List of American open-wheel racing national champions
Various organizations have awarded a season-long, points-based National Championship of open-wheel racing in the United States, first in 1905, and consistently since 1946. As of 2020, the top-level American open wheel racing championship is the IndyCar Series.
By season
AAA (1905–1955)
| Season | Driver |
|---|---|
| 1905 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Barney Oldfield |
| 1906–1915: No championships | |
| 1916 |  Dario Resta |
| 1917–1919: No championships (World War I) | |
| 1920 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Gaston Chevrolet |
| 1921 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Tommy Milton |
| 1922 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 1923 | Eddie Hearne |
| 1924 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 1925 | Peter DePaolo |
| 1926 | Harry Hartz |
| 1927 | Peter DePaolo |
| 1928 | Louis Meyer |
| 1929 | Louis Meyer |
| 1930 | Billy Arnold |
| 1931 | Louis Schneider |
| 1932 | Bob Carey |
| 1933 | Louis Meyer |
| 1934 | Bill Cummings |
| 1935 | Kelly Petillo |
| 1936 | Mauri Rose |
| 1937 | Wilbur Shaw |
| 1938 | Floyd Roberts |
| 1939 | Wilbur Shaw |
| 1940 | Rex Mays |
| 1941 | Rex Mays |
| 1942–1945: No championships (World War II) | |
| 1946 | Ted Horn |
| 1947 | Ted Horn |
| 1948 | Ted Horn |
| 1949 | Johnnie Parsons |
| 1950 | Henry Banks |
| 1951 | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 1952 | Chuck Stevenson |
| 1953 | Sam Hanks |
| 1954 | Jimmy Bryan |
| 1955 | Bob Sweikert |
USAC (1956–1978)
AAA ceased participation in auto racing at the end of the 1955 season. It cited a series of high-profile fatal accidents, namely Bill Vukovich at Indianapolis, and the Le Mans disaster.[1] The national championship was taken over by the United States Auto Club (USAC), a new sanctioning body formed by the then-owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tony Hulman.
| Season | Driver | Team | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Jimmy Bryan | Dean Van Lines Racing | ||||
| 1957 | Jimmy Bryan | Dean Van Lines Racing | ||||
| 1958 | Tony Bettenhausen | Wiggers/Wright Racing, John Zink Racing | ||||
| 1959 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Rodger Ward | Leader Card Racers | ||||
| 1960 |  A. J. Foyt | George Bignotti Racing | ||||
| 1961 | A. J. Foyt | George Bignotti Racing | ||||
| 1962 | Rodger Ward | Leader Card Racers | ||||
| 1963 | A. J. Foyt | Ansted-Thompson Racing | ||||
| 1964 | A. J. Foyt | Ansted-Thompson Racing | ||||
| 1965 | Mario Andretti | Dean Van Lines Racing | ||||
| 1966 | Mario Andretti | Dean Van Lines Racing | ||||
| 1967 | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | ||||
| 1968 | Bobby Unser | Leader Card Racers | ||||
| 1969 | Mario Andretti | Andy Granatelli Racing | ||||
| 1970 | Al Unser | Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing | ||||
| 1971 | Joe Leonard | Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing | ||||
| 1972 | Joe Leonard | Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing | ||||
| 1973 | Roger McCluskey | Lindsey Hopkins Racing | ||||
| 1974 | Bobby Unser | All American Racers | ||||
| 1975 | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | ||||
| 1976 | Gordon Johncock | Patrick Racing | ||||
| 1977 | Tom Sneva | Team Penske | ||||
| 1978 | Tom Sneva | Team Penske | ||||
USAC/CART (1979–1995)
From 1979 to 1995 the Indianapolis 500 and the national championship were sanctioned by separate organizations, USAC and CART, respectively. USAC continued to sanction their own national championship series until 1981, when they formed the USAC Gold Crown Championship. From 1985 to 1995 the USAC Gold Crown Championship consisted solely of the Indianapolis 500, thus making such championship winners indistinguishable from Indianapolis winners. IndyCar does not recognize winners of the USAC Gold Crown Championship as full season champions.[2]
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
The Split (IRL/CART, 1996–2007)
The Indy Racing League (IRL), founded in 1994 by Tony George, broke away from CART in 1996. George planned the IRL as a lower-cost, oval-focused alternative to CART, which had become technology-driven and dominated by a few wealthy multi-car teams. The IRL resumed using the IndyCar name in 2003, after a settlement with CART prohibiting its use had expired. CART declared bankruptcy in the same year, after the defection of a number of teams and engine manufacturers to the IRL, with its assets subsequently purchased and continuing as Champ Car in 2004.
Reunification (IndyCar, 2008–present)
IndyCar and Champ Car entered into merger negotiations in 2008, as both series worried they did not have enough participating cars to maintain their TV and sanctioning contract minimums. The two series came to an agreement in February 2008, with Champ Car declaring bankruptcy in order to facilitate the merger. IndyCar then purchased Champ Car's assets at auction, officially merging the two series and their respective histories.
By driver
This list includes winners of all titles listed above, excluding the USAC Gold Crown Championship. Consequently, some years are listed twice.[3][4]
Drivers in bold are entered in the 2020 IndyCar Series.
By nationality
| Country | Total | Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| United States |
82 | 47 |
| United Kingdom |
7 | 4 |
 France |
6 | 3 |
 New Zealand |
6 | 1 |
 Brazil |
5 | 4 |
 Italy |
2 | 1 |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Canada |
2 | 2 |
 Sweden |
1 | 1 |
 Colombia |
1 | 1 |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Australia |
1 | 1 |
Records
Consecutive championships
15 drivers have won consecutive National Championships. Only A.J. Foyt has repeated the feat.
| Championships | Driver | Seasons | Sanctioning body |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Sébastien Bourdais |
2004–2007 | Champ Car |
| 3 | Ted Horn |
1946–1948 | AAA |
 Dario Franchitti |
2009–2011 | IRL (2), IndyCar (1) | |
| 2 | Louis Meyer |
1928–1929 | AAA |
| Rex Mays |
1940–1941 | AAA | |
| Jimmy Bryan |
1956–1957 | USAC | |
| A.J. Foyt |
1960–1961 | USAC | |
| A.J. Foyt |
1963–1964 | USAC | |
| Mario Andretti |
1965–1966 | USAC | |
| Joe Leonard |
1971–1972 | USAC | |
| Tom Sneva |
1977–1978 | USAC | |
| Rick Mears |
1981–1982 | CART | |
| Bobby Rahal |
1986–1987 | CART | |
| Alex Zanardi |
1997–1998 | CART | |
| Gil de Ferran |
2000–2001 | CART | |
| Sam Hornish, Jr. |
2001–2002 | IRL |
Drivers in bold are entered in the 2020 IndyCar Series.
References
- "AAA Cuts Ties With U.S. Auto Racing". The Michigan Daily. Ann Arbor, MI. AP. August 4, 1955. p. 3. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- https://www.indycar.com/-/media/Files/2014/News/IndyCar_Historical_Record_Book_2015-All-Time-Champions.pdf?la=en
- "Through The Years". Champ Car Stats. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf