Bobby Ball (racing driver)

Robert Kay Ball<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> (August 26, 1925 – February 27, 1954) was an American racecar driver.<ref name="Gates">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early life

Ball'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.<ref name="Gates"/>

Racing career

Ball 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.<ref name="Gates"/>

Ball won the AAA Championship race at San Jose in November 1952.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name="Gates"/>

Bobby Ball Memorial

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} For 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Driver Jack McGrath was killed in an accident during the 1955 race.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Starting in 1956, the race was sanctioned by USAC,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and continued as a 100-mile contest at the fairgrounds through its 1963 edition.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1964, the race moved to the newly opened Phoenix International Raceway and was run at a distance of 200 miles.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It continued as a 200-mile race through the 1969 edition,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> then was run at a 150-mile distance starting with the 1970 edition, which was won by Swede Savage.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The October 1971 edition was won by A. J. Foyt,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> after which, the race was renamed through sponsorship from Best Western for its 1972 edition.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bobby Ball naming returned for the 1976–1978 editions, the last of which was title sponsored by Miller High Life.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Complete AAA Championship Car results

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

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired 1951 52 29 134.098 9 5 200 0 Running 1952 55 17 134.725 23 32 34 0 Gear case Totals 234 0

Starts 2 Poles 0 Front Row 0 Wins 0 Top 5 1 Top 10 1 Retired 1

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(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

External links

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