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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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| *[[1962 Trenton 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1962)]]
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| *[[1962 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1962)]]
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| *[[1963 Trenton 100 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1963)]]
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| *[[1963 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1963)]]
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| *[[1964 Golden State 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1964)]]
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| *[[1964 Trenton 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1964)]]
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| *[[1965 Golden State 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1965)]]
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| *[[1965 Jimmy Bryan Memorial (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1965)]]
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| *[[1966 Jimmy Bryan Memorial (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1966)]]
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| *[[1966 Trenton 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1966)]]
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| *[[1967 Trenton 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1967)]]
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| *[[1968 Tony Bettenhausen 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1968)]]
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| *[[1968 Trenton 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1968)]]
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| *[[1969 Langhorne 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
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| *[[1969 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
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| *[[1969 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
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| *[[1970 Bobby Ball 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Jimmy Bryan 150 (partially lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Langhorne 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Rocky Mountain 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1970 Trenton 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
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| *[[1971 Bobby Ball 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Jimmy Bryan 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Marlboro 300 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Michigan 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Schaefer 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1971 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
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| *[[1972 Best Western Motels 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Indianapolis 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Phoenix 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Rex Mays Classic (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Trenton Times 300 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1972 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
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| *[[1973 Schaefer 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1973)]]
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| *[[1973 Texas 200 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1973)]]
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| *[[1974 Phoenix 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1974)]]
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| *[[1974 Schaefer 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1974)]]
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| *[[1974 Trentonian 200 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1974)]]
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| *[[1975 Bricklin 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1975 Michigan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1975 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1975)]]
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| *[[1976 Indianapolis 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Jimmy Bryan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Michigan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Schaefer 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Trenton Times Auto Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1976 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
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| *[[1977 American Parts 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Jimmy Bryan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Michigan Grand Prix (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Schaefer 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Texas Grand Prix (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1977 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
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| *[[1978 Coors 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
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| *[[1978 Daily Express Indy Silverstone (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
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| *[[1978 Daily Mail Indy Trophy (partially found CBS and BBC One footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
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| *[[1978 Norton Twin 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
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| *[[1979 Arizona Republic / Jimmy Bryan 150 (partially found footage of SCCA/CART IndyCar Series race; 1979)]]
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| *[[1979 California 500 (lost footage of SCCA/CART IndyCar Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1979)]]
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| *[[1979 Gould Grand Prix (lost footage of SCCA/CART IndyCar Series race; 1979)]]
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| *[[1980 Miller High Life 150 (partially found footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
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| *[[1980 Norton Twin 200 (lost footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
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| *[[1980 Primera Copa Mexico 150 (lost footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
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| *[[1980 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (lost footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
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| *[[1981 Kraco Car Stereo 150 (lost CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1981)]]
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| *[[1981 Pocono 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1981)]]
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| *[[1996 Las Vegas 500K (partially lost footage of IRL Season race; 1996)]]
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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 sports events]]
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| [[Category:Partially found media]]
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