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"THE 1964 500"
The Dynamic Films version of the tragic 1964 Indianapolis 500 is now available on home video in COLOR! Entirely different from our previously released 1964 video "Way Of A Champion", "The 1964 Indianapolis 500" is a more generic account of the month of May at the Speedway, including practice, qualifications and the race itself. Of course, the 1964 500 will always be remembered as the most tragic on record, with the most spectacular wreck in speedway history taking the lives of rookie Dave MacDonald and popular veteran Eddie Sachs.
Throughout the film, narrated by the late voice of the 500 Sid Collins, you'll see many of the drivers in nice, close-up shots: Jim Clark, Parnelli Jones, Jack Brabham, Johnny Boyd, Duane Carter, Sachs, Bobby Marshman, Rodger Ward, Walt Hansgen, Bobby Johns, Chuck Stevenson, Bob Wente, Bill Cheesbourg, and of course, National Champion A.J. Foyt. During practice, a half-dozen spins/crashes are shown. Many cars are shown close-up, such as those of Parnelli Jones, Ward, Foyt, Walt Hansgen, Marshman, Dick Rathman, Bobby Unser, and Bob Wente. Also shown are some cars which did not qualify, such as Jerry Grant's #45 Bardahl Special and Johnny Rutherford's #10 Racing Associates Offy. This year new, wider tires enabled the cars to go the entire distance for the first time without a tire change! Qualifications are covered in detail, and the attempts of Ward, Marshman, Clark, Foyt, Parnelli and Sachs are shown. During qualifying, more spins and crashes are shown of failed attempts by Bud Tingelstad, Dempsey Wilson, Bobby Johns, Chuck Rodee, Ed Kostenuk, Chuck Arnold and Paul Russo. When qualifications are over, the front row is made up of pole-sitter Clark, Marshman and Ward, all driving rear engine Fords.
The gay and colorful festivities of raceday are a sharp contrast to what will soon follow, as pole-sitter Jim Clark jumps into the lead at the start, with Bobby Marshman second followed by Ward, Foyt and Dan Gurney the first five after one lap. Nearing the end of lap two Dave MacDonald spins into the inside wall coming off turn four. His car immediately explodes in a ball of flame and skids across the track, directly into the path of oncoming Eddie Sachs. As Sachs plows into MacDonald his car also explodes. Johnny Rutherford's car climbs over Bobby Unser's Novi. Ronnie Duman smashes into the inside wall and his car bursts into flame, with Chuck Stevenson and Norm Hall also involved, as huge billows of black smoke pour skyward. The accident is then described in detail and re-shown in slo-motion. A burned and bandaged Ronnie Duman is helped into a waiting helicopter for the trip to Methodist hospital. Altogether, seven cars are out of the race, and for the first time in speedway history the race is stopped for an accident. After an hour and 45-minute delay for cleanup, Clark and Marshman again take up the battle for the lead, with Foyt and Jones fighting for fifth. Hard-charging Marshman passes Clark to take the lead on lap seven, and stretches his lead to 27 seconds! However, on one of his low passes on the apron, Bobby's car bottoms out, tearing out the plug in his oil pan. Clark inherits the lead, but on lap 47, his rear suspension is torn apart when a LR tire chunks. Rodger Ward comes in early for his first pit stop, but a fuel mixture valve jams, forcing him into making twice as many pit stops as planned. Meanwhile, Foyt and Jones now battle for the lead. After 140 miles, Jones makes a scheduled pit stop, but as he pulls away, his gas tank explodes! Parnelli leaps out of the car near the end of the pits, his #98 enveloped in an invisible alcohol flame! With Jones out, Foyt has the lead all to himself. He pulls up on Ward and passes him, putting Rodger a full lap behind. As the race grinds on, others are shown having their troubles: Troy Ruttman spins out in turn four. Bill Cheesbourg blows his engine on lap 131. Bobby Grim spins out in turn two with only four laps to go. But this race belongs to A.J. Foyt, now a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500!
You can get your own color copy of this vintage film, now available on video for the first time ever! Send $24.95 + $5.00 for shipping and handling to:
(Illinois residents must add $2.00 tax)
"RARE SPORTSFILMS N",
1126 Tennyson Lane,
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 527-8890
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