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1967 THERMO-KING Pacific Racing 1969 IN THE BLOOD 
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1972-73 Race Statistics Special Thanks to Motorsports.com for many of these stats.
 Photo by Bill Oursler May, 1972 - On May 7th Art Pollard became the 13th member of the 180-plus club as he posted the 7th fastest time of the day. Pollard did the unbelievable as he ran over 180 mph in the STP Oil Treatment Special #40. The #40 car just arrived at the track that morning and after being inspected, Art took to the track and passed the 180 mark in just a few laps. Art's speed was 180.252 mph. Pollard's fast lap was turned less than two hours after the car made its first appearance on the track - a new speed record for passing membership requirements for the "180 Club." Pole day was rained out and rescheduled for Sunday. On Sunday only 12 cars were able to qualify due to intense frustration brought on by rain, blown engines and crashes. The most tragic of the crashes occured in the Sunday morning practice session. 36 year old Jim Malloy of Denver, Colorado (who finished 2nd to Art in the Rex Mays 150 in 1969), was fatally injured. Jim Malloy was consistently the fastest in the first week of practice, slammed the turn 3 wall in the #16 Thermo-King Special and caught fire. Jim was unconcious and suffered two broken arms, two broken legs and second degree burns to his face, hands and feet. He was rushed to Methodist Hospital and was placed in the intesive care unit in critical condition. Malloy never regained conciousness and passed away from his injuries at 10:35 a.m. on May 18th. Finally, at 2:45 pm qualifications for the Indy 500 got under way. Billy Vukovich was the first car to roll out. On Vuky's first lap he officially broke Peter Revson's year old track record turning an official lap of 185.797 mph. On the next lap, he crashed in turn one. Vuky was uninjured. Next was Mosley, but his car stalled on the backstretch on his fourth lap. Then it rained! Finally at 4:14 pm Art Pollard rolled onto the track. Art qualified the #40 STP Oil Treatment Special Lola (shown above) for the 500.
Photo courtesy of Bob Pollard A post qualifying accident left Art with a badly broken leg (shown above) and unable to race. Wally Dallenbach stepped in to the car for the race and finished 15th after numerous pit fires and starting shotgun on the field in 33rd. Mark Donohue won the race.
Photo & Bio from 1972 California 500 Program September 3, 1972 - Art returned to racing in a big way with a 7th place finish in a rain and jack rabbit interrupted California 500 at the Ontario Motor Speedway. Art started in the back of the field in 31st but when the checkered flag waved, Art had the #20 STP Oil Filter Lola in the seventh position. Roger McCluskey was the race winner and Art was awarded with 300 Championship points and $13,934.00. September 24, 1972 - At Trenton Art qualified the #20 STP Oil Treatment Special Lola in the 16th spot and nabbed another top ten with a 9th place finish. Art won 120 Championship points and $2,421.00. Bobby Unser won the race. November 4, 1972 - Art missed his third consecutive top ten finish by one spot at Phoenix with an 11th place finish. He did however finsh high enough to win 30 Championship points and $1,440.00. Art started #20 STP Oil Treatment Special Lola in the 9th spot and Bobby Unser won the race. If not for the broken leg, 1972 would have most likely proved to have been Art's finest year in points on the Championship Trail. April 7, 1973 - In the College Station Texas 200 Art qualified the #20 STP Lola eleventh. Art ran only 32 laps before a broken front hub took him out of the race. Art finished 19th and won $1,271.00. Al Unser won the race.
Photo courtesy of Mike Pollard May 1973 - Indianapolis, Indiana Art turned a lap of 171.723 mph while shaking down the #64 Cobre Firestone Eagle on his first day out which was the second day of official practice for the Memorial Day classic.
Photo courtesy of Mike Pollard
On May 1st, a day with 21 mph winds, Pollard took his #64 Cobre Firestone Special to a lap speed of 182.002 mph as teammate Jimmy Caruthers in the #21 turned laps at 173 mph.
 Photo courtesy of Mike Pollard
Pollard was 5th fastest in practice with a lap speed of 189.194 mph and again, Caruthers was right behind Art with the sixth fastest speed of 187.149 mph.
Photo courtesy of Mike Pollard
Art was the fast man of the day at the speedway on May 6th. Of the 25 cars which saw track time between the rain showers, Pollard was the fastest with a lap of 193.923 mph in his #64 Cobre Firestone Special.
Photo courtesy of Mike Pollard May 12, 1973 - On a windy pole day at Indy, Art Pollard went out for the morning practice session prior to qualifying for the 1973 Indianapolis 500. Less than an hour into the morning session, at 9:37 am the #64 Cobre Firestone Special Eagle from the Fletcher Racing stable clipped the wall coming out of turn one. The car did a half-spin as it headed to the grass on the inside of the short chute where the chassis dug in and it began a series of violent flips as it reached the pavement again in turn two where it finally came to a stop in the middle of the track. The total distance covered was 1450 feet. The car was demolished. The impact tore off two wheels immediately. The wings were also torn off. Pollard's lap prior to the crash was timed at a speed of 192+ mph. Pollard was rushed to Methodist Hospital in the new Cardiac ambulance. His injuries were reported to include pulmonary damage due to flame inhalation, burns on both hands, face and neck, and a broken arm. One hour and three minutes later, at 10:40 a.m. the world lost a great race driver and a true gentleman in turns one and two. - God Speed to you Art Pollard, thanks for the memories.
 ...And heeeeee's on it! Art exits turn four at Indy one last time in the morning practice session. Photo courtesy of Mike Pollard
Photo courtesy of Mike Pollard
Jim Chini Photo from 1973 Hungness 500 Yearbook
 Continue Art Pollard Tribute Site established April 2, 2002 
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