# 1954 AAA Championship Car season

The 1954 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 14. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion was Jimmy Bryan, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Bill Vukovich. Bob Scott was killed in the Independence Day Sweepstakes race at Darlington.

## 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 | Jack McGrath | Bill Vukovich |
| 2 | June 6 | Rex Mays Classic | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | Bill Vukovich | Chuck Stevenson |
| 3 | June 20 | Langhorne 100 | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Dirt | Joe Sostilio | Jimmy Bryan |
| 4 | July 5 | Independence Day Sweepstakes | Darlington Raceway | Darlington, South Carolina | Paved | Chuck Stevenson | Manny Ayulo |
| NC | July 25 | Indianapolis Sweepstakes | Williams Grove Speedway | Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania | Dirt | Jimmy Davies | Jimmy Davies |
| 5 | August 21 | Springfield 100 | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt | Jiggs Peters | Jimmy Davies |
| 6 | August 29 | Milwaukee 200 | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | Sam Hanks | Manny Ayulo |
| 7 | September 6 | Ted Horn Memorial | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt | Don Freeland | Sam Hanks |
| 8 | September 6 | Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | Pikes Peak Highway | Pikes Peak, Colorado | Hill | Larry Crockett | Keith Andrews |
| 9 | September 11 | Syracuse 100 | New York State Fairgrounds | Syracuse, New York | Dirt | Don Freeland | Bob Sweikert |
| 10 | September 18 | Hoosier Hundred | Indiana State Fairgrounds | Indianapolis, Indiana | Dirt | Manny Ayulo | Jimmy Bryan |
| 11 | October 17 | Golden State 100 | California State Fairgrounds | Sacramento, California | Dirt | Jack McGrath | Jimmy Bryan |
| 12 | November 7–8 | Bobby Ball Memorial | Arizona State Fairgrounds | Phoenix, Arizona | Dirt | Shorty Templeman | Jimmy Bryan |
| 13 | November 14 | Silver State Century | Las Vegas Park Speedway | Las Vegas, Nevada | Dirt | Jimmy Bryan | Jimmy Bryan |
    ^A Indianapolis 500 was USAC-sanctioned and counted towards the 1954 World Championship of Drivers title.
    ^B 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.
    ^C Final 65 laps completed on November 8 due to heavy dust and the rough condition of the track

## Final points standings

Note: 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)
| Pos | Driver | INDY | MIL1 | LAN | DAR | SPR | MIL2 | DQSF | PIK | SYR | ISF | SAC | PHX | LVG | Pts |
| 1 | Jimmy Bryan | 2 | DNS | 1 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 3 | | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2630 |
| 2 | Manuel Ayulo | 13 | 2 | | 1 | DNQ | 1 | DNQ | | DNQ | 15 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1290 |
| 3 | Jack McGrath | 3 | 4 | DNQ | 21 | 8 | DNQ | 9 | | 10 | 4 | 2 | DNQ | | 1220 |
| 4 | Bill Vukovich | 1 | 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | 1000 |
| 5 | Jimmy Reece | 17 | 3 | 2 | 2 | DNQ | 20 | 5 | | 6 | 5 | 5 | 17 | Wth | 1000 |
| 6 | Bob Sweikert | 14 | 11 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 22 | 8 | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 950 |
| 7 | Chuck Stevenson | 12 | 1 | | 29 | 2 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | 861.5 |
| 8 | Sam Hanks | 20 | DNQ | 3 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 1 | | | 3 | 15 | 5 | DNQ | 858.5 |
| 9 | Mike Nazaruk | 5 | 15 | 13 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 10 | | 17 | DNQ | | | | 810 |
| 10 | Don Freeland | 7 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 3 | 9 | 17 | | 2 | DNQ | DNS | DNQ | DNQ | 760 |
| 11 | Larry Crockett R | 9 | 20 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 8 | | 4 | 13 | DNQ | | 15 | 10 | 620 |
| 12 | Jimmy Davies | DNS | 17 | | 28 | 1 | 23 | 4 | | 11 | DNQ | 4 | DNQ | 3 | 614.5 |
| 13 | Johnny Tolan | DNQ | 12 | | 4 | 10 | 25 | DNQ | | 3 | 8 | 9 | 18 | 12 | 520 |
| 14 | Fred Agabashian | 6 | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | | 460 |
| 15 | Troy Ruttman | 4 | 7 | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | 447 |
| 16 | Andy Linden | 25 | 21 | 14 | 26 | DNS | | 6 | | 7 | DNQ | 7 | 4 | 5 | 428 |
| 17 | Art Cross | 11 | | | 6 | DNQ | 5 | | | | | | | | 419.5 |
| 18 | Cal Niday | 10 | DNQ | | | 16 | DNQ | | 7 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 16 | 390 |
| 19 | Jerry Hoyt | 26 | DNS | | 5 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | | 10 | 16 | 11 | DNQ | 312.5 |
| 20 | Duane Carter | 15 | 19 | | 9 | DNQ | 13 | 18 | | | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | 293 |
| 21 | Keith Andrews | | | | | | | | 1 | | | 10 | | | 230 |
| 22 | Ed Elisian | 18 | 14 | 12 | DNS | 13 | 11 | DNQ | | 5 | 6 | | | | 230 |
| 23 | Rodger Ward | 22 | 10 | 16 | DNQ | 15 | 26 | 11 | | 18 | 9 | 13 | DNQ | 4 | 210 |
| 24 | Gene Hartley | 23 | 6 | | | DNQ | 7 | 12 | | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 210 |
| 25 | Pat O'Connor | 21 | 5 | DNQ | 10 | DNQ | 19 | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 9 | 200 |
| 26 | Paul Russo | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 187.5 |
| 27 | Jiggs Peters R | | | | | 5 | 17 | 16 | | DNQ | 18 | 8 | 10 | DNQ | 180 |
| 28 | Hugh Thomas | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | 160 |
| 29 | Eddie Sachs | DNQ | DNQ | 5 | 16 | DNQ | DNQ | | | | DNQ | DNQ | 7 | | 160 |
| 30 | Joe Sostilio R | DNQ | 13 | 7 | 7 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | 159.6 |
| 31 | Bob Finney | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | 140 |
| 32 | Tommy Hinnershitz | | | DNS | 19 | DNQ | | | | 15 | 7 | | 13 | 6 | 140 |
| 33 | Johnnie Parsons | 32 | 16 | | 30 | DNQ | | 7 | | 8 | 16 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 122.5 |
| 34 | Johnny Boyd R | | DNQ | 6 | 14 | DNS | 16 | DNQ | | 12 | DNQ | 11 | 12 | 13 | 120 |
| 35 | Chuck Weyant | DNQ | DNQ | | | 11 | 14 | DNQ | | | 17 | | 9 | 8 | 110 |
| 36 | Paul Kleinschmidt | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | 100 |
| 37 | Herb Bryers | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | 80 |
| 38 | Walt Faulkner | DNS | 8 | | 13 | | | | | | | | | | 78.5 |
| 39 | Rex Easton | | | | | 17 | 24 | DNQ | | | 12 | | | 7 | 70 |
| 40 | Shorty Templeman | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 8 | DNQ | 50 |
| 41 | Al Rogers | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | 50 |
| 42 | Len Duncan | 31 | | | DNS | | | | | | | | | | 47 |
| 43 | Johnny Thomson | 24 | DNS | | DNQ | | | | | 9 | | | | | 40 |
| 44 | Chuck Hulse | | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | 40 |
| 45 | Bob Scott | DNS | 18 | 10 | 20 | | | | | | | | | | 30 |
| 46 | Joe Garson | | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | 30 |
| 47 | Ernie McCoy | 16 | | DNS | DNS | | | | | | | | | | 20.4 |
| 48 | Eddie Russo | DNQ | DNQ | 11 | 17 | | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | | 20 |
| 49 | Ted Foltz R | | | | | | | | 11 | | | | | | 20 |
| 50 | Roy Prosser | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | 20 |
| 51 | Pat Flaherty | DNS | | | | | 12 | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | | 20 |
| 52 | Gene Force | | | | 12 | | | | | | | | | | 20 |
| 53 | Shelby Hill | | | | | | | | 12 | | | | | | 10 |
| - | Bob Carroll R | | | | | DNS | | 14 | | | 13 | 14 | DNQ | 15 | 0 |
| - | Danny Kladis | DNS | | | | | 18 | 13 | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Pete Woods | | | | | | | | 13 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ray Crawford R | | DNQ | | DNQ | 18 | | 15 | | | 14 | DNQ | 14 | | 0 |
| - | Danny Oakes | DNQ | | | | 14 | DNQ | DNQ | | | DNQ | DNQ | | 18 | 0 |
| - | Al Keller R | | | | | | | | | 14 | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Pete Pusede | | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Homeier | 33 | | | | | 15 | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | 17 | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Wally Campbell R | DNQ | | 15 | 24 | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | T. E. Russell | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Tony Bettenhausen | 29 | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 16 | 17 | 0 |
| - | Malcolm Brazier | | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Frank Armi | 19 | DNQ | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Johnny Mauro | | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Edgar Elder | | | | | | | | | | | 18 | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Louis Unser | | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Daywalt | 27 | | | 23 | | 21 | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jim Rathmann | 28 | | | 27 | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Spider Webb | 30 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Marshall Teague | DNS | DNQ | | Wth | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Cliff Griffith | DNQ | | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Fonder | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Jackson | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Eddie Johnson | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Good | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Slim Roberts | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Duke Nalon | DNQ | | | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | George Wilson | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Leroy Warriner | Wth | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Curly Boyd | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Paul Howe | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Al Herman | DNQ | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Colby Scroggin | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Frank Mundy | DNQ | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jack Bates | | DNP | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Henry Banks | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Christie | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Connor | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Billy Devore | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Duke Dinsmore | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Potsy Goacher | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Holland | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Tichenor | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Lee Wallard | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Boyd | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Johnny Fedricks | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Lynch | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Lloyd Axel | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Roy Bowe | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Berton Groves | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Hammond | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Charles Lowderman | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Wayne Sankey | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Thompson | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Elmer George | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Don Olds | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | INDY | MIL1 | LAN | DAR | SPR | MIL2 | DQSF | PIK | SYR | ISF | SAC | PHX | LVG | 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 ||