Robert Kay Ball[1] (August 26, 1925 – February 27, 1954) was an American racecar driver.[2]
| Bobby Ball | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | |||||||
| Born | Robert Kay Ball August 26, 1925 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | February 27, 1954 (aged 28) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | ||||||
| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 17 races run over 3 years | |||||||
| Years active | 1950–1952 | ||||||
| Best finish | 8th – 1952 | ||||||
| First race | 1950 Phoenix 100 (ASF) | ||||||
| Last race | 1952 Phoenix 100 (ASF) | ||||||
| First win | 1952 San Jose 100 (San Jose) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Formula One World Championship career | |||||||
| Active years | 1951–1952 | ||||||
| Teams | Schroeder, Stevens | ||||||
| Entries | 2 | ||||||
| Championships | 0 | ||||||
| Wins | 0 | ||||||
| Podiums | 0 | ||||||
| Career points | 2 | ||||||
| Pole positions | 0 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 0 | ||||||
| First entry | 1951 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
| Last entry | 1952 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
Early life
editBall's parents divorced when he was a year old. He was raised by his grandmother, who enrolled him in a military academy as a teenager in an attempt to take his mind off cars and motorcycles.[2]
Racing career
editBall began racing with the Arizona Roadster Association, subsequently switching from roadsters to midgets. He won the Arizona State Midget Association (ASMA) championship in 1949 and 1950. He finished fifth in the 1951 Indianapolis 500 and 32nd in the 1952 Indianapolis 500.[2]
Ball won the AAA Championship race at San Jose in November 1952.[3] On January 4, 1953, he was involved in an accident at Carrell Speedway in Los Angeles which left him with terrible head injuries. He remained in a coma, first at the UCLA Medical Center and then at home in Phoenix, but died 14 months later of an infection.[2]
Bobby Ball Memorial
editFor many years, one of the two championship races held at Phoenix International Raceway was a memorial race dedicated to Ball. The Bobby Ball Memorial was first run in the fall of 1954 and 1955 as a 100-mile race on dirt, sanctioned by AAA at the Arizona State Fairgrounds.[4][5] Driver Jack McGrath was killed in an accident during the 1955 race.[6] Starting in 1956, the race was sanctioned by USAC,[7] and continued as a 100-mile contest at the fairgrounds through its 1963 edition.[8] In 1964, the race moved to the newly opened Phoenix International Raceway and was run at a distance of 200 miles.[9] It continued as a 200-mile race through the 1969 edition,[10] then was run at a 150-mile distance starting with the 1970 edition, which was won by Swede Savage.[11] The October 1971 edition was won by A. J. Foyt,[12] after which, the race was renamed through sponsorship from Best Western for its 1972 edition.[13] Bobby Ball naming returned for the 1976–1978 editions, the last of which was title sponsored by Miller High Life.[14]
Complete AAA Championship Car results
edit| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | INDY |
MIL |
LAN |
SPR |
MIL |
PIK | SYR |
DET |
SPR |
SAC |
PHX 15 |
BAY 12 |
DAR DNQ |
49th | 15 | ||
| 1951 | INDY 5 |
MIL DNQ |
LAN |
DAR |
SPR |
MIL |
DUQ |
DUQ |
PIK | SYR |
DET |
DNC 5 |
SJS 11 |
PHX 15 |
BAY 13 |
13th | 620 |
| 1952 | INDY 32 |
MIL 11 |
RAL DNQ |
SPR 15 |
MIL 10 |
DET 9 |
DUQ 6 |
PIK | SYR 3 |
DNC 3 |
SJS 1 |
PHX 3 |
8th | 820 | |||
Indianapolis 500 results
edit
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Complete Formula One World Championship results
edit(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Blakely Oil | Schroeder | Offenhauser L4 | SUI |
500 5 |
BEL |
FRA |
GBR |
GER |
ITA |
ESP |
19th | 2 |
| 1952 | Ansted Rotary | Stevens | Offenhauser L4 | SUI |
500 32 |
BEL |
FRA |
GBR |
GER |
NED |
ITA |
NC | 0 |
References
edit- ^ "Bobby Ball". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ a b c d Gates, Bob (March 2, 2010). "Bobby Ball Could Have Been One Of America's Greats". Turn 3 Media. Archived from the original on August 26, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
- ^ "Ball Wins 100 Mile Race, James Is Hurt Seriously". The Fresno Bee. 3 November 1952. Retrieved 24 July 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Parsons Joins Big-Car Race Field Here". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. October 12, 1954. p. 8. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Phoenix Race Finale For AAA". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. October 10, 1955. p. 4. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Many Greats Gone Since Last '500'". Indianapolis News. May 29, 1956. p. 43. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "New Entries In 100-Miler". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. October 10, 1956. p. 9. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bobby Unser Joins Filed For 14th Bobby Ball Run". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. November 6, 1963. p. 21. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Top Drivers Due at PIR". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. November 15, 1964. p. 20. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bobby Ball race has all but Gurney". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. November 9, 1969. p. 145. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Savage Gets 1st USAC Win – on Last Lap". Los Angeles Times. AP. November 22, 1970. p. 47. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Reynard, Calvin (October 24, 1971). "Foyt Wins Ball Memorial". Arizona Daily Star. Tucson, Arizona. p. 21. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Vies for Racing Crown". St. Joseph Gazette. St. Joseph, Missouri. AP. November 3, 1972. p. 16. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Garrett, Mike (October 29, 1978). "It was in stars for Rutherford". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. 11. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via newspapers.com.