The contemporary de facto National Champion as polled by the American automobile journal Motor Age, was Bert Dingley.
Dingley was named the champion by Chris G. Sinsabaugh, an editor at Motor Age, based upon merit and on track performance.
In 1927, the AAA Contest Board retroactively applied the 1920 points table to the 1909 through 1915 and 1917 through 1919 seasons, scoring Dingley as champion.
In 1951, well-published sportswriter Russ Catlin decided to revise these retroactive standings.
Catlin attempted to strip Dingley of the title, awarding it instead to George Robertson.