De 24 uur van Daytona 1972 was de 10e editie van deze endurancerace. De race werd verreden op 31 januari en 1 februari 1971 op de Daytona International Speedway nabij Daytona Beach, Florida.
De race werd gewonnen door de J. W. Automotive Engineering #2 van Pedro Rodríguez en Jackie Oliver. Voor Rodríguez was het zijn vierde Daytona-zege, waarmee hij zijn eigen record aanscherpte, terwijl Oliver zijn eerste overwinning behaalde. De GT+2.5-klasse werd gewonnen door de Owens Corning Fiberglass #11 van Tony DeLorenzo, Don Yenko en John Mahler. De P-klasse werd gewonnen door de North American Racing Team #21 van Néstor García Veiga, Luigi Chinetti jr. en Alain de Cadenet. De GT2.5-klasse werd gewonnen door de David Heinz Racing Inc. #57 van Dave Heinz en Or Costanzo. De T-klasse werd gewonnen door de Tokondo Racing #17 van Vince Gimondo en Chuck Dietrich.
Race Winnaars in hun klasse zijn vetgedrukt.
Pos. Klasse No. Team Coureurs Chassis Ronden 1 S 2 J. W. Automotive Engineering Pedro Rodríguez Jackie Oliver Porsche 917K 688 2 S 23 North American Racing Team Ronnie Bucknum Tony Adamowicz Ferrari 512S Spyder 687 3 S 6 Penske-White Racing Mark Donohue David Hobbs Ferrari 512M Special 674 4 GT+2.5 11 Owens Corning Fiberglass Tony DeLorenzo Don Yenko John Mahler Chevrolet Corvette 613 5 P 21 North American Racing Team Néstor García Veiga Luigi Chinetti jr. Alain de Cadenet Ferrari 312 P/71 584 6 GT+2.5 57 David Heinz Racing Inc. Dave Heinz Or Costanzo Chevrolet Corvette 581 7 GT2.5 5 Sun Oil Company Jacques Duval George Nicholas Bob Bailey Porsche 914/6 579 8 GT2.5 19 Ralph Meaney Stephen Behr John Buffum Erwin Kremer Porsche 914/6 571 9 GT2.5 31 Locke Lake Colony Bert Everett Jim Locke Jim Netterstrom Porsche 911T 570 10 GT+2.5 50 John Greenwood John Greenwood Allan Barker Dick Lang Chevrolet Corvette 554 11 T 17 Tokondo Racing Vince Gimondo Chuck Dietrich Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 542 12 P 45 Baker Motor Company Clive Baker Bob Grossman Sam Brown Charles Reynolds Chevron B16 534 13 T 42 Garcia Racing Jose Garcia Javier Garcia Luis Sereix Richard Small Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 527 14 GT2.5 10 Walle Enterprises Ray Walle Michael Sherwin Porsche 911 S 498 15 P 43 Jean-Pierre Hanrioud Jean-Pierre Hanrioud Jean Sage Chevron B16 488 16 GT2.5 44 Art Bunker Bob Hindson Kendall Noah Art Bunker Porsche 911 T 488 17 GT2.5 51 Waldron Motors Racing Team Jim Gammon Dean Donley Carlos Garza MGB GT 483 18 GT+2.5 64 Robert Luebbe Robert Luebbe Bob Baechle John Orr Chevrolet Corvette 469 19 T 89 Houghton Smith Ray Brimble Houghton Smith Chevrolet Camaro 452 20 T 72 Bob Mitchell Bob Mitchell Charlie Kemp Chevrolet Camaro 408 DNF GT2.5 18 Ralph Meaney Ralph Meaney Bill Bean Gary Wright Porsche 914/6 470 DNF S 3 Martini & Rossi Racing Team Helmut Marko Rudi Lins Porsche 917K 462 DNF T 33 John McComb John McComb Bob Tullius Ford Mustang 395 DNF T 36 Racing Specialties Co. Warren Matzen Tom Heyser Dick Sears Ford Mustang 369 DNF GT2.5 16 Toad Hall Racing Michael Keyser Bob Beasley Bruce Jennings Porsche 911 S 337 DNF GT2.5 52 Waldron Motors Racing Team Ben Scott Lowell Lanier Dave Houser MGB GT 311 DNF T 97 Susan Trumbull Cummings Warren Stumes Don Cummings Shelby GT350 306 DNF S 4 Martini & Rossi Racing Team Vic Elford Gijs van Lennep Porsche 917K 274 DNF GT2.5 59 Brumos Porsche Audi Corp Peter Gregg Hurley Haywood Porsche 914/6 260 DNF T 98 Ed Matthews Ed Matthews Swede Savage Danny Ongais Ford Mustang 238 DNF T 47 Bruce Behrens Racing John Tremblay Bill McDill Bob Beatty Chevrolet Camaro 230 DNF T 88 Norberto Mastandrea Norberto Mastandrea Tony Lilly Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 215 DNF S 22 North American Racing Team Peter Revson Sam Posey Chuck Parsons Luigi Chinetti jr. Ferrari 512M 202 DNF GT2.5 15 K&T Enterprises Peter Kirill Ash Tisdelle Porsche 911 S 163 DNF S 28 Escuderia Montjuich Arturo Merzario José Juncadella Ferrari 512S 161 DNF GT2.5 70 William Davidson John Belperche William Davidson Triumph GT6 157 DNF GT2.5 14 Boykin Auto Repairs C. C. Canada Joe Hine Wilbur Pickett Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 137 DNF S 26 Jacques Swaters Hughes de Fierlant Gustave Gosselin Ferrari 512S 124 DNF T 92 B.F. Goodrich Tire Co. John Cordts Don Pike Pontiac Firebird 121 DNF S 1 J. W. Automotive Engineering Jo Siffert Derek Bell Porsche 917K 113 DNF T 79 Dan Moore Hal Lawrence Dan Moore Gary Bishop Shelby GT350 106 DNF GT2.5 8 American Racing Promotions Tom Nehl Charles Perry Porsche 911 S 88 DNF GT+2.5 12 Owens Corning Fiberglass Jerry Thompson John Mahler Chevrolet Corvette 83 DNF GT2.5 40 Fritz Hochreuter Fritz Hochreuter Rudy Bartling Porsche 911 58 DNF T 48 S-Car-Go-Racing Sheldon Dobkin John Maynard John Oliver Chevrolet Camaro 37 DNF T 74 Al Straub Al Straub Walter Brown Ford Mustang 35 DNF S 20 Young American Racing North American Racing Team Masten Gregory Gregg Young Ferrari 512M 16 DNF T 91 Larrauri Racing Ralph Noseda Pepe Nunez Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 9 DNS P 46 Baker Motor Company Bobby Rinzler Wayne Christian Tom Fraser Jim Baker Chevron B16 0 DNS T 75 Reventlow-Pettey Automobiles Paul Pettey Larry Bock Ford Mustang 0 DNQ T 35 Collins-Wilson Racing Ent. Larry Wilson Vincent Collins Chevrolet Camaro 0 DNQ T 37 Yenko Sportscars Inc. Robert Johnson Donna Mae Mims Kirt Wetzel Bob Nagel Chevrolet Vega 0 DNQ T 38 Simone Fleming Paul Fleming Amos Johnson Bill Barnes Fiat 124 Sport Coupe 0 DNQ GT2.5 41 Del Taylor Del Russo Taylor Ron Goldrich Buzz Dyer Ron Goldleaf Alfa Romeo GTV 0 DNQ T 55 Clearwater Datsun Bobby Clark Don Kearney Datsun 510 0 DNQ GT2.5 65 Homeline Corp. Robert Clark Donald Rhindress Lancia Fulvia HF 0 DNQ T 73 Robert Lewis Robert Lewis Charles Fairbrother Ford Cortina GT 0 DNQ T 77 Grand Prix Motors Buzz Marcus Larry Dent BMW 2002 0 DNQ T 80 Fred Lieb Fred Lieb Smokey Drolet Mitch Daroff Dodge Dart 0 DNQ T 81 Dieter Oest Mike Tillson Dieter Oest Rodolfo Junco Lancia Fulvia Rallye 0 DNQ T 87 Preston Hood Chevrolet John Elliott Don Gwynne Chevrolet Camaro 0 DNQ GT2.5 93 Donald Wright Robert Whitaker John Tunstall Ray Reed Volvo P1800 0
1971 Daytona