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| {{InfoboxLost
| | #REDIRECT [[1969 USAC Championship Car Season (lost footage of IndyCar races; 1969)]] |
| |title=<center>1969 Rex Mays Classic</center>
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| |image=1969rexmaysclassic1.jpg
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| |imagecaption=Program for the race.
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| |status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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| }}
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| The '''''1969 Rex Mays Classic''''' (also known as the '''''1969 Milwaukee 150''''') was the 4th race of the 1969 USAC Championship Car Season. Occurring on 8th June at the Milwaukee Mile, the race would ultimately be won by Art Pollard in a Gerhardt-Offenhauser, following a ten-car crash that occurred on the opening lap that forced him to take the car driven by Greg Weld. It was also the first USAC race to be shown by the TVS Television Network.
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| ==Background==
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| The ''1969 Rex Mays Classic'' was the 20th 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 12th May '22</ref> It was one of two 1969 USAC Championship Car Season races to be held at Milwaukee Mile,<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/season-stats/1969/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the 1969 USAC Championship Car Season schedule.] Retrieved 12th May '22</ref> the other being the 1969 Tony Bettenhausen 200, which occurred on 17th August and was won by Al Unser in a Lola-Ford. Lasting 150 miles,<ref name="results">[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1969_Rex_Mays_Classic/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the qualifying and race results of the event.] Retrieved 12th 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 12th May '22</ref>
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| Prior to the race, qualifying commenced with Mario Andretti winning the pole position in a Brawner-Ford with a speed of 119.126 mph.<ref name="nyt">[https://www.nytimes.com/1969/06/09/archives/pollard-in-borrowed-car-wins-after-starting-11auto-pileup.html ''The New York Times'' reporting on Pollard winning the race and the opening lap crash.] Retrieved 12th May '22</ref><ref name="results"/> Directly behind him was Lola-Ford's Jim Malloy, with Coyote-Ford's A.J. Foyt lining up third.<ref name="results"/> Greg Weld started 13th, while Art Pollard also entered his own car, a Gerhardt-Offenhauser, lining up fifth out of 24 competitors.<ref name="results"/>
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| ==The Race==
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| With the starting order decided, the 1969 Rex Mays Classic commenced on 8th June.<ref name="results"/> As Andretti led the field on the first lap, a major crash occurred that took out ten drivers, including Pollard, who was deemed to have caused the accident following a suspension failure.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> Most of the involved cars were wrecked, with only four passing an inspection that allowed them to compete for the restart.<ref name="nyt"/> No one was seriously injured in the crash, although Gary Bettenhausen was seriously shaken and proved fortunate to escape injury after his Gerhardt-Offenhauser smashed through the inside rail and ended up slamming into the infield mud.<ref name="nyt"/>
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| Meanwhile, Pollard's team elected to replace Weld with Pollard on the restart.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> Andretti would lead the first 89 laps, before Pollard made what was ultimately the only lead change on lap 90 after Andretti pitted.<ref name="results"/><ref name="nyt"/> With Andretti falling out of contention, Pollard maintained his lead for the remaining 61 laps, although did face constant competition from Malloy.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> Ultimately, he crossed the line to claim victory and $17,362 in prize money.<ref name="results"/><ref name="nyt"/> Malloy finished second, being the only other driver on the lead lap, while Foyt took third, two laps down from Pollard.<ref name="results"/><ref name="nyt"/>
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| ==Availability==
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| According to ''IndyCar on TV'', the race was the first USAC-sanctioned event to be broadcast by the TVS Television Network.<ref name="indycar">[https://sites.google.com/site/indycarontv/home/the-races/usac/1969/1969-rex-mays-classic ''IndyCar on TV'' detailing the TVS Television Network broadcast of the race.] Retrieved 12th May '22</ref> It was televised live for two hours in colour, with the network syndicating sports programs to 185 television stations.<ref name="indycar"/> But of twelve IndyCar races to have been televised by TVS, none are currently publicly available. Nevertheless, audio from the original broadcast can be listened to online.
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| ==Gallery==
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| ===Video===
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| {{Video|perrow =1
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| |service1 =youtube
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| |id1 =IY2TffzYa-0
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| |description1 =''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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| ===Images===
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| <gallery mode=packed heights=300px>
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| 1969rexmaysclassic2.jpg|Pollard waving to the crowd following his win.
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| 1969rexmaysclassic3.jpg|Pollard being interviewed post-race.
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| </gallery>
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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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| *[[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:Completely lost media]]
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