1972: A.J.'s Sunday drive

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- For the second straight year, A.J. Foyt had the car to beat. In the 14th annual Daytona 500, Foyt's foes failed to mount a serious challenge over the final 300 miles, allowing the three-time Indy 500 champ to stroll into Victory Lane.

	The Wood brothers' No. 21 Mercury

Once primary challenger Richard Petty broke a valve on lap 80 while leading, all Foyt had to do was point his Wood Brothers Mercury straight down the track, which he did at a record speed of 161.550 mph. Foyt led 167 laps, including the final 120.

The only excitement Foyt experienced all day might have come on the final lap, when Jim Hurtubise's car blew an engine, covering Foyt's windshield with oil.

"It was like dropping a sheet over your sunglasses," Foyt said. "I had a small peephole and at the speed I was going, it was exciting. It might not have seemed exciting to you guys, but it was to me."

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Charlie Glotzbach was a distant second, one lap behind. Jim Vandiver and Benny Parsons were six laps off the torrid pace set by Foyt.

Misfortune wiped out the rest of Foyt's competition before the midway point.

For the second straight year, Buddy Baker was piloting one of the Petty team's Dodges. But his day ended early when his car was clipped by Walter Ballard's wildly-flipping Ford coming out of Turn 4 on lap 18.

1972 Daytona 500 Top 10  1. A.J. Foyt  2. Charlie Glotzbach  3. Jim Vandiver  4. Benny Parsons  5. James Hylton  6. Cale Yarborough  7. David Sisco  8. Jabe Thomas  9. John Sears  10. Vic Elford

"It was a rough way to go," Baker said. "My car was running so good. I figured we'd win easy. But that's racing."

Ballard's car was a pile of junk, but amazingly, he was unhurt.

"I was trying to let Petty and Baker past," Ballard said. "I came up on a slow car and got forced into the wall. Buddy got clipped when I was knocked sideways."

Pole-sitter Bobby Isaac retired one lap later with engine problems. Bobby Allison, who led two laps early in the race, was hampered by a broken windshield and finished 16th.

This is one in a series of articles counting down to the 2003 Daytona 500.