Phoenix 150

[Rick Jones]

This probably should be on the nostalgia forum but it's been slow over there and I think all race fans will enjoy this. When checking out the Ontario video from 1978 on another thread I came across this Wide World of Sports video of the 1970 Phoenix 150. If you have over an hour and half, this 7 part video is well worth your time on may levels. It's neat to hear Jim McKay, and Chris Economacki in the booth calling the race. Both are far better than what we hear today and Roger Ward covers the pits quite well. The cars are beautiful and boy the Phoenix track has come a long way since 1970.
Take some time and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM71ZcHs0X4&feature=related

[Stick500]

man they were fast with those extinguishers on that red flag wreck! You could tell everyone was very afraid of fire in those days

according to Gary B. there were 6 slower drivers in the field that didn't deserve to be out there- guess the Milka Syndrome is nothing new

Rodger Ward to Gordon Johncock "I have the boy here who was involved in that front straight crash...."

Cris E: "There's a $50,000 machine reduced to junk..."

wonder what show the delayed race interrupted? Lawrence Welk??

[chaparral 2k]

ABC was really good about telecasting the races from Phoenix - they did it every year back in the 70's.

[Rick Jones]

I remember watching Swede Savage win at Phoenix in a Dan Gurney car on Wide World of Sports back in the day. The Unser's in 1970 had a lap on everyone. It seems such a long time since the day when cars blowing their engines was the norm.

[Since83]

The Rex Mays 300 race from Riverside is also very interesting (saw it on the sidebar of the Phoenix race noted). What a set of cars and drivers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RshOAfDgE7Q&feature=related

[millrace]

No one able to keep up with Mario and Al Unser after the first two laps.

[Firstturnpro]

Now this is racing. No wings, no ground effects and drivers actually driving the cars. This is the way it should be today, with today's safety advances added of coarse.

[chaparral 2k]

I like how most of the drivers where just tough ol' cowboys back then.

[Rick Jones]

I'd say about half way through the race Al is alone in turn four and he has a huge wiggle that he catches. Both announcers missed it. Another miss by the announcers was in turn two, I believe it was Bobby Unser, Art Pollard, and Lloyd Ruby closing in on a back marker while they were racing each other for third place. The shot was from the mountain top cam and you could see the first car easily make it around the slow car, but the second in line had to lock up his wheels in a puff of smoke allowing the fifth place car to slide past into fourth. That would have been an exciting "King Hero", "Dr. Jack", or Milka moment by more contemporary standards with a great deal of public aired criticism.

[jp]

I'm not sure what's more amazing. How fast they accelerated on the straights...or how slow they crept through the turns.

Great stuff.

jp

[CARTer]

I'm not sure what's more amazing. How fast they accelerated on the straights...or how slow they crept through the turns.

Great stuff.

jp

That's what first hit me, too. Well, that and the fact that most of the top drivers in that race were still racing on into the '90s.

[Craigar1]

Cool video. Very racy track/machines/drivers.

[Bruce Spencer]

Check out part 3 at 9:15. I'm pretty sure that's Wanda Unser, Al's wife (at the time). And that lil red headed kid in the STP T shirt drinking a soda... gotta be Lil Al.