|
|
| (2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| {{InfoboxLost
| | #REDIRECT [[1972 USAC Championship Car Season (partially found footage of IndyCar races; 1972)]] |
| |title=<center>1972 Phoenix 150</center>
| |
| |image=1972phoenix1501.jpg
| |
| |imagecaption=Program for the race.
| |
| |status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
| |
| }}
| |
| The '''''1972 Phoenix 150''''' (also known as the '''''1972 Jimmy Bryan 150''''') was the inaugural race of the 1972 USAC Championship Car Season. Occurring on 18th March at the Phoenix International Raceway, the race would ultimately be won by polesitter Bobby Unser in an Eagle-Offenhauser, after having led more than half of the 150-lap event.
| |
| | |
| ==Background==
| |
| The ''1972 Phoenix 150'' was the ninth running of the event, with the annual race lasting 150 miles.<ref name="results">[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1972_Jimmy_Bryan_150/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the qualifying and race results of the event.] Retrieved 4th Jun '22</ref> It was one of two 1972 USAC Championship Car Season races to commence at Phoenix International Raceway, the other being the 1972 Best Western 150,<ref name="calendar">[https://www.racing-reference.info/season-stats/1972/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the 1972 USAC Championship Car Season schedule.] Retrieved 4th Jun '22</ref> which occurred on 4th November and was won by Bobby Unser.<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1972_Best_Western_150/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the results of the 1972 Best Western 150.] Retrieved 4th Jun '22</ref> While renamed from the Jimmy Bryan 150 to the Phoenix 150, the race still paid tribute to the 1958 Indianapolis 500 winner Jimmy Bryan.<ref>[http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=91 ''Motorsport Memorial'' page for Jimmy Bryan.] Retrieved 4th Jun '22</ref> The race would have ties with Phoenix events like the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix, before Phoenix races were dropped from the IndyCar schedule after 2018 following low attendance.<ref>[https://eu.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/2018/06/22/indycar-not-return-phoenix-2019/727625002/ ''IndyStar'' reporting on Phoenix races being dropped from the IndyCar schedule after 2018.] Retrieved 4th Jun '22</ref>
| |
| | |
| Prior to the race, qualifying commenced with Unser winning the pole position with a record speed of 141.996 mph.<ref name="autoweek">[http://amv-prod-aut.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/s3fs-public/AW_TBT_201901254_UnserEaglePhoenixGurney.pdf ''Autoweek'' issues detailing the race.] Retrieved 4th Jun '22</ref><ref name="results"/> He was therefore deemed the pre-race favourite heading into the event.<ref name="autoweek"/> Directly behind him was his brother and Colt-Offenhauser driver Al Unser, with Eagle-Offenhauser's Johnny Rutherford lining up third out of 24 competitors.<ref name="results"/>
| |
| | |
| ==The Race==
| |
| With the starting order decided, the 1972 Phoenix 150 commenced on 18th March.<ref name="results"/> Unser maintained his lead from the start, holding it for the first 50 laps before making a pit stop that meant he dropped it to Rutherford.<ref name="nyt">[https://www.nytimes.com/1972/03/19/archives/bob-unser-wins-race-at-phoenix.html ''The New York Times'' reporting on Unser winning the race.] Retrieved 4th Jun '22</ref><ref name="results"/> Rutherford lost the lead a lap later to McLaren-Offenhauser's Mark Donohue, who controlled the next 24 laps.<ref name="results"/> However, he retired 76 laps in when he lost a wheel after a pitstop, causing by a cotter key for the right front tyre giving way.<ref name="autoweek"/><ref name="results"/> Roger McCluskey assumed the first position in a Kuzma-Offenhauser, leading 12 laps before Eagle-Offenhauser's Mike Mosley took over for the next 29 laps.<ref name="results"/> Mario Andretti then went past Mosley on lap 117 in a Parnelli-Offenhauser, but was only able to defend it for three laps before Unser regained the lead.<ref name="results"/>
| |
| | |
| From there, a long caution period between laps 125-147 meant there was only three more laps of actual racing remaining.<ref name="autoweek"/> Unser defended the lead for the remaining laps to claim victory and $8,996 in prize money.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> Post-race, Unser felt he would have won regardless if the race finished under green or yellow, stating "I don't care whether we finished under a yellow or a green, just so we won. I knew I had the fastest car on the track and the only thing the green would have done at the end would have been to have the opportunity to break down. But no one can run with us."<ref name="autoweek"/> Andretti finished four seconds behind in second, accepting that he would have been unable to challenge Unser even with 20 green laps.<ref name="autoweek"/><ref name="results"/> Mosley finished a lap down in third.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/>
| |
| | |
| ==Availability==
| |
| According to ''IndyCar on TV'', the race received live flag-to-flag coverage from ABC as part of its ''Wide World of Sports''.<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/indycarontv/home/the-races/usac/1972/1972-jimmy-bryan-150 ''IndyCar on TV'' detailing the ABC broadcast of the race.] Retrieved 4th Jun '22</ref> The broadcast has yet to resurface, although a ''British Pathé'' newsreel of the event is publicly available. Photos and newspaper clippings can also be found online.<ref name="autoweek"/>
| |
| | |
| ==Gallery==
| |
| ===Image===
| |
| <gallery mode=packed heights=250px>
| |
| 1972phoenix1502.jpg|Bobby passes Al Unser.
| |
| </gallery>
| |
| | |
| ==See Also==
| |
| *[[1962 Trenton 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1962)]]
| |
| *[[1962 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1962)]]
| |
| *[[1963 Trenton 100 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1963)]]
| |
| *[[1963 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1963)]]
| |
| *[[1964 Golden State 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1964)]]
| |
| *[[1964 Trenton 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1964)]]
| |
| *[[1965 Golden State 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1965)]]
| |
| *[[1965 Jimmy Bryan Memorial (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1965)]]
| |
| *[[1966 Jimmy Bryan Memorial (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1966)]]
| |
| *[[1966 Trenton 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1966)]]
| |
| *[[1967 Trenton 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1967)]]
| |
| *[[1968 Tony Bettenhausen 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1968)]]
| |
| *[[1968 Trenton 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1968)]]
| |
| *[[1969 Langhorne 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
| |
| *[[1969 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
| |
| *[[1969 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
| |
| *[[1970 Bobby Ball 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
| |
| *[[1970 Jimmy Bryan 150 (partially lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
| |
| *[[1970 Langhorne 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
| |
| *[[1970 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
| |
| *[[1970 Rocky Mountain 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
| |
| *[[1970 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
| |
| *[[1971 Bobby Ball 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
| |
| *[[1971 Jimmy Bryan 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
| |
| *[[1971 Marlboro 300 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
| |
| *[[1971 Michigan 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
| |
| *[[1971 Rex Mays Classic (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
| |
| *[[1971 Schaefer 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
| |
| *[[1971 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
| |
| *[[1972 Indianapolis 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
| |
| *[[1972 Rex Mays Classic (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
| |
| *[[1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
| |
| *[[1976 Indianapolis 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
| |
| *[[1981 Pocono 500 (lost televised footage of IndyCar race; 1981)]]
| |
| *[[Indianapolis 500 WFBM-TV Broadcasts (lost racing footage; 1949-1950)]]
| |
| *[[Indianapolis 500 MCA closed-circuit broadcasts (partially lost racing footage; 1964-1970)]]
| |
| | |
| ==External Link==
| |
| *[https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVA17AKPZZSC5OGNUQJ3WAW11D0Z-BOBBY-UNSER-WINS-PHOENIX-150-CAR-RACE-AND-SETS-TRACK-RECORD/query/coursing ''British Pathé'' newsreel of the event.]
| |
| | |
| ==References==
| |
| {{reflist}}
| |
| | |
| [[Category:Lost recordings of real incidents]]
| |
| [[Category:Lost TV]]
| |
| [[Category:Partially found media]]
| |