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| {{InfoboxLost
| | #REDIRECT [[1971 USAC Championship Car Season (partially found footage of IndyCar races; 1971)]] |
| |title=<center>1971 Rex Mays Classic</center>
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| |image=1971rexmaysclassic1.jpg
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| |imagecaption=Program for the race.
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| |status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
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| }}
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| The '''''1971 Rex Mays Classic''''' (also known as the '''''1971 Milwaukee 150''''') was the sixth race of the 1971 USAC Championship Car Season. Occurring on 6th June at the Milwaukee Mile, the race would ultimately be won by Al Unser, after edging out fellow Colt-Ford driver and teammate Joe Leonard.
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| ==Background==
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| The ''1971 Rex Mays Classic'' was the 22nd running of the race, the annual event being held in honour of Rex Mays, a two-time AAA champion who saved fellow racer Duke Dinsmore's life during the 1948 Milwaukee 100.<ref>[https://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/rex-mays.html ''Motorsports Hall of Fame'' detailing how the race was renamed in honour of Rex Mays.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref> It was one of two 1971 USAC Championship Car Season races to be held at Milwaukee Mile,<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/season-stats/1971/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the 1971 USAC Championship Car Season schedule.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref> the other being the 1971 Tony Bettenhausen 200, which occurred on 15 August and was won by Bobby Unser in an Eagle-Offenhauser.<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1971_Tony_Bettenhausen_200/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the results of the 1971 Tony Bettenhausen 200.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref> Lasting 150 miles,<ref name="results">[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1971_Rex_Mays_Classic/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the qualifying and race results of the event.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref> the Rex May Classic would commence on an annual basis until it was renamed from 1988 onwards.<ref>[https://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/milwaukee-mile_rex-mays-classic-150.27745/ ''Race Department'' noting the Rex May Classic name lasted from 1950 to 1987.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref>
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| Prior to the race, qualifying commenced with Bobby Unser winning the pole position with a speed of 118.894 mph.<ref name="qualifying">[https://www.nytimes.com/1971/06/06/archives/bobby-unser-gains-pole-for-todays-150miler.html ''The New York Times'' reporting on Bobby Unser winning the pole position.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref><ref name="nyt">[https://www.nytimes.com/1971/06/07/archives/al-unser-victor-in-rex-mays-150-he-and-leonard-drivers-of-coltfords.html ''The New York Times'' reporting on Al Unser winning the race.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref> Directly behind him was [[1970 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)|previous year's winner]] Joe Leonard, with A.J. Foyt lining up third in a Coyote-Ford.<ref name="qualifying"/><ref name="nyt"/> Al Unser qualified ninth out of 24 competitors, his slow speed of 116.686 mph blamed on poor handling.<ref name="qualifying"/><ref name="nyt"/> He nevertheless was looking to build on his Indianapolis 500 victory that occurred a week prior.<ref name="qualifying"/><ref name="nyt"/> Meanwhile, prominent NASCAR driver Cale Yarborough was among eight competitors that ultimately failed to qualify for the race.<ref name="qualifying"/>
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| ==The Race==
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| With the starting order decided, the 1971 Rex Mays Classic commenced on 6th June.<ref name="results"/> Leonard shot into the lead from the first turn, holding onto it for the first 69 laps.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> Meanwhile, Al Unser also made a strong start, passing four competitors on lap 2 alone.<ref name="nyt"/> By lap 7, he overtook his brother Bobby for second, and began to pursue Parnelli Jones‐Vel Miletich teammate Leonard.<ref name="nyt"/> Indeed, they ultimately were the only contenders for the first position, with Foyt retiring after a magneto failure, while Bobby Unser dropped out after 104 laps from an ignition problem that started from lap 90.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/>
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| On lap 65, Scorpion-Ford's Jimmy Caruthers spun, resulting in a caution.<ref name="nyt"/> When the race resumed on lap 70, Unser took advantage of Leonard being slowed by a backmaker to move into the first position.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> Leonard attempted a comeback, but ultimately was unable to retake the lead because of handling problems caused by a lightened fuel load, with his car's right rear wheel "chattering" for the remainder of the race.<ref name="nyt"/> Thus, Unser remained in front to claim victory and $17,485 in prize money.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> His average speed of 114.858 mph also set a track record.<ref name="nyt"/> Leonard finished second, while Brabham-Offenhauser driver Billy Vukovich took third, more than two laps down from Unser.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/>
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| ==Availability==
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| According to ''IndyCar on TV'', the 90 minutes of footage was televised live by the TVS Television Network, the network syndicating sports programs to 185 television stations, including WOR‐TV in New York.<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/indycarontv/home/the-races/usac/1971/1971-rex-mays-classic ''IndyCar on TV'' detailing the TVS Television Network broadcast of the race.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref><ref name="qualifying"/> But of twelve IndyCar races to have been televised by TVS, none are currently publicly available. Nevertheless, some race highlights are available, including from a Car & Track TV episode.
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| ==Gallery==
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| ===Videos===
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| {{Video|perrow =3
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| |service1 =youtube
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| |id1 =58HyD50yJeU
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| |description1 =''Car & Track TV'' footage of the race.
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| |service2 =youtube
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| |id2 =cMIqVintnHQ
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| |description2 =Silent footage of the event.
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| |service3 =youtube
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| |id3 =IY2TffzYa-0
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| |description3 =''nascarman History'''s Top 10 Lost IndyCar Broadcasts detailing TVS Television Network's IndyCar broadcasts (0:20-0:59).
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| }}
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| ==See Also==
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| *[[1968 Tony Bettenhausen 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1968)]]
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| *[[1969 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
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| *[[1970 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1981 Pocono 500 (lost televised footage of IndyCar race; 1981)]]
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| *[[Indianapolis 500 WFBM-TV Broadcasts (lost racing footage; 1949-1950)]]
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| *[[Indianapolis 500 MCA closed-circuit broadcasts (partially lost racing footage; 1964-1970)]]
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| ==References==
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| {{reflist}}
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| [[Category:Lost recordings of real incidents]]
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| [[Category:Lost TV]]
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| [[Category:Partially found media]]
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