|
|
| (3 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| {{InfoboxLost
| | #REDIRECT [[1972 USAC Championship Car Season (partially found footage of IndyCar races; 1972)]] |
| |title=<center>1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200</center>
| |
| |image=1972tonybettenhausen2001.jpg
| |
| |imagecaption=Program for the race.
| |
| |status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
| |
| }}
| |
| The '''''1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200''''' was the seventh race of the 1972 USAC Championship Car Season. Occurring on 13th August at the Milwaukee Mile, the race would ultimately be won by Joe Leonard, dominating the race after fellow Parnelli-Offenhauser driver Mario Andretti retired due to a locked wheel. The race was also the last to be televised by the TVS Television Network.
| |
| | |
| ==Background==
| |
| The ''1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200'' was the 12th running of the event, the annual race being named in memory of two-time IndyCar champion Tony Bettenhausen.<ref>[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Haul_Away/U5VB5R32OSwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA396&printsec=frontcover ''Haul Away!'' noting origins of the race's name.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref> It was one of two 1972 USAC Championship Car Season races to be held at Milwaukee Mile,<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/season-stats/1972/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the 1972 USAC Championship Car Season schedule.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref> the other being the [[1972 Rex Mays Classic (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)|1972 Rex Mays Classic]], which occurred on 4th June and was won by Bobby Unser in an Eagle-Offenhauser.<ref>[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1972_Rex_Mays_Classic/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the results of the 1972 Rex Mays Classic.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref> Lasting 200 miles,<ref name="results">[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1972_Tony_Bettenhausen_200/UO/ ''Racing-Reference'' detailing the qualifying and race results of the event] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref> the race would continue to be held until it was dropped from the schedule from 1983 onwards.<ref>[https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/11/02/The-Tony-Bettenhausen-200-mile-race-for-Indy-style-cars-a/8604405061200/ ''UPI'' reporting on the event being dropped from 1983 onwards.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref>
| |
| | |
| Prior to the race, qualifying commenced with Mario Andretti winning the pole position with a record speed of 127.932 mph.<ref name="nyt">[https://www.nytimes.com/1972/08/14/archives/leonard-wins-bettenhausen-race.html ''The New York Times'' reporting on Leonard winning the race.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref><ref name="results"/> Directly behind him was Joe Leonard, who was seeking to win his third consecutive race,<ref name="nyt"/> with fellow Parnelli-Offenhauser driver Al Unser lining up third out of 25 competitors.<ref name="results"/>
| |
| | |
| ==The Race==
| |
| With the starting order decided, the 1972 Tony Bettenhausen 200 commenced on 13th August.<ref name="results"/> Andretti held his lead at the start, and would remain the lap leader for the first 107 laps.<ref name="results"/> He generally faced competition from Leonard and Unser throughout, although the latter retired after 79 laps because of a suspension failure.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> On lap 108, Andretti came in for a pit stop.<ref name="nyt"/> As he did so, his brakes suddenly locked, which caused his car to catch fire.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="results"/> While Andretti escaped harm, the fire ended up burning crewmen Al Clark and Jim Dillamarter, who both required hospital treatment.<ref name="nyt"/>
| |
| | |
| With Andretti out, Leonard assumed the first position and controlled the remaining 93 laps.<ref name="results"/><ref name="nyt"/> He therefore claimed victory and $15,139 in prize money.<ref name="results"/><ref name="nyt"/> Billy Vukovich, Jr. finished second in an Eagle-Offenhauser, being four laps down from Leonard, with Gerhardt-Offenhauser's Johnny Rutherford taking third, a further three laps down from the leader.<ref name="results"/><ref name="nyt"/>
| |
| | |
| ==Availability==
| |
| According to ''IndyCar on TV'', the race would receive live flag-to-flag coverage from the TVS Television Network.<ref name="indycar">[https://sites.google.com/site/indycarontv/home/the-races/usac/1972/1972-tony-bettenhausen-200 ''IndyCar on TV'' detailing the TVS Television Network broadcast of the race, and noting it was the final TVS airing of an IndyCar event.] Retrieved 14th May '22</ref> It also proved to be the final IndyCar race to be aired by the network. But of twelve IndyCar races to have been televised by TVS, none are currently publicly available. Nevertheless, a few photos of the race remain viewable.
| |
| | |
| ==Gallery==
| |
| ===Video===
| |
| {{Video|perrow =1
| |
| |service1 =youtube
| |
| |id1 =IY2TffzYa-0
| |
| |description1 =''nascarman History'''s Top 10 Lost IndyCar Broadcasts detailing TVS Television Network's IndyCar broadcasts (0:20-0:59).
| |
| }}
| |
| | |
| ===Image===
| |
| <gallery mode=packed heights=300px>
| |
| 1972tonybettenhausen2002.jpg|Lee Kuzman (10) leading a pack in an Eagle-Offenhauser. He would ultimately finish the race in fourth.
| |
| </gallery>
| |
| | |
| ==See Also==
| |
| *[[1968 Tony Bettenhausen 100 (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1968)]]
| |
| *[[1969 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1969)]]
| |
| *[[1970 Rex Mays Classic (lost footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1970)]]
| |
| *[[1971 Rex Mays Classic (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1971)]]
| |
| *[[1972 Rex Mays Classic (partially found footage of USAC Championship Car Season race; 1972)]]
| |
| *[[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)]]
| |
| | |
| ==References==
| |
| {{reflist}}
| |
| | |
| [[Category:Lost recordings of real incidents]]
| |
| [[Category:Lost TV]]
| |
| [[Category:Completely lost media]]
| |