# 1949 AAA Championship Car season

The 1949 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 14 races, beginning in Arlington, Texas on April 24 and concluding in Del Mar, California on November 6. There were also two non-championship events. The AAA National Champion was Johnnie Parsons, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Bill Holland. The season was marred by George Metzler's death at Indianapolis in practice, Bill Sheffler's death at Trenton also in practice, and Rex Mays's death in the final race at Del Mar.

## Schedule and results

| Rnd | Date | Race Name | Track | Location | Type | Pole Position | Winning Driver |
| 1 | April 24 | Arlington 100 | Arlington Downs Raceway | Arlington, Texas | Dirt | Rex Mays | Johnnie Parsons |
| 2 | May 30 | International 500 Mile Sweepstakes | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | Paved | Duke Nalon | Bill Holland |
| 3 | June 5 | Milwaukee 100 | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Dirt | Rex Mays | Myron Fohr |
| 4 | June 19 | Trenton 100 | Trenton Speedway | Trenton, New Jersey | Dirt | Rex Mays | Myron Fohr |
| NC | July 17 | Universal Speedways Race of Champions | Arlington Downs Raceway | Arlington, Texas | Dirt | Mel Hansen | Mel Hansen |
| NC | July 31 | Indianapolis Sweepstakes | Williams Grove Speedway | Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania | Dirt | Duane Carter | Johnny Mantz |
| 5 | August 20 | Springfield 100 | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt | Mel Hansen | Mel Hansen |
| 6 | August 28 | Milwaukee 200 | Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway | West Allis, Wisconsin | Dirt | Mel Hansen | Johnnie Parsons |
| 7 | September 3 | DuQuoin 100 | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, Illinois | Dirt | Tony Bettenhausen | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 8 | September 5 | Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb | Pikes Peak Highway | Pikes Peak, Colorado | Hill | Al Rogers | Al Rogers |
| 9 | September 10 | Syracuse 100 | New York State Fairgrounds | Syracuse, New York | Dirt | Spider Webb | Johnnie Parsons |
| 10 | September 11 | Detroit 100 | Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway | Detroit, Michigan | Dirt | Duke Dinsmore | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 11 | September 25 | Springfield 100 | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, Illinois | Dirt | Jimmy Davies | Johnnie Parsons |
| 12 | October 16 | Langhorne 100 | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne, Pennsylvania | Dirt | Paul Russo | Johnnie Parsons |
| 13 | October 30 | Golden State 100 | California State Fairgrounds | Sacramento, California | Dirt | Fred Agabashian | Fred Agabashian |
| 14 | November 6 | Del Mar 100 | Del Mar Speedway | Del Mar, California | Dirt | Jimmy Davies | Jimmy Davies |
    ^A 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 | ARL | INDY | MIL1 | TRE | SPR1 | MIL2 | DQSF | PIK | SYR | DET | SPR2 | LAN | SAC | DMR | Pts |
| 1 | Johnnie Parsons | 1 | 2 | 13 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 11 | | 1 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 2280 |
| 2 | Myron Fohr | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 8 | | 6 | 3 | DNS | | 4 | 3 | 1790 |
| 3 | Bill Holland | | 1 | 9 | 16 | 4 | | 2 | | DNP | 7 | 12 | 9 | 13 | | 1420 |
| 4 | Walt Brown | | DNS | 10 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 5 | | 4 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 1281 |
| 5 | George Connor | | 3 | 16 | DNQ | 16 | 7 | 3 | | 5 | 13 | 6 | | 11 | 9 | 1200 |
| 6 | Rex Mays | 2 | 25 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 15 | | 15 | 11 | 2 | | 2 | 18 | 1030 |
| 7 | Paul Russo | | 8 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 6 | | 2 | DNQ | 15 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 920 |
| 8 | Lee Wallard | | 23 | | 15 | 5 | 21 | 4 | | 16 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 760 |
| 9 | Johnny Mantz | 3 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 8 | 17 | | | 11 | DNQ | | | DNS | 8 | 660 |
| 10 | Emil Andres | | 9 | 2 | 4 | DNP | 5 | 13 | | 10 | | DNQ | | | | 512 |
| 11 | Joie Chitwood | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 500 |
| 12 | Tony Bettenhausen | | DNQ | DNQ | | 18 | 15 | 1 | | 9 | 1 | 9 | | DNQ | 16 | 466 |
| 13 | Mack Hellings | | 16 | 3 | 9 | | | | 5 | | | | | 9 | 4 | 440 |
| 14 | Jimmy Jackson | | 6 | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 400 |
| 15 | Mel Hansen | | DNS | DNS | 2 | 1 | 16 | 14 | | DNQ | | | | | | 376 |
| 16 | Duane Carter | | 14 | DNQ | | 15 | 6 | 9 | | 7 | 14 | 7 | | 16 | 10 | 350 |
| 17 | Jimmy Davies RY | 10 | | | | | | | | 8 | 6 | 13 | 16 | DNQ | 1 | 330 |
| 18 | Spider Webb | | 33 | DNP | | | | | | 3 | 2 | 10 | | DNQ | | 330 |
| 19 | Ralph Pratt R | | DNQ | 12 | | 9 | 8 | 7 | | | 4 | | | | | 330 |
| 20 | Duke Dinsmore | | 15 | DNP | 5 | DNQ | DNS | DNQ | | DNQ | 10 | DNQ | 13 | 14 | DNQ | 254 |
| 21 | Troy Ruttman R | 8 | 12 | 18 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 12 | 250 |
| 22 | Neal Carter R | | | | | | 11 | 17 | | | 9 | 11 | 2 | | 14 | 240 |
| 23 | Bayliss Levrett R | 9 | 24 | 14 | | 17 | 4 | 18 | | | DNQ | 16 | | 8 | 17 | 206 |
| 24 | Fred Agabashian | | 27 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | 200 |
| 25 | Al Rogers | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | 200 |
| 26 | Charles Van Acker | | 31 | DNQ | | 11 | 9 | 10 | | DNQ | DNQ | 8 | | | | 180 |
| 27 | Louis Unser | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | 160 |
| 28 | Norm Houser | | 10 | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 150 |
| 29 | Johnny Fedricks R | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 14 | 3 | | | 140 |
| 30 | Charles Bryant R | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | 140 |
| 31 | Mike Salay | | DNQ | | 6 | | DNQ | | | | DNQ | DNS | 8 | | | 130 |
| 32 | Johnny McDowell R | 7 | 18 | 11 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 124 |
| 33 | Jackie Holmes | | 22 | 4 | | 14 | 18 | DNQ | | | | | | | | 120 |
| 34 | Chuck Stevenson R | | | | | | 14 | | | | | 4 | | | | 120 |
| 35 | George Hammond | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | 120 |
| 36 | Milt Fankhouser | 6 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | 14 | 16 | DNQ | 10 | 12 | 13 | 120 |
| 37 | Tommy Hinnershitz | | DNQ | | | | | | | DNS | | | 5 | | | 117 |
| 38 | Frank Burany R | 5 | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 100 |
| 39 | Jim Rathmann R | | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 100 |
| 40 | Phil Shafer | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 80 |
| 41 | George Fonder R | | 20 | | | | | | | 17 | | | 7 | | | 60 |
| 42 | Cal Niday R | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18 | 7 | 60 |
| 43 | Hugh Thomas | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | 60 |
| 44 | Jack McGrath | | 26 | 8 | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | 50 |
| 45 | J.C. Shoemaker | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | 50 |
| 46 | Russ Snowberger | | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | 40 |
| 47 | Herb Bryers | | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | 30 |
| 48 | Buster Hammond | | | | | | | | 11 | | | | | | | 20 |
| 49 | Hank Rogers | | | | | 12 | 20 | | | 12 | | | DNQ | | | 20 |
| 50 | Billy McGee R | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNS | 17 |
| 51 | Ottis Stine | | | | | | | | | DNS | | | 14 | | | 14 |
| 52 | Mark Light | | | | | | | | | 18 | | | 12 | | | 10 |
| 53 | Billy Devore | | DNQ | | | | | 12 | | | | DNQ | | | | 10 |
| 54 | Walt Killinger | | | | | | | | 12 | | | | | | | 10 |
| 55 | Hal Cole | | 19 | DNQ | 17 | | | | | | | | | 15 | 11 | 3 |
| - | Bill Sheffler | 11 | 17 | 15 | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Lynch | | 32 | | | DNQ | 13 | 16 | | DNP | 15 | 18 | 15 | | | 0 |
| - | Ted Duncan | | DNQ | 17 | 13 | DNQ | 19 | DNP | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Buster Warke | | | DNQ | 18 | | | | | 13 | DNQ | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Wally Stokes R | | DNQ | | | 13 | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Mauri Rose | | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Art McKee R | | | | | | | | 13 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Milton Mabe R | | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Art Hillis | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Glenn Harrison R | | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Hal Robson | | DNQ | | | | | | | | DNQ | 17 | | | | 0 |
| - | Dick Rathmann R | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 17 | | 0 |
| - | Delmar Desch | | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Ed Terry | | | | | | | | | | | | 17 | | | 0 |
| - | Lloyd Axel R | | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Johnny Mauro | | DNQ | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Good | | | | | | | | 20 | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | William Cantrell | | 21 | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Kenny Eaton R | | DNQ | | | | 22 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Manuel Ayulo | | 28 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Duke Nalon | | 29 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Sam Hanks | | 30 | DNQ | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | DNQ | DNP | 0 |
| - | Joel Thorne | | DNQ | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Walt Von Tilius | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jim Hammond | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Norman Robinson | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Wayne Sankey | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Buddy Shay | | | | | | | | DNS | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jimmy Daywalt | | DNQ | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Steve Truchan | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Eddie Haddad | | DNQ | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Henry Banks | | DNQ | | | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Eddie Zalucki | | | | | | DNQ | DNQ | | DNP | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Danny Kladis | | DNQ | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Boyd | | | | | | DNP | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Les Anderson | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Frank Beardsley | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Randall Beinke | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Lindley Bothwell | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Frank Brisko | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Jim Brubaker | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Pat Flaherty | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Dick Fraizer | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Byron Horne | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Tommy Mattson | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Metzler | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Chet Miller | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Taylor | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Louis Tomei | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Doc Williams | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bill Mackey | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Charles Szekendy | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| - | George Weaver | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Bob Simpson | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | 0 |
| - | Iggy Katona | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | | 0 |
| - | Eddie Johnson | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | | 0 |
| - | Johnny Smith | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | | 0 |
| - | Walt Faulkner | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Dempsey Wilson | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNQ | 0 |
| - | Bill Gouse | | | | | | | | | DNP | | | | | | 0 |
| - | Joe Garson | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNP | 0 |
| - | Lenny Lowe | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DNP | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | ARL | INDY | MIL1 | TRE | SPR1 | MIL2 | DQSF | PIK | SYR | DET | SPR2 | LAN | SAC | DMR | 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 ||