1972 Rex Mays Classic (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:30, 4 July 2022

Program for the race.

Status: Partially Found

The 1972 Rex Mays Classic (also known as the 1972 Milwaukee 150) was the fourth race of the 1972 USAC Championship Car Season. Occurring on 4th June at the Milwaukee Mile, the race would ultimately be won by polesitter Bobby Unser in an Eagle-Offenhauser, who dominated proceedings after having led 135 of the 150 laps.

Background

The 1972 Rex Mays Classic was the 23rd 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.^[1] It was one of two 1972 USAC Championship Car Season races to be held at Milwaukee Mile,^[2] the other being the 1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200, which occurred on 13th August and was won by Joe Leonard in an Parnelli-Offenhauser.^[3] Lasting 150 miles,^[4] the Rex May Classic would commence on an annual basis until it was renamed from 1988 onwards.^[5]

Prior to the race, qualifying commenced with Bobby Unser winning the pole position with a record speed of 126.064 mph.^[6]^[7]^[4] Such was the performance of the competition that Unser was among ten drivers who broke his previous track record of 122.291 mph.^[6] Directly behind him were fellow Eagle-Offenhauser drivers Jerry Grant and Billy Vukovich Jr., in second and third respectively.^[6]^[4]

The Race

With the starting order decided, the 1972 Rex Mays Classic commenced on 4th June.^[4] Unser maintained his lead from the start, leading the first 45 laps.^[4] On lap 40, Gerhardt-Offenhauser's Johnny Rutherford crashed out, the impact causing the vehicle to catch fire.^[7]^[4] Rutherford's overalls caught fire, and he suffered first degree burns to his hands and feet, but was otherwise fortune to escape further injuries.^[7] Meanwhile the race was red-flagged for 47 minutes so that the inferno could be safely tackled, leaking fuel causing the fire to spread down the backing of the turn.^[7]

During the caution period beforehand, Grant assumed the lead briefly after Unser pitted, before making a pitstop himself that allowed Parnelli-Offenhauser driver Mario Andretti to lead on the restart on lap 48.^[4] He maintained it until lap 61, before Unser retook the first position.^[4] From there, Unser dominated the remaining 90 laps, lapping the field bar three competitors.^[7]^[4] With pre-race favourite Grant having retired after 86 laps because of a broken turbocharger, it enabled Unser to cross the line with a 4.1 second margin to claim victory and $15,830 in prize money.^[7]^[4] The McLaren-Offenhausers of Mark Donohue and Gary Bettenhausen finished second and third respectively.^[4]^[7]

Availability

According to IndyCar on TV, the race received live flag-to-flag coverage by the TVS Television Network, the network syndicating sports programs to 185 television stations.^[8]^[6] But of twelve IndyCar races to have been televised by TVS, none are currently publicly available. Nevertheless, some home movie footage of the race can be viewed online.

Gallery

Videos

Silent footage of the event.

nascarman History's Top 10 Lost IndyCar Broadcasts detailing TVS Television Network's IndyCar broadcasts (0:20-0:59).

Image

Bobby Unser (6) and Jerry Grant (48) leading the field for the start.

References

↑ Motorsports Hall of Fame detailing how the race was renamed in honour of Rex Mays. Retrieved 14th May '22
↑ Racing-Reference detailing the 1972 USAC Championship Car Season schedule. Retrieved 14th May '22
↑ Racing-Reference detailing the results of the 1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200. Retrieved 14th May '22
↑ ^4.00 ^4.01 ^4.02 ^4.03 ^4.04 ^4.05 ^4.06 ^4.07 ^4.08 ^4.09 ^4.10 Racing-Reference detailing the qualifying and race results of the event. Retrieved 14th May '22
↑ Race Department noting the Rex May Classic name lasted from 1950 to 1987. Retrieved 14th May '22
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 ^6.3 The New York Times reporting on Unser winning the pole position. Retrieved 14th May '22
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 ^7.5 ^7.6 The New York Times reporting on Unser winning the race. Retrieved 14th May '22
↑ IndyCar on TV detailing the TVS Television Network broadcast of the race. Retrieved 14th May '22

[1] Motorsports Hall of Fame detailing how the race was renamed in honour of Rex Mays. Retrieved 14th May '22

[2] Racing-Reference detailing the 1972 USAC Championship Car Season schedule. Retrieved 14th May '22

[3] Racing-Reference detailing the results of the 1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200. Retrieved 14th May '22

[results-4] 4.00 ^4.01 ^4.02 ^4.03 ^4.04 ^4.05 ^4.06 ^4.07 ^4.08 ^4.09 ^4.10 Racing-Reference detailing the qualifying and race results of the event. Retrieved 14th May '22

[5] Race Department noting the Rex May Classic name lasted from 1950 to 1987. Retrieved 14th May '22

[qualifying-6] 6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 ^6.3 The New York Times reporting on Unser winning the pole position. Retrieved 14th May '22

[nyt-7] 7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 ^7.5 ^7.6 The New York Times reporting on Unser winning the race. Retrieved 14th May '22

[8] IndyCar on TV detailing the TVS Television Network broadcast of the race. Retrieved 14th May '22

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 ==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)]]
-*[[1981 Pocono 500 (lost televised footage of IndyCar race; 1981)]]
+*[[1971 Schaefer 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
-*[[Indianapolis 500 WFBM-TV Broadcasts (lost racing footage; 1949-1950)]]
+*[[1971 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
+*[[1972 Best Western Motels 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
+*[[1972 Indianapolis 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
+*[[1972 Phoenix 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
+*[[1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
+*[[1972 Trenton Times 300 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
+*[[1972 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
+*[[1973 Schaefer 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1973)]]
+*[[1973 Texas 200 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1973)]]
+*[[1974 Phoenix 150 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1974)]]
+*[[1974 Schaefer 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1974)]]
+*[[1974 Trentonian 200 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1974)]]
+*[[1975 Bricklin 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1975)]]
+*[[1975 Michigan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1975)]]
+*[[1975 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1975)]]
+*[[1976 Indianapolis 500 (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
+*[[1976 Jimmy Bryan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
+*[[1976 Michigan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
+*[[1976 Schaefer 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
+*[[1976 Trenton Times Auto Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
+*[[1976 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1976)]]
+*[[1977 American Parts 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
+*[[1977 Jimmy Bryan 150 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
+*[[1977 Michigan Grand Prix (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
+*[[1977 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
+*[[1977 Schaefer 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
+*[[1977 Texas Grand Prix (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
+*[[1977 Trentonian 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1977)]]
+*[[1978 Coors 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
+*[[1978 Daily Express Indy Silverstone (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
+*[[1978 Daily Mail Indy Trophy (partially found CBS and BBC One footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
+*[[1978 Norton Twin 200 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1978)]]
+*[[1979 Arizona Republic / Jimmy Bryan 150 (partially found footage of SCCA/CART IndyCar Series race; 1979)]]
+*[[1979 California 500 (lost footage of SCCA/CART IndyCar Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1979)]]
+*[[1979 Gould Grand Prix (lost footage of SCCA/CART IndyCar Series race; 1979)]]
+*[[1980 Miller High Life 150 (partially found footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
+*[[1980 Norton Twin 200 (lost footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
+*[[1980 Primera Copa Mexico 150 (lost footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
+*[[1980 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (lost footage of CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1980)]]
+*[[1981 Kraco Car Stereo 150 (lost CART PPG IndyCar World Series race; 1981)]]
+*[[1981 Pocono 500 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1981)]]
+*[[1996 Las Vegas 500K (partially lost footage of IRL Season race; 1996)]]
+*[[Indianapolis 500 WFBM-TV Broadcasts (lost racing footage; 1949-1950)]]
 *[[Indianapolis 500 MCA closed-circuit broadcasts (partially lost racing footage; 1964-1970)]]