# 1951 AAA Championship Car season

The 1951 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 15 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in San Mateo, California on November 11. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion was Tony Bettenhausen, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Lee Wallard.

## Schedule and results

| Rnd | Date | Race Name | Track | Location | Type | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
| 1 | May 30 | International 500 Mile Sweepstakes | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Paved | Duke Nalon | Lee Wallard |
| 2 | June 10 | Rex Mays Classic | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Dirt | Jack McGrath | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 3 | June 24 | Langhorne 100 | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Dirt | Jack McGrath | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 4 | July 4 | Darlington 250 | Darlington Raceway | Darlington, South Carolina | Paved | Johnny McDowell | Walt Faulkner |
| NC | July 29 | Indianapolis Sweepstakes | Williams Grove Speedway | Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania | Dirt | Troy Ruttman | Troy Ruttman |
| 5 | August 18 | Springfield 100 | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt | Paul Russo | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 6 | August 26 | Milwaukee 200 | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Dirt | Johnny McDowell | Walt Faulkner |
| 7 | September 1 | Ted Horn Memorial | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt | Johnnie Parsons | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 8 | September 3 | Du Quoin 150 | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt | Tony Bettenhausen | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 9 | September 3 | Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | Pikes Peak Highway | Pikes Peak, Colorado | Hill | Louis Unser | Al Rogers |
| 10 | September 8 | Syracuse 100 | New York State Fairgrounds | Syracuse, New York | Dirt | Tony Bettenhausen | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 11 | September 9 | Detroit 100 | Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway | Detroit, Michigan | Dirt | Johnny McDowell | Paul Russo |
| 12 | September 23 | Denver 100 | Centennial Park | Littleton, Colorado | Dirt | Tony Bettenhausen | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 13 | October 21 | San Jose 100 | San Jose Speedway | San Jose, California | Dirt | Tony Bettenhausen | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 14 | November 4 | Phoenix 100 | Arizona State Fairgrounds | Phoenix, Arizona | Dirt | Henry Banks | Johnnie Parsons |
| 15 | November 11 | Bay Meadows 150 | Bay Meadows Race Track | San Mateo, California | Dirt | Jack McGrath | Johnnie Parsons |
    ^A Indianapolis 500 was AAA-sanctioned and counted towards the 1951 FIA World Championship of Drivers title.
    ^B Race stopped after 101 laps due to rain.
    ^C No pole is awarded for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, in this schedule on the pole is the driver who started first. No lap led was awarded for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, however, a lap was awarded to the drivers that completed the climb.
    ^D Race stopped after 67 laps due to wreck.

## Final points standings

Note1: The points became the car, when not only one driver led the car, the relieved driver became small part of the points. Points for driver method: (the points for the finish place) / (number the lap when completed the car) * (number the lap when completed the driver)
Note2: There were scoring omissions in the AAA records regarding laps completed for eight drivers in the Darlington and Milwaukee races in 1951. The statistics shown include the most accurate representation of those races that is available.
| Pos | Driver | INDY | MIL1 | LAN | DAR | SPR | MIL2 | DUQ1 | DUQ2 | PIK | SYR | DET | DNC | SJS | PHX | BAY | Pts |
| 1 | Tony Bettenhausen | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 2556 |
| 2 | Henry Banks | 6 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | | 6 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1856.6 |
| 3 | Walt Faulkner | 15 | | | 1 | DNQ | 1 | 4 | 2 | | 2 | 2 | 18 | DNQ | 6 | DNS | 1513.6 |
| 4 | Jack McGrath | 3 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 11 | | 7 | | 3 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 1460.4 |
| 5 | Mike Nazaruk RY | 2 | 8 | 9 | 8 | | 16 | | | | 18 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 1143 |
| 6 | Johnnie Parsons | 21 | DNQ | DNS | 23 | | 3 | 2 | 16 | | 17 | | 14 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1012 |
| 7 | Lee Wallard | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1000 |
| 8 | Manuel Ayulo | DNS | 10 | 4 | 6 | 17 | 17 | | 6 | | 12 | 6 | 7 | DNQ | 9 | 11 | 997.5 |
| 9 | Andy Linden | 4 | 15 | 8 | 12 | DNQ | 22 | 9 | 7 | | 11 | | | | DNQ | 5 | 911 |
| 10 | Paul Russo | DNQ | 4 | | 13 | 14 | 9 | 3 | | | 15 | 1 | 13 | 2 | DNQ | 16 | 700 |
| 11 | Bill Schindler | 13 | 16 | 2 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 12 | | | 8 | | DNP | | 8 | 9 | 693.5 |
| 12 | Cecil Green | 22 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | 650 |
| 13 | Bobby Ball | 5 | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 620 |
| 14 | Chuck Stevenson | 20 | DNQ | | 9 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 4 | | 9 | | DNP | | | | 538 |
| 15 | Duane Carter | 8 | 3 | 15 | DNS | 11 | | 17 | | | 13 | 8 | | | | 10 | 505 |
| 16 | Sam Hanks | 12 | | | | | | 5 | 3 | | DNQ | 5 | 10 | DNQ | | | 421.4 |
| 17 | Jimmy Davies | 16 | 14 | | 24 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 17 | | | | | 5 | 3 | 8 | 315 |
| 18 | Gene Force R | 11 | 7 | | 15 | 13 | 19 | | 10 | | | 18 | | DNQ | DNQ | 6 | 310.3 |
| 19 | Cliff Griffith | 28 | 9 | 11 | 11 | | 7 | 8 | 9 | | DNQ | | | | | | 308.4 |
| 20 | Neal Carter | | DNQ | 18 | 20 | 16 | | | | | DNQ | 13 | | 14 | 4 | 4 | 300 |
| 21 | Bill Mackey | 19 | 13 | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | 300 |
| 22 | Carl Forberg R | 7 | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 300 |
| 23 | Bill Vukovich R | 29 | DNQ | 14 | 26 | 15 | 21 | 7 | DNQ | | 3 | 7 | 11 | 18 | | DNQ | 291.8 |
| 24 | Joe James | 33 | 17 | 12 | 28 | 12 | 15 | DNQ | 14 | | 16 | 15 | 4 | 8 | 5 | DNQ | 283 |
| 25 | Fred Agabashian | 17 | DNS | 6 | DNQ | | | | | | | | 6 | 6 | 17 | 12 | 278.2 |
| 26 | Jim Rigsby R | | | DNS | | 10 | 11 | 14 | 12 | | DNS | | 12 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 233.1 |
| 27 | Johnny McDowell | 32 | | 16 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 15 | 15 | | | 17 | 9 | 9 | 12 | DNP | 230 |
| 28 | Gordon Reid R | DNQ | 6 | 17 | 17 | 7 | 20 | 18 | 13 | | DNQ | 14 | 16 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 204 |
| 29 | Al Rogers | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | 200 |
| 30 | Rodger Ward | 27 | 5 | 13 | DNS | DNQ | | | | | | | 8 | 17 | 10 | 17 | 192 |
| 31 | Johnny Mauro | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | 160 |
| 32 | Duke Nalon | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 150 |
| 33 | Louis Unser | | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | 140 |
| 34 | Pete Woods | | | | | | | | | 4 | | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | 120 |
| 35 | Harry King R | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 8 | | 5 | | DNQ | | | | 117.5 |
| 36 | Eddie Johnson | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 11 | | | | | 100.4 |
| 37 | Ray Knepper | DNQ | DNQ | 5 | 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | 100 |
| 38 | Herb Bryers | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | 100 |
| 39 | Troy Ruttman | 23 | | | | 6 | | | | | | | | 15 | | | 80 |
| 40 | Charles Bryant | | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 80 |
| 41 | Joe Garson R | | | | | 8 | DNQ | 11 | 18 | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | DNQ | 70 |
| 42 | Bob Finney | | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | 60 |
| 43 | Shelby Hill | | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | 50 |
| 44 | Mack Hellings | 31 | | DNQ | | | | | | 9 | | | | | DNQ | | 40 |
| 45 | Johnny Tolan | DNQ | 12 | | DNS | DNQ | 14 | | DNQ | | DNQ | 10 | DNQ | | | | 40 |
| 46 | Jimmy Good | | | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | 30 |
| 47 | Roy Sherman | DNQ | | DNS | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | 28 |
| 48 | Buzz Barton | | | | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | 20.1 |
| 49 | Delmar Desch | | | | | | | | | 11 | | | | | | | 20 |
| 50 | George Connor | 30 | DNQ | DNS | 25 | DNQ | 12 | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | 20 |
| 51 | Walt Brown | 26 | DNQ | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | 17 |
| 52 | Frank Armi R | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 17 | 12 | 16 | DNQ | 10 |
| 53 | Hugh Thomas | | | | | | | | | 12 | | | | | | | 10 |
| - | Buster Warke | | | | | | | | | | DNS | 12 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Wayne Sankey | | | | | | | | | 13 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Kenny Eaton | DNQ | | | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Tommy Hinnershitz | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Mauri Rose | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Glenn Harrison | | | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Walt Moffatt R | | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Jackson | | | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Johnny Fedricks | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Wayne England | | | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Duke Dinsmore | 24 | | | DNQ | | 18 | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Carl Scarborough R | 18 | DNQ | DNQ | 27 | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Dick Fraizer | | | DNQ | 18 | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Roger Barlow R | | | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Rex Easton R | | DNQ | | 19 | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | D. R. Atkinson R | | | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Malcolm Brazier R | | | | | | | | | 20 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Walt Killinger | | | | | | | | | 21 | | | DNS | | | | 0 |
| - | Phil Shafer | | | | | | | | | 21 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Milton Mabe | | | | | | | | | 22 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Buster Hammond | | | | | | | | | 23 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Richard DeMark R | | | | | | | | | 24 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Chet Miller | 25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Hammond | | | | | | | | | 25 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Art McKee | | | | | | | | | 26 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | T. E. Russell | | | | | | | | | 27 | | | DNP | | | | 0 |
| - | Andy Cimino R | | | | | | | | | 28 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Joel Thorne | DNQ | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Clarence Doley | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Clifford Foltz | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jim Hammond | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Red Lawrence | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Billy Ryan | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ray Shadbolt | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Curt Stockwell | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Harry Syer | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Doc Shanebrook | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Joe Barzda | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Dick Page | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Bob Scott | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Myron Fohr | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Lynch | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jud Larson | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Joe Sostilio | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Mark Light | | | DNQ | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Potsy Goacher | | | | | | | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Boyd | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Del Fanning | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Bryan | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Cantrell | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Daywalt | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Fonder | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jackie Holmes | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Norm Houser | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jerry Hoyt | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Johnson | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Danny Kladis | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bayliss Levrett | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Roscoe Rann | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Mike Salay | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bud Sennett | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Sweikert | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Leroy Warriner | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Frank Burany | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | John Crone | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bobby Barker | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Eddie Sachs | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Doster | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Slim Roberts | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Dempsey Wilson | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Jean Achard | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | INDY | MIL1 | LAN | DAR | SPR | MIL2 | DUQ1 | DUQ2 | PIK | SYR | DET | DNC | SJS | PHX | BAY | Pts |
| Color | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | 2nd place |
| Bronze | 3rd place |
| Green | 4th & 5th place |
| Light Blue | 6th-10th place |
| Dark Blue | Finished (Outside Top 10) |
| Purple | Did not finish (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Brown | Withdrawn (Wth) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| Blank | Did not participate (DNP) |
| Blank | Not competing |
In-line notation :
| Bold | Pole position |
| Italics | Ran fastest race lap |
| * | Led most race laps |
| RY Rookie of the Year ||
| R Rookie ||