.25 mile board ovalLouis ChevroletRalph Mulford
July 14Minneapolis Race 1 Twin City Motor SpeedwayMinneapolis, Minnesota2 mile concrete oval300 cu in.Dave LewisEarl Cooper
July 14Minneapolis Race 2 Twin City Motor SpeedwayMinneapolis, Minnesota2 mile concrete ovalDave LewisIra Vail
September 3Army Post Sweepstakes Pacific Coast SpeedwayTacoma, Washington2 mile board ovalEarl Cooper
September 3Chicago Race 2 Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board ovalRalph DePalma
September 3Chicago Race 3 Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board ovalLouis Chevrolet
September 31st Annual Autumn Classic Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalFrank Elliott
September 15Providence Race 1 Narragansett Park SpeedwayCranston, Rhode Island1 mile concrete oval300 cu in.Ralph Mulford
September 15Providence Race 2 Narragansett Park SpeedwayCranston, Rhode Island1 mile concrete oval300 cu in.Tommy Milton
September 15Providence Race 3 Narragansett Park SpeedwayCranston, Rhode Island1 mile concrete oval300 cu in.Tommy Milton
September 22Harkness Trophy Race Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board oval300 cu in.Louis Chevrolet
October 13Chicago Race 4 Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board ovalTom Alley
October 13Chicago Race 5 Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board oval300 cu in.Ralph Mulford
October 13Chicago Race 6 Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board oval300 cu in.Pete Henderson
October 29Uniontown Race 3 Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board oval300 cu in.Eddie HearneEddie Hearne
November 29Ascot Race 2 Ascot ParkLos Angeles, California1 mile dirt oval300 cu in.Louis Chevrolet
November 29Ascot Race 3 Ascot ParkLos Angeles, California1 mile dirt ovalFree formulaEddie Hearne

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
1Earl CooperStutz1095
2Louis ChevroletFrontenac1046
3Ralph MulfordFrontenac868
4Eddie HearneDuesenberg848
5Tommy MiltonDuesenberg771