# 1955 AAA Championship Car season

The 1955 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 11 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 6. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Bob Sweikert. Manny Ayulo was killed at Indianapolis while practicing for the 1955 Indianapolis 500, and Bill Vukovich, the two-time defending winner, was killed in the race itself. Jack McGrath, the two-time champion (1952, 1953), was killed in the final race at Phoenix on lap 85. This was the last year of the AAA National Championship; USAC sanctioned the series starting the next year.

## 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 | Jerry Hoyt | Bob Sweikert |
| 2 | June 5 | Rex Mays Classic | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | Bob Sweikert | Johnny Thomson |
| 3 | June 19 | Langhorne 100 | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Dirt | Don Freeland | Jimmy Bryan |
| NC | July 31 | Indianapolis Sweepstakes | Williams Grove Speedway | Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania | Dirt | Ed Elisian | Jimmy Bryan |
| 4 | August 20 | Springfield 100 | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt | Andy Linden | Jimmy Bryan |
| 5 | August 28 | Milwaukee 250 | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Paved | Ed Elisian | Pat Flaherty |
| 6 | September 5 | Ted Horn Memorial 100 | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt | Eddie Russo | Jimmy Bryan |
| 7 | September 5 | Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | Pikes Peak Highway | Pikes Peak, Colorado | Hill | Shelby Hill | Bob Finney |
| 8 | September 10 | Syracuse 100 | New York State Fairgrounds | Syracuse, New York | Dirt | Bob Sweikert | Bob Sweikert |
| 9 | September 17 | Hoosier Hundred | Indiana State Fairgrounds | Indianapolis, Indiana | Dirt | Bob Sweikert | Jimmy Bryan |
| 10 | October 16 | Golden State 100 | California State Fairgrounds | Sacramento, California | Dirt | Bob Sweikert | Jimmy Bryan |
| 11 | November 6 | Bobby Ball Memorial | Arizona State Fairgrounds | Phoenix, Arizona | Dirt | Jimmy Reece | Jimmy Bryan |
    ^A Indianapolis 500 was USAC-sanctioned and counted towards the 1955 FIA 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.

## 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 | SPR | MIL2 | DQSF | PIK | SYR | ISF | SAC | PHX | Pts |
| 1 | Bob Sweikert | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | 1 | 17 | 3 | 18 | 2290 |
| 2 | Jimmy Bryan | 24 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 1 | | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1480 |
| 3 | Johnny Thomson | 4 | 1 | 15 | | | | | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1380 |
| 4 | Tony Bettenhausen | 2 | DNQ | | DNQ | 2 | DNQ | | Wth | 4 | | 9 | 1060 |
| 5 | Andy Linden | 6 | 6 | DNQ | 3 | 7 | 6 | | DNS | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1047.8 |
| 6 | Jimmy Davies | 3 | 5 | DNQ | 9 | 13 | 14 | | 8 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 890 |
| 7 | Pat O'Connor | 8 | 18 | 5 | DNQ | 26 | 9 | | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 800 |
| 8 | Pat Flaherty | 10 | 3 | | | 1 | | | | DNQ | | | 790 |
| 9 | George Amick RY | | 7 | 18 | 4 | 20 | 3 | | 3 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 750 |
| 10 | Walt Faulkner | 5 | 21 | | 16 | DNQ | | | DNS | DNS | | | 447.5 |
| 11 | Al Herman R | 7 | 10 | 8 | DNQ | 22 | | | | | | | 380 |
| 12 | Bob Veith R | | | | DNQ | 8 | 5 | | 6 | 13 | | 8 | 355 |
| 13 | Johnny Boyd | 29 | | | DNQ | 5 | 8 | | 16 | DNQ | 8 | | 350 |
| 14 | Don Freeland | 15 | 12 | 3 | | 12 | 18 | | 13 | 6 | 6 | 16 | 315.2 |
| 15 | Art Cross | 17 | | | | 4 | | | | | | | 300 |
| 16 | Paul Russo | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | 300 |
| 17 | Rodger Ward | 28 | DNQ | 9 | DNQ | 24 | DNQ | | 9 | 14 | | 6 | 252.2 |
| 18 | Jack McGrath | 26 | 8 | | 10 | 21 | 2 | | 17 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 240 |
| 19 | Jimmy Daywalt | 9 | 14 | | | 18 | 13 | | 11 | DNQ | | DNS | 226.4 |
| 20 | Mike Magill R | | 13 | 4 | 7 | | 10 | | 18 | 16 | | | 210 |
| 21 | Bob Finney | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | 200 |
| 22 | Tony Bonadies R | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | 6 | | | DNQ | | | | 200 |
| 23 | Jimmy Reece | 33 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 14 | DNQ | | 10 | 8 | 16 | 12 | 180 |
| 24 | Eddie Russo | 22 | DNQ | 7 | 13 | 10 | 12 | | DNQ | 11 | | | 165 |
| 25 | Slim Roberts | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | 160 |
| 26 | Ed Elisian | 30 | DNQ | 6 | 18 | 25 | DNQ | | DNQ | 7 | 11 | | 160 |
| 27 | Louis J. Unser R | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | 140 |
| 28 | Jerry Unser R | | | | | | | 4 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | 120 |
| 29 | Duane Carter | 11 | DNQ | 10 | 14 | | DNQ | | | | | | 112.9 |
| 30 | Johnny Tolan | Wth | DNQ | DNQ | 11 | 19 | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | 10 | 7 | 110 |
| 31 | Jiggs Peters | DNQ | 16 | DNQ | 5 | DNS | | | DNS | DNQ | | | 100 |
| 32 | Bobby Unser R | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | 100 |
| 33 | Tommy Hinnershitz | | | 11 | 6 | | DNQ | | DNS | | | | 100 |
| 34 | Johnny Kay R | DNQ | | | DNQ | 16 | DNQ | | 7 | 10 | | | 90 |
| 35 | Keith Andrews | 20 | | | | | | 6 | | | 15 | DNQ | 80 |
| 36 | Edgar Elder | | | DNQ | 12 | DNQ | 7 | | 12 | DNQ | 13 | 15 | 80 |
| 37 | Elmer George R | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 7 | DNQ | 60 |
| 38 | Charles Louderman | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | 60 |
| 39 | Johnnie Parsons | 21 | | | | 9 | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | 53.2 |
| 40 | Bill Homeier | DNS | DNQ | DNQ | 17 | DNS | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | 52.5 |
| 41 | Pete Woods | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | 50 |
| 42 | Shorty Templeman | 18 | 11 | DNQ | DNQ | 17 | 15 | | | DNQ | DNQ | 10 | 50 |
| 43 | Gene Hartley | DNQ | 19 | DNQ | DNQ | 11 | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | 50 |
| 44 | Chuck Weyant | 12 | DNP | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | | | 50 |
| 45 | Eddie Sachs | | | | | DNS | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | 46.8 |
| 46 | Mel McGaughy R | | | | | | | | | | 9 | DNQ | 40 |
| 47 | Paul Kleinschmidt | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | 40 |
| 48 | Jack Turner R | | DNQ | 13 | DNQ | DNS | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | | 11 | 33.4 |
| 49 | George Hammond | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | 30 |
| 50 | Buddy Cagle R | | | | | | 11 | | DNQ | DNQ | | 14 | 20 |
| 51 | Louis Unser | | | | | | | 11 | | | | | 20 |
| 52 | Len Duncan | DNQ | DNQ | DNS | | | | | | | | | 17.1 |
| 53 | Eddie Johnson | 13 | | | 15 | DNQ | 16 | | 14 | 12 | | | 10 |
| 54 | Charles Musselman R | | | 12 | | | | | DNQ | | | | 10 |
| 55 | E. T. Cox R | | | | | | | 12 | | | | | 10 |
| - | Foster Campbell R | | | | | | | 13 | | | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Earl Motter R | | DNQ | | | | | | 15 | 18 | 14 | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Jim Rathmann | 14 | 20 | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Art Hillis | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Al Keller | 27 | 15 | 17 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Rex Easton | | 17 | | DNQ | 15 | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | 0 |
| - | Shelby Hill | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jerry Hoyt | 31 | 22 | 16 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Cal Niday | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Good | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Len Sutton R | | | | | | | | | | 17 | 17 | 0 |
| - | Bob Carroll | | | | | | 17 | | | DNQ | DNQ | | 0 |
| - | Ted Foltz | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Wayne Sankey | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Sam Hanks | 19 | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Jack Hahn R | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Dan Morgan R | | | | | | | 20 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ray Crawford | 23 | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Bill Vukovich | 25 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Fred Agabashian | 32 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Potsy Goacher | | | DNS | DNQ | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Joe Sostilio | | DNQ | DNQ | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Russ Klar | DNQ | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Ernie McCoy | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Leroy Warriner | DNQ | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | George Tichenor | DNQ | DNP | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Manny Ayulo | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Christie | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Danny Kladis | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Lynch | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Troy Ruttman | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Spider Webb | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Howard Kelley | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Colby Scroggin | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Malcolm Brazier | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Joe Garson | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | L. J. Green | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Berton Groves | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Gordon Herring | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Johnny Mauro | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | T. E. Russell | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Phil Shafer | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Tom Topping | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Chuck Fink | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | INDY | MIL1 | LAN | SPR | MIL2 | DQSF | PIK | SYR | ISF | SAC | PHX | 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 ||