1914 AAA Championship Car season


The 1914 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 15 races, beginning in Santa Monica, California on February 26 and concluding in Corona, California on November 26. The de facto National Champion as poled by the American automobile journal Motor Age was Ralph DePalma and the winner of the Indianapolis 500 was René Thomas. Points were not awarded by the AAA Contest Board during the 1914 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
February 26William K. Vanderbilt Cup Santa Monica Road Race CourseSanta Monica, California8.417 mile road courseIn practice, Dave Lewis skidded, crashed into a crowd, and overturned, crushing to death a spectator, Lewis Smith, and seriously hurting himself and four other attendants.Harry GrantRalph DePalma
February 28American Grand Prize Santa Monica Road Race CourseSanta Monica, California8.417 mile road courseACA sanctionEddie PullenTeddy Tetzlaff
May 30International 500 Mile SweepstakesIndianapolis Motor SpeedwaySpeedway, Indiana2.5 mile brick oval450 cu in., Qualifications based upon demonstrated 75 mph single-lap speed, 30-car fieldArthur DurayRené Thomas
July 3Golden Potlach Trophy Race Pacific Coast SpeedwayTacoma, Washington2 mile dirt oval600 cu in.Hughie Hughes
July 4Montamarathon Trophy Race Pacific Coast SpeedwayTacoma, Washington2 mile dirt ovalFree-for-allEarl Cooper
July 4Sioux City Race Sioux City SpeedwayNorth Sioux City, South Dakota2 mile dirt ovalGil AndersenEddie Rickenbacker
July 30Galveston Race 1 Denver Beach CourseGalveston, Texas5 mile beach courseRalph Mulford
August 1Galveston Race 2 Denver Beach CourseGalveston, Texas2.5 mile beach courseRalph Mulford
August 3Galveston Race 3 Denver Beach CourseGalveston, Texas2.5 mile beach courseRalph Mulford
August 21Chicago Auto Club Trophy Race Elgin Road Race CourseElgin, Illinois8.384 mile road courseFrank DearbornRalph DePalma
August 22Elgin National Trophy Race Elgin Road Race CourseElgin, Illinois8.384 mile road courseSpencer Wishart and his riding mechanic Jack Jenter fatally injuredFrank DearbornRalph DePalma
September 26Kalamazoo Race Recreation ParkKalamazoo, Michigan1 mile dirt ovalFree-formulaBob Burman
October 22Galesburg Race Galesburg District FairgroundsGalesburg, Illinois1 mile dirt ovalFritz Walker, riding mechanic for Jack Gable, fatally injuredRalph Mulford
October 24St. Paul Race Minnesota State Fair SpeedwaySt. Paul, Minnesota1 mile dirt ovalTom Alley
November 26Corona Race Grand BoulevardCorona, California2.768 mile road courseBarney OldfieldEddie Pullen

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 DePalmaMercedes2045
2Eddie PullenMercer1720
3René ThomasDelage1000
4Barney OldfieldStutz990
5Ralph MulfordPeugeot780

General references