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.

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.

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.

Art was fourth fastest in practice on May 3, with a lap speed of 188.877 mph and teammate Caruthers was fifth fastest with a lap at 181.268 for the Fletcher Team.

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.

On Art’s birthday, May 5th, he received a great present from his crew, a car that made him part of the “190 Club” at the Speedway. Art was the 7th fastest of the day with a lap speed of 192.700 mph. which was also the 7th fastest speed of the month so far. Swede Savage was still the fastest of the month with a lap at 197.802 mph.

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.

On May 9th, teammate Jimmy Caruthers got both of the Fletcher/Cobre cars into the Speedway’s “190 Club” with a speed of 190.600 mph. On Friday, May 11th, the final practice session prior to Pole Day at the Brickyard, Pollard was the fastest of the day in his #64 Cobre Firestone Special Eagle with a lap of 193.631 mph.

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. 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.  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.