1918 AAA Championship Car season


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. The de facto National Champion as poled by the American automobile journal Motor Age was Ralph Mulford. The Indianapolis 500 was not held this year. Points were not awarded by the AAA Contest Board during the 1918 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
May 16Liberty Sweepstakes Heat 1 Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalTommy Milton
May 16Liberty Sweepstakes Heat 2 Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalRalph Mulford
May 16Liberty Sweepstakes Heat 3 Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalEddie Hearne
May 16Liberty Sweepstakes Heat 4 Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalLouis Chevrolet
May 16Liberty Sweepstakes Main Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalRalph Mulford
June 1Harkness Handicap Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalNon-championship eventRalph DePalma
June 22Chicago 100 Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board ovalNon-championship eventLouis Chevrolet
July 4Liberty Handicap Cincinnati Motor SpeedwaySharonville, Ohio2 mile board ovalNon-championship eventRalph DePalma
July 4Tacoma Race 1 Pacific Coast SpeedwayTacoma, Washington2 mile board ovalCliff Durant
July 4Tacoma Race 2 Pacific Coast SpeedwayTacoma, Washington2 mile board ovalCliff Durant
July 4Tacoma Race 3 Pacific Coast SpeedwayTacoma, Washington2 mile board ovalEddie Hearne
July 18Independence Auto Derby Uniontown SpeedwayUniontown, Pennsylvania1.125 mile board ovalLouis Chevrolet
July 28Chicago Race 1 Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board ovalRalph DePalma
July 28Chicago Race 2 Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board ovalRalph DePalma
July 28Chicago Race 3 Speedway ParkMaywood, Illinois2 mile board ovalRalph DePalma
August 17International Sweepstakes Race 1 Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalRalph DePalma
August 17International Sweepstakes Race 2 Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalRalph DePalma
August 17International Sweepstakes Race 3 Sheepshead Bay SpeedwaySheepshead Bay, New York2 mile board ovalRalph DePalma
September 2Liberty Sweepstakes 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