1950
INDIANAPOLIS
“THE UNFINISHED 500”
Plus:
“MARQUETTE GOES TO THE RACES”
and
“THE BIG RACE”
“The
Unfinished 500”, “Marquette Goes To The Races”
and “The Big Race” are three vintage films about
the 1950 Indianapolis 500, and all three films are included
in beautiful COLOR on a new 50-minute DVD!
“The Unfinished 500” is a generic film that has
the best overall race coverage. “Marquette Goes To The
Races” gives a more behind-the-scenes look at preparations
for the race, and work on the different cars prior to the 500.
“The Big Race” presented by Ford Motor Company,
shows even more different shots of the speedway and the race
on Memorial Day!
The DVD begins with “The
Unfinished 500” by Dynamic Films, produced for Mobil Oil.
During preparation and qualifying you’ll see nice shots
of several racing personalities of the day, such as official
starter Seth Klein, Lou Moore, owner of the four beautiful Blue
Crown cars, and drivers Bill Holland, Chet Miller and Jack McGrath.
Shown also are the Novi’s of Miller and Duke Nalon, Leo
Dobry’s Esmeralda, the #26 Ray Brady Special with George
Fonder at the wheel and the #44 Bowes car of Bill Cantrell.
Action from the first and fourth days of qualifications is shown,
with Jack McGrath being the first to qualify! Successful attempts
are also shown of Johnnie Parsons, Jerry Hoyt, and finally Walt
Faulkner in J.C. Agajanian’s #98 Grant Piston Ring Special,
which sets a new record of 134.343 just before track closing
for the day! After a Mobil Oil commercial, action from the final
day of qualifying is shown. A fascinating shot of the track
from out of the windows of the old pagoda, as well as some words
from Joe Quinn precede scenes of the annual drivers meeting.
At the start of the race, Faulkner dives into turn one first,
but is passed by Mauri Rose by the end of the first lap. You’ll
see shots of Lou Moore’s pits and soon what was a beautiful
sunny morning begins to become overcast. The cameras catch the
spinout of Bill Schindler in the #67 orange and black Auto Shippers
Special. Mauri Rose’s #31 Keck Offy catches fire during
a pit stop, but the crew extinguishes it and Mauri returns to
the race and eventually finishes third! After 275 miles it’s
last year’s winner Holland in the #3 Blue Crown leading,
with Parsons in second and Rose third. It’s really beginning
to get dark at the south end of the track and looks like rain!
You’ll see Holland come in for tires and get away in 67
seconds! At the 338-mile mark the downpour arrives, and the
yellow comes out for three laps, before Seth Klein red flags
the race at 345 miles. Johnnie Parsons wins, with Holland finishing
second! Parsons’ car is shown being pushed by the crew
toward victory lane!
The
promotional film by Marquette manufacturing Company (makers
of Marquette welders and battery chargers) shows the role Marquette
played in 1950 getting the cars ready for the race on Memorial
Day. During this segment you’ll see several of the cars
close up as a specific welding job is done on each car in preparation
for the “500”. Shock absorber arms are welded on
Lee Wallard’s #8 Blue Crown Special and Ralph Pratt’s
red #19 Lutes Special. Frame welding is shown on Milt Frankhouser’s
#41 Karl Hall Special. Walt Brown’s #4 Tuffy’s Offy,
Andy Linden’s #9 Broome Special and Bob Sweikert’s
green #64 Carter Special are also shown. Note that some of these
entries did not even make the race and color shots of these
cars are very rare! (In fact, films used to make this DVD are
the only copies known to exist!) You’ll be able to identify
other cars entered, such as Walt Ader’s white #27 Sampson
Special, Tony Bettenhausen’s #14 Blue Crown car and Jimmy
Davies’ #22 Pat Clancy Special. Shown in greater detail
are the following cars: Danny Kladis and the brown #39 Federal
Engineering Special, Cliff Griffith’s white #66 Sarafoff
Special (first alternate) and Jackie Holmes’ white #77
Norm Olsen Special. Shown qualifying is Jimmy Jackson in the
green #61 Cummins Diesel, the first diesel powered car ever
to make the field!
“The
Big Race” (presented by Ford Motor Company) includes fabulous
color shots of the old speedway entrance, grandstands and the
old pagoda. You’ll see closeups of the yellow Mercury
pace car with driver Benson Ford, starter Seth Kline and Wilbur
Shaw at the drivers meeting presenting a new wrist watch to
rookie Walt Faulkner, who was fastest qualifier! Before the
race, you’ll see Chet Miller’s #43 Novi, Jim Rathmann’s
red #76 Pioneer Auto Special and Joie Chitwood’s red #17
Wolfe Special. Shown stopping for service are George Connor
in Blue Crown Special #5 and Myron Fohr in the white #2 Bardahl
car. Duke Dinsmore in the Brown #69 is the first car out of
the race. Henry Banks in the white #12 I.R.C. Special climbs
out of the car to rest during a “quick” 2-minute
routine pit stop! Watch Bill Holland come in with Lou Moore’s
#3 and get service! Race winner Johnnie Parsons’ car is
shown before and during the race – also of course, after
the race in Victory Lane!
Now you can get this new DVD
of the historic 1950 race for only $29.95 + $4.00 for shipping.
(Illinois residents must add $2.00 sales tax.)
