Auto racing, American Championship car racing - American Championship car racing champions

Since 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies. As of 2011, the top-level American open wheel racing championship is sanctioned by IndyCar.


AAA National Track Championship

1905 Barney Oldfield

AAA National Championship

1916 Dario Resta
1920 Gaston Chevrolet
1921 Tommy Milton
1922 Jimmy Murphy
1923 Eddie Hearne
1924 Jimmy Murphy
1925 Pete DePaolo
1926 Harry Hartz
1927 Pete DePaolo
1928 Louis Meyer
1929 Louis Meyer
1930 Billy Arnold
1931 Louis Schneider
1932 Bob Carey
1933 Louis Meyer
1934 Bill Cummings
1935 Kelly Petillo
1936 Mauri Rose
1937 Wilbur Shaw
1938 Floyd Roberts
1939 Wilbur Shaw
1940 Rex Mays
1941 Rex Mays
1946 Ted Horn
1947 Ted Horn
1948 Ted Horn
1949 Johnnie Parsons
1950 Henry Banks
1951 Tony Bettenhausen
1952 Chuck Stevenson
1953 Sam Hanks
1954 Jimmy Bryan
1955 Bob Sweikert

USAC National Championship

1956 Jimmy Bryan
1957 Jimmy Bryan
1958 Tony Bettenhausen
1959 Rodger Ward
1960 A. J. Foyt
1961 A. J. Foyt
1962 Rodger Ward
1963 A. J. Foyt
1964 A. J. Foyt
1965 Mario Andretti
1966 Mario Andretti
1967 A. J. Foyt
1968 Bobby Unser
1969 Mario Andretti
1970 Al Unser
1971 Joe Leonard
1972 Joe Leonard
1973 Roger McCluskey
1974 Bobby Unser
1975 A. J. Foyt
1976 Gordon Johncock
1977 Tom Sneva
1978 Tom Sneva
1979 A. J. Foyt

SCCA/CART Series

1979 Rick Mears

CART Indy Car World Series

1980 Johnny Rutherford
1981 Rick Mears
1982 Rick Mears
1983 Al Unser
1984 Mario Andretti
1985 Al Unser
1986 Bobby Rahal
1987 Bobby Rahal
1988 Danny Sullivan
1989 Emerson Fittipaldi
1990 Al Unser, Jr.
1991 Michael Andretti
1992 Bobby Rahal
1993 Nigel Mansell
1994 Al Unser, Jr.
1995 Jacques Villeneuve
1996 Jimmy Vasser

USAC Gold Crown Championship

1980      Johnny Rutherford
1981–82 George Snider
1982–83 Tom Sneva
1983–84 Rick Mears
1984–85 Danny Sullivan
1985–86 Bobby Rahal
1986–87 Al Unser
1987–88 Rick Mears
1988–89 Emerson Fittipaldi
1989–90 Arie Luyendyk
1990–91 Rick Mears
1991–92 Al Unser, Jr.
1992–93 Emerson Fittipaldi
1993–94 Al Unser, Jr.
1994–95 Jacques Villeneuve

CART/Champ Car Series

1997 Alex Zanardi
1998 Alex Zanardi
1999 Juan Pablo Montoya
2000 Gil de Ferran
2001 Gil de Ferran
2002 Cristiano da Matta
2003 Paul Tracy
2004 Sébastien Bourdais
2005 Sébastien Bourdais
2006 Sébastien Bourdais
2007 Sébastien Bourdais

Indy Racing League/IndyCar Series

1996 Scott Sharp/Buzz Calkins
1997 Tony Stewart
1998 Kenny Bräck
1999 Greg Ray
2000 Buddy Lazier
2001 Sam Hornish, Jr.
2002 Sam Hornish, Jr.
2003 Scott Dixon
2004 Tony Kanaan
2005 Dan Wheldon
2006 Sam Hornish, Jr.
2007 Dario Franchitti

IndyCar Series

2008 Scott Dixon
2009 Dario Franchitti
2010 Dario Franchitti
2011 Dario Franchitti