Gary Bettenhausen leads 138 laps until his engine blows on lap 176. Jerry Grant gets the lead but pits for new tires and fuel on lap 188 in teammate Bobby Unser's pit. Bettenhausen's Penske teammate Mark Donohue wins after leading 13 laps. It would be owner Roger Penske's first of 15 Indy 500 victories (as of 2011).
After a post-race re-examination, Jerry grant is disqualified for taking on fuel from another drivers pit tank, and his final 12 laps are not scored. Bolt-on wings were allowed for the first time, and during qualifying Bobby Unser runs over 196 mph (315 km/h), breaking the one-year-old track record by over 17 mph (27 km/h). During the race, Wally Dallenbach Sr.'s car catches fire on each of his three refueling stops.
Indy 500 - 1972 - Mike Mosley Crash For Country: United States. City: Fayetteville, Johnson City, Joliet, Kansas City, Madison