F1Everything

Robert Kay Ball (August 26, 1925 – February 27, 1954) was an American racecar driver.

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.

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.

Ball won the AAA Championship race at San Jose in November 1952. 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.

Bobby Ball Memorial

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. Driver Jack McGrath was killed in an accident during the 1955 race. Starting in 1956, the race was sanctioned by USAC, and continued as a 100-mile contest at the fairgrounds through its 1963 edition. In 1964, the race moved to the newly opened Phoenix International Raceway and was run at a distance of 200 miles. It continued as a 200-mile race through the 1969 edition, then was run at a 150-mile distance starting with the 1970 edition, which was won by Swede Savage. The October 1971 edition was won by A. J. Foyt, after which, the race was renamed through sponsorship from Best Western for its 1972 edition. Bobby Ball naming returned for the 1976–1978 editions, the last of which was title sponsored by Miller High Life.

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

Original Wikipedia article last retrieved on 16 December 2023.