The IndyCar organization apparently obtained the Astor Cup, which was competed for in October 1915 and September 1916 at the Sheepshead Bay Speedway in Brooklyn -- the winners being Gil Anderson (nee Andersen) and Johnny Aitken respectively, and is now using it as the award for the season's champion. This is all well and good, of course, a nice gesture as well as being a nice idea. The Astor Cup was first awarded at the end of the 2011 season.
This being IndyCar there is, naturally, a problem with history. The Astor Cup now rests on a black granite base that is inscribed with the names of the past champions of the AAA, USAC, CART, and IRL series. The names begin with the 1909 season and, therefore, includes all the non-concurrent AAA champions. This is, of course, incorrect and yet another fine example of the sort of historical stupidity that plagues the history of pre-1920 US automobile racing.
One senses that there is little hope for this organization when it comes to history.