# Phoenix 100 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Phoenix_100 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Phoenix_100.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_100 > Source revision: 1309241772 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American open-wheel race at Arizona State Fairgrounds}} {{About|the race at Arizona State Fairgrounds|IndyCar races at Phoenix Raceway|IndyCar Series at Phoenix Raceway}} {{Infobox motor race |Race title = Bobby Ball Memorial |Logo = |Track map = |Series long = [AAA National Championship](/source/AAA_National_Championship) |Series short = IndyCar Series |Venue = [Arizona State Fairgrounds](/source/Arizona_State_Fairgrounds) (1915, 1950–1963) |Sponsor = |First race = |First series race = 1915 |Last race = 1963 |Distance = {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} |Laps = 100 |Previous names = {{ubl |'''Phoenix 100:''' 1950–1953 }} |Most wins driver = [Jimmy Bryan](/source/Jimmy_Bryan) (3) |Most wins team = Dean Racing Enterprises (5) |Most wins manufacturer = Chassis: [Kurtis Kraft](/source/Kurtis_Kraft) (5)
Engine: [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) (14) }} The [Arizona State Fairgrounds](/source/Arizona_State_Fairgrounds) played host to many races in [American open-wheel racing](/source/American_open-wheel_racing) during the AAA sanctioned era. ==Race history== [[File:November 20, 1915, race results at Arizona State Fairgrounds.jpg|thumb|left|Finishing order of the 1915 race as published in ''[The Arizona Republic](/source/The_Arizona_Republic)'']] [Open wheel racing](/source/American_Championship_car_racing) in the [Phoenix area](/source/Phoenix_area) dates back to [1915](/source/1915_AAA_Championship_Car_season) on a dirt oval at the [Arizona State Fairgrounds](/source/Arizona_State_Fairgrounds). [Earl Cooper](/source/Earl_Cooper), who competed in the [Indianapolis 500](/source/Indianapolis_500) seven times, won the inaugural race—scheduled for 150 laps of the one-mile track, it was ended after 109 miles due to darkness.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78644774/earl-cooper-wins-race-at-phoenix/ |title=Earl Cooper Wins Race at Phoenix |newspaper=[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle) |page=43 |date=November 21, 1915 |accessdate=May 30, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} The race was revived in 1950 by the [AAA](/source/AAA_Contest_Board), and then passed to the [United States Auto Club](/source/United_States_Auto_Club) (USAC) in 1956. USAC moved the race to the newly built [Phoenix International Raceway](/source/Phoenix_International_Raceway) in 1964. The race became a [CART](/source/Champ_Car) event in 1979. During the CART years, two races were scheduled through the mid-1980s, but the track dropped down to one race per year starting in 1987.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78646744/phoenix-grand-prix-race-has-committee-ap/ |title=Phoenix grand prix race has committee approval |first=Mark |last=Armijo |newspaper=[The Arizona Republic](/source/The_Arizona_Republic) |location=[Phoenix, Arizona](/source/Phoenix%2C_Arizona) |page=31 |date=November 1, 1986 |accessdate=May 30, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} Starting in 1954, the race was named for driver [Bobby Ball](/source/Bobby_Ball_(racing_driver)), who died in February 1954 following a racing accident in Los Angeles in January 1953.{{cite web|url=https://speedsport.com/racing-history/bobby-ball-could-have-been-one-of-america-s-greats/|title=Bobby Ball Could Have Been One Of America's Greats|last=Gates|first=Bob|date=March 2, 2010|publisher=Turn 3 Media|accessdate=January 2, 2013}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78620702/parsons-joins-big-car-race-field-here/ |title=Parsons Joins Big-Car Race Field Here |newspaper=[The Arizona Republic](/source/The_Arizona_Republic) |location=[Phoenix, Arizona](/source/Phoenix%2C_Arizona) |page=8 |date=October 12, 1954 |accessdate=May 30, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} The race was renamed in 1972 due to sponsorship from [Best Western](/source/Best_Western).{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78623661/vies-for-racing-crown/ |title=Vies for Racing Crown |agency=[AP](/source/Associated_Press) |newspaper=[St. Joseph Gazette](/source/St._Joseph_Gazette) |location=[St. Joseph, Missouri](/source/St._Joseph%2C_Missouri) |page=16 |date=November 3, 1972 |accessdate=May 30, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} Bobby Ball naming returned for the 1976–1978 editions, the last of which was title sponsored by [Miller High Life](/source/Miller_High_Life).{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78636547/it-was-in-stars-for-rutherford/ |title=It was in stars for Rutherford |first=Mike |last=Garrett |newspaper=[The Arizona Republic](/source/The_Arizona_Republic) |location=[Phoenix, Arizona](/source/Phoenix%2C_Arizona) |page=11 |date=October 29, 1978 |accessdate=May 30, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} Miller's sponsorship continued through the 1983 edition. The race then had three different title sponsors for its final three editions: [Stroh's](/source/Stroh_Brewery_Company),{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78643026/strohs-150-dates-announced/ |title=Stroh's 150 Dates Announced |newspaper=[The Arizona Republic](/source/The_Arizona_Republic) |location=[Phoenix, Arizona](/source/Phoenix%2C_Arizona) |page=55 |date=August 21, 1984 |accessdate=May 30, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} [Dana](/source/Dana_Incorporated),{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78643516/pir-oks-repaving-to-stage-october-dana/ |title=PIR OKs repaving, to stage October Dana race |newspaper=[The Arizona Republic](/source/The_Arizona_Republic) |location=[Phoenix, Arizona](/source/Phoenix%2C_Arizona) |page=G4 |date=August 7, 1985 |accessdate=May 30, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} and [Circle K](/source/Circle_K).{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78642511/fiesta-bowl-to-adopt-indy-style-200-race/ |title=Fiesta Bowl to adopt Indy-style 200 race |newspaper=[Tucson Citizen](/source/Tucson_Citizen) |page=21 |date=July 16, 1986 |accessdate=May 30, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} {{clear}} ==Past winners== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%;" |- ! rowspan="2"|Season ! rowspan="2"|Date ! rowspan="2"|Race Name ! rowspan="2"|Driver ! rowspan="2"|Team ! rowspan="2"|Chassis ! rowspan="2"|Engine ! rowspan="2"|Tire ! colspan="2"|Race Distance ! rowspan="2"|Race Time ! rowspan="2"|Average Speed
(mph) |- ! Laps ! Miles (km) |- !colspan=12|AAA Championship Car history |- ! [1915](/source/1915_AAA_Championship_Car_season) | November 20 | | {{Flagicon|USA|1912}} [Earl Cooper](/source/Earl_Cooper) | [Stutz Motor Company](/source/Stutz_Motor_Company) | [Stutz](/source/Stutz_Motor_Company) | [Stutz](/source/Stutz_Motor_Company) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|109 |align="center"|109 (175.418) |align="center"|1:42:30 |align="center"|64.39 |- ! align=center|1916
–
1949 |colspan=12 align=center| ''Not held'' |- ! [1950](/source/1950_AAA_Championship_Car_season) | November 12 | Phoenix 100 | {{Flagicon|USA|1912}} [Jimmy Davies](/source/Jimmy_Davies_(racing_driver)) | [Pat Clancy Racing](/source/Pat_Calncy_(racing)) | [Ewing](/source/Wayne_Ewing) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"|1:16:54 |align="center"| 78.020 |- ! [1951](/source/1951_AAA_Championship_Car_season) | November 4 | Phoenix 100 | {{Flagicon|USA|1912}} [Johnnie Parsons](/source/Johnnie_Parsons) | [Kurtis Kraft](/source/Kurtis_Kraft) | [Kurtis Kraft](/source/Kurtis_Kraft) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"|1:10:54 |align="center"|84.626 |- ! [1952](/source/1952_AAA_Championship_Car_season) | November 11 | Phoenix 100 | {{Flagicon|USA|1912}} [Johnnie Parsons](/source/Johnnie_Parsons) | [Ricketts](/source/Ricketts_(racing_team)) | [Kurtis Kraft](/source/Kurtis_Kraft) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"|1:09:52 |align="center"|85.87 |- ! [1953](/source/1953_AAA_Championship_Car_season) | November 11 | Phoenix 100 | {{Flagicon|USA|1912}} [Tony Bettenhausen](/source/Tony_Bettenhausen) | [Belanger Motors](/source/Murrell_Belanger) | [Kurtis Kraft](/source/Kurtis_Kraft) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"|1:11:30 |align="center"|83.916 |- ! [1954](/source/1954_AAA_Championship_Car_season) | November 7−8* | Bobby Ball Memorial | {{Flagicon|USA|1912}} [Jimmy Bryan](/source/Jimmy_Bryan) | [Dean Racing Enterprises](/source/Dean_Racing_Enterprises) | [Kuzma](/source/Kuzma_(constructor)) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"|1:10:59 |align="center"|84.524 |- ! [1955](/source/1955_AAA_Championship_Car_season) | November 6 | Bobby Ball Memorial | {{Flagicon|USA|1912}} [Jimmy Bryan](/source/Jimmy_Bryan) | [Dean Racing Enterprises](/source/Dean_Racing_Enterprises) | [Kuzma](/source/Kuzma_(constructor)) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|97* |align="center"|97 (156.106) |align="center"|1:09:24 |align="center"|83.862 |- !colspan=12|USAC Championship Car history |- ! [1956](/source/1956_USAC_Championship_Car_season) | November 12 | Bobby Ball Memorial | {{Flagicon|USA|1912}} [George Amick](/source/George_Amick) | [Lindsey Hopkins Racing](/source/Lindsey_Hopkins) | [Lesovsky](/source/Lesovsky) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"|1:05:20 |align="center"|91.826 |- ! [1957](/source/1957_USAC_Championship_Car_season) | November 11 | Bobby Ball Memorial | {{Flagicon|USA|1912}} [Jimmy Bryan](/source/Jimmy_Bryan) | [Dean Racing Enterprises](/source/Dean_Racing_Enterprises) | [Kuzma](/source/Kuzma_(constructor)) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"|1:09:46 |align="center"|86.001 |- ! [1958](/source/1958_USAC_Championship_Car_season) | November 11 | Bobby Ball Memorial | {{Flagicon|USA|1912}} [Jud Larson](/source/Jud_Larson) | [Bignotti](/source/George_Bignotti)-Bowes Racing Associates | [Lesovsky](/source/Lesovsky) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"| 1:04:42 |align="center"| 92.738 |- ! [1959](/source/1959_USAC_Championship_Car_season) | October 18 | Bobby Ball Memorial | {{Flagicon|USA|1959}} [Tony Bettenhausen](/source/Tony_Bettenhausen) | [Lindsey Hopkins Racing](/source/Lindsey_Hopkins) | [Kuzma](/source/Kuzma_(constructor)) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"|1:07:50 |align="center"|88.458 |- ! [1960](/source/1960_USAC_Championship_Car_season) | November 20 | Bobby Ball Memorial | {{Flagicon|USA}} [A. J. Foyt](/source/A._J._Foyt) | [Bignotti](/source/George_Bignotti)-Bowes Racing Associates | [Meskowski](/source/Meskowski) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"|1:07:21 |align="center"| 89.079 |- ! [1961](/source/1961_USAC_Championship_Car_season) | November 19 | Bobby Ball Memorial | {{Flagicon|USA}} '''[Parnelli Jones](/source/Parnelli_Jones)''' | [Agajanian Racing](/source/J._C._Agajanian) | [Lesovsky](/source/Lesovsky) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|89* |align="center"|89 (143.231) |align="center"| |align="center"| |- ! [1962](/source/1962_USAC_Championship_Car_season) | November 18 | Bobby Ball Memorial | {{Flagicon|USA}} '''[Bobby Marshman](/source/Bobby_Marshman)''' | [Lindsey Hopkins Racing](/source/Lindsey_Hopkins) | [Kuzma](/source/Kuzma_(constructor)) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|51* |align="center"|51 (82.076) |align="center"|0:33:13 |align="center"| 92.124 |- ! [1963](/source/1963_USAC_Championship_Car_season) | November 17 | Bobby Ball Memorial | {{Flagicon|USA}} [Rodger Ward](/source/Rodger_Ward) || [Leader Card Racing](/source/A._J._Watson) | [Watson](/source/A._J._Watson) | [Offenhauser](/source/Offenhauser) |align="center"|{{Firestone}} |align="center"|100 |align="center"|100 (160.934) |align="center"|1:10:35 |align="center"|85.01 |} *'''1954:''' Final 65 laps completed on November 8 due to heavy dust and the rough condition of the track. *'''1955:''' Race shortened due to rough track conditions. Driver [Jack McGrath](/source/Jack_McGrath_(racing_driver)) was killed in an accident during this race.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78621355/many-greats-gone-since-last-500/ |title=Many Greats Gone Since Last '500' |newspaper=[Indianapolis News](/source/Indianapolis_News) |page=43 |date=May 29, 1956 |accessdate=May 30, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} *'''1961:''' Race shortened due to darkness. *'''1962:''' Race shortened due to crash. *'''Bolded''' driver indicates this was their first USAC Championship Car win ==Selected race summaries== *'''1980:''' [Johnny Rutherford](/source/Johnny_Rutherford) led the first 37 laps, then on lap 71 was chasing leader [Tom Sneva](/source/Tom_Sneva). Dicing through slower traffic, Rutherford slipped by Sneva in turn three to take the lead. He then suffered a spectacular crash. Coming out of turn four, he touched wheels with [Dennis Firestone](/source/Dennis_Firestone) and spun into the outside wall. Then the car flipped up in the air and landed upside-down on its roll bar. Rutherford escaped with a concussion and only minor cuts and lacerations. *'''1985:''' In the second-to-last race of the season at Phoenix, [Al Unser Sr.](/source/Al_Unser) and [Al Unser Jr.](/source/Al_Unser_Jr.) finished first-second, and ended the day within three points of each other going into the season finale. The father and son battle for the 1985 championship is famous in Indy car lore. ==References== {{reflist|30em}} ==External links== * Champ Car Stats: [http://www.champcarstats.com/tracks/phoenixdirt.htm Fairgrounds archive] * Ultimate Racing History: [http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist3.php?trackid=62 Fairgrounds archive] {{Champ Car Races}} Category:Champ Car races Category:Motorsport in Arizona Category:Sports in Phoenix, Arizona Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1964 Category:Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1986 Category:1964 establishments in Arizona Category:1986 disestablishments in Arizona --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Phoenix 100](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_100) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_100?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.