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The First Ever "500 Miles Of California"
at Ontario Motor Speedway
Plus:
The First Ever "Schaefer 500"
at Pocono International Raceway
(Both on one DVD!)
Open wheel
racing fans can now relive Indy Car racing history at two famous
tracks that first held 500-mile races within a year of each other!
The first ever "500 Miles Of California" (1970) at brand new Ontario
Motor Speedway and the first ever "Schaefer 500" at Pocono are now
both available on a new full-color 51-minute DVD from Rare Sportsfilms.
The "500 Miles Of California" is presented by STP and features the STP Granatelli racing team with young driver Mario Andretti. This rare film follows Andy Granatelli and Mario from fairgrounds dirt track racing to the new, modern concrete speedways built in the early 1970’s. Along the way you’ll see action at Springfield, Illinois and Milwaukee State Fair Park, but mostly at brand new Ontario Motor Speedway! Included are informal and closeup shots of racing personalities such as Joe Granatelli, A.J. Foyt, Bobby Unser, and Jim McElreath. Scenes of practice and qualifying at Ontario include Art Pollard in the #64 Quickick car and George Follmer, Mario’s teammate, in the red #20 STP machine. Follmer is shown spinning out on his first qualification attempt. The cameras take you behind the scenes into the STP garage as Granatelli gets both STP cars ready for the race.
Lloyd Ruby is on the pole as the first Ontario race gets underway, and live sound permits you to hear the actual voice of the track announcer during the race. Jim Hurtubise, the last place starter, hits the wall and his #56 Genesee car is the first out of the race. Pit action throughout shows Andretti, George Follmer, Al Unser (who leads most of the race), A.J. Foyt, Joe Leonard, Peter Revson and Lee Roy Yarbrough. A.J. Foyt in his red #7 Sheraton-Thompson Special crashes but his teammate, Jim McElreath, is in second place with only 4 laps to go! Art Pollard and McElreath fight it out in an exciting finish, and McElreath streaks to his biggest win, a 2-second victory over Pollard, to capture the first ever Ontario 500!
Also on this DVD is the 1971 Schaefer
500 at Pocono, the first 500-mile race ever run at this brand new
facility! Again, you’ll hear live sound throughout as the track
announcer is heard describing the action. Covered is the official
ribbon cutting ceremony opening the track, scenes of the building
of the track, practice and interviews with A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones,
Mario, Charlie Tabucchi, George Snider, and Al Unser as they give
their opinions of the new track and the upcoming race. Mark Donohue,
driving Roger Penske’s blue #66 Sunoco car, is on the pole and leads
the early part of the race. For the first time in major USAC competition
the "bunch up" rule is in effect, and so when Cale Yarborough blows
his engine, the field pulls up on leader Donohue. Again, pit action
is shown, including scenes of leader Donohue, Al Unser, Joe Leonard,
Andretti, and Bobby Unser. Spins, crashes, and mechanical failures
take their toll, as Yarborough, George Snider, Steve Krisiloff,
Donnie Allison, Jim McElreath, Peter Revson and Gordon Johncock
are all victims. On this film you’ll hear the drivers themselves
tell what happened to eliminate them from competition: Joe Leonard,
Donnie Allison, George Snider, Johncock, and Jim Hurtubise. With
9 laps to go, Joe Leonard passes Donohue for the lead but Mark takes
back first place on lap 198 and finishes 1.61 seconds ahead of Leonard
to win the first ever Pocono 500! Donohue is shown in victory lane
with car owner Roger Penske and you’ll hear his comments on the
race.
To get your own color DVD of both
of these rare films, send $29.95 + $4.00 for shipping
and handling. (Illinois residents must add $2.00 sales tax.)
"RARE SPORTSFILMS N",
1126 Tennyson Lane,
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 527-8890
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