# 1952 AAA Championship Car season

The 1952 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 11. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion was Chuck Stevenson, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Troy Ruttman. Johnny McDowell was killed at the Milwaukee while qualifying for the Rex Mays Classic. Joe James died in the San José 100 race.

## 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 | Fred Agabashian | Troy Ruttman |
| 2 | June 8 | Rex Mays Classic | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Dirt | Jim Rigsby | Mike Nazaruk |
| 3 | July 4 | Raleigh 200 | Southland Speedway | Raleigh, North Carolina | Paved | Cliff Griffith | Troy Ruttman |
| NC | July 27 | Indianapolis Sweepstakes | Williams Grove Speedway | Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania | Dirt | Paul Russo | Paul Russo |
| 4 | August 16 | Springfield 100 | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt | Mike Nazaruk | Bill Schindler |
| 5 | August 24 | Milwaukee 200 | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Dirt | Bob Sweikert | Chuck Stevenson |
| 6 | August 30 | Detroit 100 | Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway | Detroit, Michigan | Dirt | Jimmy Reece | Bill Vukovich |
| 7 | September 1 | Ted Horn Memorial | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt | Bill Schindler | Chuck Stevenson |
| 8 | September 1 | Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | Pikes Peak Highway | Pikes Peak, Colorado | Hill | Al Rogers | George Hammond |
| 9 | September 6 | Syracuse 100 | New York State Fairgrounds | Syracuse, New York | Dirt | Jack McGrath | Jack McGrath |
| 10 | September 28 | Denver 100 | Centennial Park | Littleton, Colorado | Dirt | Bill Vukovich | Bill Vukovich |
| 11 | November 2 | San Jose 100 | San Jose Speedway | San Jose, California | Dirt | Jack McGrath | Bobby Ball |
| 12 | November 11 | Phoenix 100 | Arizona State Fairgrounds | Phoenix, Arizona | Dirt | Jack McGrath | Johnnie Parsons |
    ^A Indianapolis 500 was AAA-sanctioned and counted towards the 1952 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 | RAL | SPR | MIL2 | DET | DQSF | PIK | SYR | DNC | SJS | PHX | Pts |
| 1 | Chuck Stevenson | 18 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | | 7 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 1440 |
| 2 | Troy Ruttman | 1 | DNQ | 1 | 12 | | | | | | | | | 1410 |
| 3 | Sam Hanks | 3 | DNQ | 18 | 3 | 14 | DNQ | 2 | | 12 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1390 |
| 4 | Duane Carter | 4 | | 3 | DNQ | 3 | 7 | | | DNQ | DNQ | DNS | 12 | 1250.4 |
| 5 | Jack McGrath | 11 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 4 | 5 | | 1 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 1200 |
| 6 | Jim Rathmann | 2 | 10 | 4 | DNQ | DNQ | | 18 | | 18 | DNQ | | | 1070 |
| 7 | Paul Russo | DNQ | 2 | 5 | DNQ | 6 | 2 | 4 | | 4 | 18 | 3 | 15 | 1060 |
| 8 | Bobby Ball | 32 | 11 | DNQ | 15 | 10 | 9 | 6 | | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 820 |
| 9 | Jimmy Reece R | 7 | 5 | DNQ | 8 | 8 | 15 | 15 | | 5 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 709.6 |
| 10 | Henry Banks | 19 | DNQ | 10 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 7 | | 8 | 8 | 17 | 5 | 700 |
| 11 | Bill Schindler | 14 | 3 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 14 | | 16 | | | | 660 |
| 12 | Bill Vukovich | 17 | DNQ | 24 | DNQ | | 1 | 3 | | 14 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 590 |
| 13 | Mike Nazaruk | DNQ | 1 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 17 | DNQ | | 2 | 12 | 2 | 18 | 530 |
| 14 | Art Cross R | 5 | | | | | | | | | DNP | | | 500 |
| 15 | Jimmy Bryan R | 6 | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 9 | 14 | 440 |
| 16 | Jim Rigsby | 12 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 11 | | | | | | | 410 |
| 17 | Joe James | 13 | DNQ | 20 | 6 | 5 | DNS | 9 | | 9 | DNS | 13 | | 364 |
| 18 | Johnnie Parsons | 10 | DNQ | 22 | DNQ | | | | | | | 16 | 1 | 350 |
| 19 | Manuel Ayulo | 20 | 8 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 8 | | 15 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 320 |
| 20 | Neal Carter | DNQ | DNQ | 7 | 10 | | 5 | DNQ | | | 7 | | | 310 |
| 21 | Cliff Griffith | 9 | 15 | 11 | | 18 | DNQ | 11 | | DNQ | DNP | | | 260 |
| 22 | George Connor | 8 | | 21 | | 20 | DNQ | DNQ | | | DNP | | | 250 |
| 23 | Rodger Ward | 23 | DNQ | 9 | DNQ | 7 | 16 | | | 13 | DNQ | 18 | 9 | 240 |
| 24 | George Hammond | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | 200 |
| 25 | Louis Unser | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | 160 |
| 26 | Bob Scott R | 29 | 9 | 13 | | 11 | DNQ | 13 | | 17 | 15 | 6 | DNQ | 160 |
| 27 | Al Rogers | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | 140 |
| 28 | Andy Linden | 33 | 14 | 16 | DNQ | DNQ | 8 | DNQ | | DNQ | DNQ | 15 | 7 | 129 |
| 29 | Paul Kleinschmidt R | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | 120 |
| 30 | Buzz Barton | DNQ | DNQ | | 17 | 19 | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | 5 | DNQ | 13 | 100 |
| 31 | Hugh Thomas | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | 100 |
| 32 | Walt Faulkner | DNQ | 18 | 17 | 13 | DNQ | 12 | | | DNQ | 11 | 8 | 10 | 87 |
| 33 | Don Freeland R | | | | | | | | | 6 | 14 | | | 80 |
| 34 | Shelby Hill | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | 80 |
| 35 | Fred Agabashian | 27 | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | 80 |
| 36 | Gene Hartley | 28 | 7 | DNQ | 14 | DNQ | | | | DNQ | | | | 60 |
| 37 | Charles Bryant | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | 60 |
| 38 | Keith Andrews | | | | | | | | 8 | | DNQ | | | 50 |
| 39 | Frank Armi | | | | DNQ | | | 10 | | DNS | 17 | 11 | | 50 |
| 40 | Tommy Hinnershitz | DNQ | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | 40 |
| 41 | Art McKee | | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | 40 |
| 42 | Roy Prosser R | | | | | | 18 | | | 10 | | | | 30 |
| 43 | Johnny Mauro | DNQ | | | | | | | 10 | | DNQ | | | 30 |
| 44 | Gene Force | DNQ | DNQ | 14 | DNQ | | | | | 11 | | | | 20 |
| 45 | Ebe Yoder R | | DNQ | DNQ | 11 | DNQ | DNQ | 17 | | DNQ | | | | 20 |
| 46 | Johnny Mantz | | | | | | | | 11 | | | | | 20 |
| 47 | Bob Sweikert R | 26 | 12 | DNQ | DNQ | 21 | DNQ | 12 | | | DNS | | | 20 |
| 48 | Danny Oakes R | | | 12 | | | | | | | 13 | | | 20 |
| 49 | Herb Bryers | | | | | | | | 12 | | | | | 10 |
| - | Malcolm Brazier | | | | | | | | 13 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Vic Carter R | | | | | DNQ | 14 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Milton Mabe | | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Fonder | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Norman Robinson R | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Eddie Johnson | 16 | 17 | | DNQ | 17 | DNQ | | | DNS | | | | 0 |
| - | Red Hamilton R | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 16 | DNQ | 17 | 0 |
| - | Allen Heath R | DNQ | 16 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | DNS | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Chuck Weyant R | DNP | | | | | DNQ | 16 | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Wayne Sankey | | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Slim Roberts R | | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Walt Killinger | | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Finney | | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Phil Shafer | | | | | | | | 20 | | | | | 0 |
| - | Johnny McDowell | 21 | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Spider Webb | 22 | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Eddie Russo R | | | | DNQ | 22 | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Tony Bettenhausen | 24 | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Duke Nalon | 25 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Chet Miller | 30 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Alberto Ascari R | 31 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jud Larson | DNS | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Carl Scarborough | DNS | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Foster Campbell | | | | | | | | DNQ | | DNS | | | 0 |
| - | Joe Allspach | | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | 0 |
| - | Frank Luptow | DNQ | DNQ | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Walt Geiss | | | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Frank Tillman | | | | | DNQ | | DNQ | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Dempsey Wilson | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Ottis Stine | DNP | | | DNQ | | | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Johnny Boyd | DNP | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Danny Kladis | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Homeier | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Duke Dinsmore | DNQ | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Carl Forberg | DNQ | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Tichenor | DNQ | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Joe Barzda | DNQ | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Cal Niday | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | DNQ | | 0 |
| - | Johnny Tolan | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Don Daly | | | | | | | | DNQ | | DNP | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Cantrell | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Daywalt | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Dick Fraizer | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Potsy Goacher | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Perry Grimm | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Peter Hahn | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jackie Holmes | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Jackson | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bayliss Levrett | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Puffy Puffer | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Doc Shanebrook | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Taylor | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Leroy Warriner | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | John Crone | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Gays Biro | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Pat O'Connor | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Carlson | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Guy Fields | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Good | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Joe Grayson | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Polster | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Pete Pusede | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | T. E. Russell | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Wayne Stowbridge | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Roy Bowe | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Don Olds | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Giuseppe Farina | Wth | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Boyd | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Johnny Fedricks | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Albert Scully | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Armstrong | DNP | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | INDY | MIL1 | RAL | SPR | MIL2 | DET | DQSF | PIK | SYR | DNC | SJS | 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 ||