The 1956 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana, on May 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 12.

The USAC National Champion was Jimmy Bryan and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Pat Flaherty.

Pat was unable to race after the Springfield race as he was severely injured in a crash during the race which essentiallyended his full time racing career.

This was the first year that the National Championship was sanctioned by the USAC,[1] after the withdrawal of the AAA from all forms of racing after the 1955 season.

[2] The defending series champion Bob Sweikert was killed on June 17th during a Sprint Car race at Salem Speedway that was not part of the national championship.