Indianapolis 500
Starting Grid for the 1972 Indianapolis 500
| Position | Car Num. | Driver | Car Name/Entrant* | Make/Model | Qual Speed |
| 1 | 6 | Bobby Unser (W) | Olsonite Eagle | Eagle/Offy | 195.940 |
| 2 | 12 | Peter Revson | Gulf McLaren | McLaren/Offy | 192.880 |
| 3 | 66 | Mark Donohue | Sunoco McLaren | McLaren/Offy | 191.400 |
| 4 | 7 | Gary Bettenhausen | Sunoco McLaren | McLaren/Offy | 188.870 |
| 5 | 9 | Mario Andretti (W) | Viceroy | Parnelli/Offy | 187.610 |
| 6 | 1 | Joe Leonard | Samsonite | Parnelli/Offy | 185.220 |
| 7 | 34 | Sam Posey (R) | Norris Eagle | Eagle/Offy | 184.370 |
| 8 | 18 | Johnny Rutherford | Patrick Petroleum | Brabham/Offy | 183.230 |
| 9 | 42 | Swede Savage (R) | Michner Industries | Eagle/Offy | 181.720 |
| 10 | 15 | Steve Krisiloff | Ayr-Way/Lloyd's | Kingfish/Offy | 181.430 |
| 11 | 5 | Lloyd Ruby | Wynn's | Atlanta/Foyt | 181.410 |
| 12 | 23 | Mel Kenyon | Gilmore Racing | Coyote/Ford | 181.380 |
| 13 | 56 | Jim Hurtubise | Miller High Life | Coyote/Foyt | 181.050 |
| 14 | 89 | John Martin (R) | Unsponsored | Brabham/Offy | 179.610 |
| 15 | 48 | Jerry Grant | Mystery Eagle | Eagle/Offy | 189.290 |
| 16 | 98 | Mike Mosley | Vivitar | Eagle/Offy | 189.140 |
| 17 | 2 | A.J. Foyt (W) | ITT-Thompson | Coyote/Foyt | 188.990 |
| 18 | 3 | Bill Vukovich II | Sugaripe Prune | Eagle/Offy | 184.810 |
| 19 | 4 | Al Unser (W) | Viceroy | Parnelli/Offy | 183.610 |
| 20 | 14 | Roger McCluskey | American Marine Underwriters | Antares/Offy | 182.680 |
| 21 | 84 | George Snider | ITT-Thompson | Coyote/Foyt | 230.800 |
| 22 | 95 | Carl Williams | City of Terre Haute | Eagle/Offy | 180.460 |
| 23 | 44 | Dick Simon | TraveLodge Sleeper | Lola/Foyt | 180.420 |
| 24 | 52 | Sam Sessions | Gene White Firestone | Lola/Ford | 180.410 |
| 25 | 60 | Mike Hiss (R) | STP Pylon Windshield Wiper Blade | Eagle/Offy | 179.010 |
| 26 | 24 | Gordon Johncock | Gulf McLaren | McLaren/Offy | 188.510 |
| 27 | 33 | Salt Walther (R) | Dayton Disc Brakes | P.J. Colt/Foyt | 180.540 |
| 28 | 17 | Denny Zimmerman | Bryant Heating & Cooling | McLaren/Offy | 180.020 |
| 29 | 31 | John Mahler (R) | Harbor Fuel Oil | McLaren/Offy | 179.490 |
| 30 | 37 | Lee Kunzman (R) | Caves Buick Company | Gerhardt/Offy | 179.260 |
| 31 | 11 | Jimmy Caruthers (R) | US Armed Forces/Steed | Scorpion/Foyt | 178.900 |
| 32 | 21 | Cale Yarborough | Bill Daniels GOP | Atlanta/Foyt | 178.860 |
| 33 | 40 | Wally Dallenbach | STP Oil Treatment | Lola/Foyt | 181.620 |
- * complete car name/entrant data not available for all entries
- (R) - Indicates Rookie
- (W) - Indicates Past Winner