American Championship Car Racing

This article provides a general outline of the major American Open-Wheel motor racing championship, for specific information on the current Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League see Champcar and IRL.

Names

National Championship cars have variously been called 'Championship (or 'Champ') Cars', 'IndyCars' (after the Indianapolis 500) or simply 'Big Cars', a term that reflected the cars being larger than junior formulae such as midgets or sprint cars, and that has largely disappeared from use.

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From 1998 to 2003 'ChampCar' was a trademark of CART, and is now owned by OWRS.

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The 'IndyCar' name was incorporated by the Indianapolis Speedway in 1992. CART was licensed to use the term until 1997. When a 6-year non-use agreement with CART expired in 2003, the IRL series was rebranded the 'IndyCar Series', with the IRL name remaining as the sanctioning body.

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