List of American open-wheel racing national champions
Various organizations have awarded a season-long, points-based National Championship of open-wheel racing in the United States, first in 1905, and consistently since 1946. As of 2018, the top-level American open wheel racing championship is the IndyCar Series.
By season
AAA (1905–1955)
USAC (1956–1978)
AAA ceased participation in auto racing at the end of the 1955 season. It cited a series of high-profile fatal accidents, namely Bill Vukovich at Indianapolis, and the Le Mans disaster. The national championship was taken over by the United States Auto Club, a new sanctioning body formed by the then-owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tony Hulman.USAC/CART (1979–1995)
From 1979 to 1995 the Indianapolis 500 and the national championship were sanctioned by separate organizations, USAC and CART, respectively. USAC continued to sanction their own national championship series until 1981, when they formed the USAC Gold Crown Championship. From 1985 to 1995 the USAC Gold Crown Championship consisted solely of the Indianapolis 500, thus making such championship winners indistinguishable from Indianapolis winners. IndyCar does not recognize winners of the USAC Gold Crown Championship as full season champions.The Split (IRL/CART, 1996–2007)
The Indy Racing League, founded in 1994 by Tony George, broke away from CART in 1996. George planned the IRL as a lower-cost, oval-focused alternative to CART, which had become technology-driven and dominated by a few wealthy multi-car teams. The IRL resumed using the IndyCar name in 2003, after a settlement with CART prohibiting its use had expired. CART declared bankruptcy in the same year, after the defection of a number of teams and engine manufacturers to the IRL, with its assets subsequently purchased and continuing as Champ Car in 2004.Reunification (IndyCar, 2008–present)
IndyCar and Champ Car entered into merger negotiations in 2008, as both series worried they did not have enough participating cars to maintain their TV and sanctioning contract minimums. The two series came to an agreement in February 2008, with Champ Car declaring bankruptcy in order to facilitate the merger. IndyCar then purchased Champ Car's assets at auction, officially merging the two series and their respective histories.Season | Driver | Team | Chassis | Engine | Tires |
2008 | Scott Dixon | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara | Honda | |
2009 | Dario Franchitti | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara | Honda | |
2010 | Dario Franchitti | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara | Honda | |
2011 | Dario Franchitti | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara | Honda | |
2012 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Andretti Autosport | Dallara | Chevrolet | |
2013 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara | Honda | |
2014 | Will Power | Team Penske | Dallara | Chevrolet | |
2015 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara | Chevrolet | |
2016 | Simon Pagenaud | Team Penske | Dallara | Chevrolet | |
2017 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | Dallara | Chevrolet | |
2018 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara | Honda | |
2019 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | Dallara | Chevrolet |
By driver
This list includes winners of all titles listed above, excluding the USAC Gold Crown Championship. Consequently, some years are listed twice.Driver | Total | Season |
A. J. Foyt | 7 | 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1975, 1979 |
Scott Dixon | 5 | 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018 |
Mario Andretti | 4 | 1965, 1966, 1969, 1984 |
Sébastien Bourdais | 4 | 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 |
Dario Franchitti | 4 | 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 |
Louis Meyer | 3 | 1928, 1929, 1933 |
Ted Horn | 3 | 1946, 1947, 1948 |
Jimmy Bryan | 3 | 1954, 1956, 1957 |
Rick Mears | 3 | 1979, 1981, 1982 |
Al Unser | 3 | 1970, 1983, 1985 |
Bobby Rahal | 3 | 1986, 1987, 1992 |
Sam Hornish, Jr. | 3 | 2001, 2002, 2006 |
Jimmy Murphy | 2 | 1922, 1924 |
Peter DePaolo | 2 | 1925, 1927 |
Wilbur Shaw | 2 | 1937, 1939 |
Rex Mays | 2 | 1940, 1941 |
Tony Bettenhausen | 2 | 1951, 1958 |
Rodger Ward | 2 | 1959, 1962 |
Joe Leonard | 2 | 1971, 1972 |
Bobby Unser | 2 | 1968, 1974 |
Tom Sneva | 2 | 1977, 1978 |
Johnny Rutherford | 2 | 1980, 1980 |
Al Unser, Jr. | 2 | 1990, 1994 |
Alex Zanardi | 2 | 1997, 1998 |
Gil de Ferran | 2 | 2000, 2001 |
Josef Newgarden | 2 | 2017, 2019 |
Barney Oldfield | 1 | 1905 |
Dario Resta | 1 | 1916 |
Gaston Chevrolet | 1 | 1920 |
Tommy Milton | 1 | 1921 |
Eddie Hearne | 1 | 1923 |
Harry Hartz | 1 | 1926 |
Billy Arnold | 1 | 1930 |
Louis Schneider | 1 | 1931 |
Bob Carey | 1 | 1932 |
Bill Cummings | 1 | 1935 |
Kelly Petillo | 1 | 1935 |
Mauri Rose | 1 | 1936 |
Floyd Roberts | 1 | 1938 |
Johnnie Parsons | 1 | 1949 |
Henry Banks | 1 | 1950 |
Chuck Stevenson | 1 | 1952 |
Sam Hanks | 1 | 1953 |
Bob Sweikert | 1 | 1955 |
Roger McCluskey | 1 | 1973 |
Gordon Johncock | 1 | 1976 |
Danny Sullivan | 1 | 1988 |
Emerson Fittipaldi | 1 | 1989 |
Michael Andretti | 1 | 1991 |
Nigel Mansell | 1 | 1993 |
Jacques Villeneuve | 1 | 1995 |
Buzz Calkins | 1 | 1996 |
Scott Sharp | 1 | 1996 |
Jimmy Vasser | 1 | 1996 |
Tony Stewart | 1 | 1996–97 |
Kenny Bräck | 1 | 1998 |
Juan Pablo Montoya | 1 | 1999 |
Greg Ray | 1 | 1999 |
Buddy Lazier | 1 | 2000 |
Cristiano da Matta | 1 | 2002 |
Paul Tracy | 1 | 2003 |
Tony Kanaan | 1 | 2004 |
Dan Wheldon | 1 | 2005 |
Ryan Hunter-Reay | 1 | 2012 |
Will Power | 1 | 2014 |
Simon Pagenaud | 1 | 2016 |
Drivers in bold are entered in the 2020 IndyCar Series.
- Rick Mears also won three USAC Gold Crown Championships.
- Al Unser also won the 1987 USAC Gold Crown Championship.
- Bobby Rahal also won the 1986 USAC Gold Crown Championship.
- Al Unser, Jr. also won two USAC Gold Crown Championships.
By nationality
Country | Total | Drivers |
United States | 82 | 47 |
United Kingdom | 7 | 4 |
France | 6 | 3 |
Brazil | 5 | 4 |
Australia | 1 | 1 |
New Zealand | 5 | 1 |
Canada | 2 | 2 |
Italy | 2 | 1 |
Sweden | 1 | 1 |
Colombia | 1 | 1 |
Records
Consecutive championships
15 drivers have won consecutive National Championships. Only A.J. Foyt has repeated the feat.Championships | Driver | Seasons | Sanctioning body |
4 | Sébastien Bourdais | 2004–2007 | Champ Car |
3 | Ted Horn | 1946–1948 | AAA |
3 | Dario Franchitti | 2009–2011 | IRL, IndyCar |
2 | Louis Meyer | 1928–1929 | AAA |
2 | Rex Mays | 1940–1941 | AAA |
2 | Jimmy Bryan | 1956–1957 | USAC |
2 | A.J. Foyt | 1960–1961 | USAC |
2 | A.J. Foyt | 1963–1964 | USAC |
2 | Mario Andretti | 1965–1966 | USAC |
2 | Joe Leonard | 1971–1972 | USAC |
2 | Tom Sneva | 1977–1978 | USAC |
2 | Rick Mears | 1981–1982 | CART |
2 | Bobby Rahal | 1986–1987 | CART |
2 | Alex Zanardi | 1997–1998 | CART |
2 | Gil de Ferran | 2000–2001 | CART |
2 | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 2001–2002 | IRL |
Drivers in bold are entered in the 2020 IndyCar Series.