AAA Motorsports History

AAA’s Heart is Racing

Auto racing appeared almost as early as automobiles themselves. The first auto race in the United States took place in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 2, 1895, over a 54.36-mile course. Driver Frank Duryea won in just over 10 hours, beating three gas-fueled cars and two electrics.

The first major trophy awarded for American auto racing was the Vanderbilt Cup. The Vanderbilt Cup Race was also the first race held under the auspices of the AAA Racing Board. AAA, the first sanctioning body for auto racing in the United States, established the national driving championship in 1909. AAA was already recognized as the preeminent motorsports sanctioning organization in the country. It sanctioned the Indianapolis 500 from 1911 to 1955.

AAA sponsored road races, rallies, and long distance runs to demonstrate the safety, reliability, and technological advances of automobiles of that era. However, in 1955, AAA disengaged from automobile racing to concentrate on providing automotive and travel services to its rapidly expanding membership. Several individual AAA clubs continued their racing involvement at the local level during this period.

Nearly 50 years later, the motorists’ organization had returned to motorsports as a major corporate sponsor of several tracks and events. From 2006-08, AAA was the primary sponsor of the No. 6 Ford on the Sprint Cup Series. Stock car racing legend Mark Martin drove the No. 6 AAA Ford during the 2006 season while David Ragan drove the car in 2007-08.

AAA Motorsports Today

Several AAA clubs remain involved with motorsports at a local and regional level.

The Automobile Club of Southern California and its affiliated clubs sponsor the No. 77 Dodge, driven by former open-wheel champion Sam Hornish Jr., for select races in the Sprint Cup Series.

In 2008, the Auto Club began a 10-year title sponsorship of Auto Club Speedway, in Fontana, Calif.(The two-mile track was formerly known as California Speedway.) The club sponsors a Sprint Cup race at the track – the Auto Club 500. In addition to these oval track programs, the Auto Club sponsors the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and the John Force Racing team.

On the East Coast, AAA Mid-Atlantic is a major sponsor at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, which is known to fans as the “Monster Mile.” At Dover, AAA Mid-Atlantic is the presenting sponsor of the Monster Monument at Victory Plaza. The plaza includes a 46-foot statue of the track’s mascot, “Miles the Monster.”

In the Midwest, two AAA clubs are active motorsports sponsors. AAA Missouri is a major corporate sponsor of Gateway International Raceway, near St. Louis, and Lucas Oil Speedway, in Wheatland, Mo.

AAA Hoosier Motor Club supports several teams, tracks and events in the city where America’s auto racing heritage began: Indianapolis. AAA Hoosier Motor Club sponsors Sarah Fisher Racing, O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis and the Red Bull Indianapolis GP motorcycle race.