FAMOUS MEASURED MILE

[Music] 50 years ago on the hard Sands of Daytona Beach Auto Pioneers competed in tests of speed and safety and for 50 years the story of the automobile has been the story of men who dreamed and worked to prove in competition that they could make the motorc car better safer faster they still do this is Florida's and the country's greatest Automotive show of stock car [Music] performance [Music] the Air Force Thunderbirds Roar over the course in salute as fans of every age pack the grand sand and line the world famous fourmile Beach and road course this is the first running of this year's cars and the fans are waiting to see what the automaker's new models will do when the chips are [Music] [Applause] down the pace lap of the Grand National is underway 45 stock cars representing almost every American n what does a man do to turn the automobile you and I drive into a racing stock car safe and fast enough to compete on the toughest stock car track in the country months before the race work begins in Hometown garages after the day's work is done official rules require all engine parts to be standard equipment in production and available from the manufacturer only modifications to the body and suspension are permitted to improve handling and safety in competition suspension is reworked and strengthened a straight through exhaust system allows the engine to deliver maximum power without back pressure anything that adds weight without improving performance is removed headlights trim door handles hubcaps go the passenger side of the front seat goes the driver's area is p added to cushion the driver as he turns Corners at 120 mph seat belt and shoulder harness hold him in the seat as he bounces along rough straightaways at 140 mph roll bars anchored to the chassis will give him breathing space if he flips the instrument panel is reworked to tell him what he has to know at a glance oil water fuel and tachometer the engine is tuned and adjusted now the car is ready for a test run as it moves out of the garage it carries the hopes and dreams of weeks of [Music] work on back roads in the early morning hours the car is put to the test after the warm-up run the driver gets the word to open it up [Applause] [Music] run after run the car is shaken down for the final test it's brought to the beach here's how Paul Goldsmith top driver describes the run around the Four Mile course why you have a tendency to fish tail and spin all the way up the entire Beach clear to the north turn you get out fairly wide next to the ocean and you go into a soft sand before you get to the hard shell and the bank turn and then your car is pitching and bouncing about the middle of the turn you broadside a little bit and you get a hold of that black top and it your tires squeal for a little ways and it starts accelerating tremendously down the backstretch and the speed that you reach on the backstretch it's an excess of 140 mph several SP SPS I mean all four wheels will leave the ground from that's how rough it is going down through there there's one point that uh I'd say all four wheels must be all 6 in in the air it feels like when you're in the car and then you touch your brakes as it's coming down where we drop off into the high Bank turn which is uh shell clay and dirt and sand and it gets pretty slippery you proceed through the turn and you're coming out on the beach the time for testing is done race [Music] day the parade lap of Chevrolets mercuries plymouths Fords Pontiacs Chrysler Buick and old mobiles the field of 45 wheels off the 2-mile beach straightway and into the north turn the next time they hit this turn they will be shifting down into second at 120 mph 80 times they'll twist through these hairpin turns in a 160 m race that will torture chassis and engine more in one afternoon than 50,000 miles on the highway halfway down the asphalt backs ftch and heading for the South turn that will lead them back on the beach here they come they're picking up speed the green flag the race is on through the South turn safely and onto the beach the leaders jockey for position there's trouble in the the South turn two cars Collide fighting for the first lap position but no one is hurt down the beach Full Throttle gold smith and car number three Pontiac is in the lead into the tricky North turn sliding breaking shifting accelerating in Split seconds gold smith pours on the C as they hit the backstretch look out penny rraw in number 98 Mercury Rams the guard rail he's all right but his car stall this may start trouble the rest of the field make their way past the disabled car but watch out Frank Thompson and number 4 Ford smashes broadside into rraw and they both go through the rail watch it one two three other cars lose control but they stay on the track nobody's hurt and they're going back for more dick pul and number 61 Chevrolet spins into the inside Rail and two more cars are out of competition here comes the leader gold smith a number three at the end of the two-mile backstretch he dives into the South turn driving a steady even Pace that's building a lead Turner in number 26 Ford jams the accelerator to the floor and closes in Smokey unic mechanic on number three signals gosmith the Turner is a threat and as Goldsmith enters the north turn he begins to run wide open Turner in Ford number 26 is too close for [Music] comfort goldmouth average speed is 110 mph and Turner hot on his tail cuts the corners making every second [Music] count gold smith alone in the north turn can really make [Music] [Applause] [Music] time look out Fireball Roberts and Buick M1 and Phil or in a Chevrolet both lose control and slide frogs side around the north turn Roberts missed or by inches and they're both back in the running gold smith number three is still holding on to first place turn's out of control he slides through the safety markers and comes to a stop he recovers and guns the car back on the course what a show of car handling he's not through there's the White Flag oh only one more lap to go can number three PTI hold the lead for one more lap the fans are on their feet as number 26 Ford Roars after the leader Goldsmith misses a turn Turner is in sight gold Smith gets back onto the track with Turner only yards behind him Goldsmith Street for the checkered flag and wins the closest race ever run on Daytona's Beach and road course before the year is out drivers and mechanics will race stock cars 2,000 times on dirt and asphalt tracks around the country proving their experience and equipment in competition here's what Smoky unic winning mechanic has to say well in this B you you have to use about the best that you can get a hold of of everything and that ring Department uh we can get about any kind of ring we want and Perfect Circle seem to make the best ring for us fellow to race on now we Trav from Daytona with its color Sight and Sound to another scene of Glory to another Proving Ground time goes by and as it passes comes the final toughest test here the finest come to battle and the victories to the best yes Victory to the best for only the best run here at the Indianapolis 500 from the time the speedway opened race morning at 5:00 200,000 people from every state in the Union and 18 foreign countries have been pouring through the gates this once a year spectacular fills the grand stands that frame the track with fans who have reserved their seats months in advance the Purdue University band parades the colors along the main straightaway the music the crowds the cars are all part of one great show the marching rhythms of the band beat out the last few minutes of a year of waiting for the drivers for Al Keller 38 years old fourth year at Indianapolis for Paul Russo 44 and a grandfather 12th year at the 500 huner 26 rookie Thompson 36 sixth year cheeseburg 31 second year Goldsmith 30 rookie Amic 34 rookie boy 32 fourth year bous 42 13 years Ryan 31 7eventh year the traditional balloons rise into the Sun bright Sky signal that the start is just moments away the crowd becomes still Tony hullman Speedway president speaks the words that bring the waiting to an end gentlemen start your [Music] engines ready at after a year of work and planning ready after weeks of practice and tuning ready ready Tony hullman signals for the pace lap to [Music] begin the fans come to their feet as 33 high-powered machines begin a parade lap around this the greatest race course in the world the cars pile out of the pit area onto the track to form the with traditional 11 rows of three abast the back straight away and the cars bunched together the three cars that belong in front are not in position the first three cars had pulled out of the pits ahead of the pace car and must get around the track and into position before they cross the starting line the third turn the second row driver still in front are holding back the field waiting for wrathman alician and Reese [Music] the fourth turn and the front row cars squeeze around the pack and into their starting places just in time they're ready for the start here they come and the race is [Music] on through the first turn rathman out in front elision right behind [Music] him through the second turn Elan Cuts below the white line but rman holds him off down the back SP Elan is wheel tohe with bman going into the third turn he passes look out elision has lost control gra is forc into the wall slow motion camos capture padle conter hling over Jimmy [Music] Reese the track is blocked for the rest of the field three other cars spin to avoid the RX and a for watch it he's rammed by two more look out there goes another in Split seconds a total of 14 battered racing machines litter the treacherous third turn the remainder of the field worked their way through the wreckage of the worst Collision in Speedway history in the pits mechanics are battled their drivers should have come around long ago some of the cars are pushed clear of the track others must wait for the tow truck Paul Russo brings his number 15 noi special into the pits under its own power and reports to his crew what has happened on the third turn the smashed radiator May mean he's out of the race for good what is left of number 97 thck ratman's car is towed clear of the track number 997 is one of eight cars that were were totally wrecked and are out of the race Jee Mar mechanic for the Novi is ready to call it quits the driver Russo calls for tools he wants to get back in the [Music] race [Music] for some there's still a way back for others there's none brussel's radiator is repaired and he's ready to go he pulls back into the race in last place without a chance to win but the determination to go the distance after 18 caution laps the track is clear and the green flag signals for high speed Brian in car number one is in first bous and number 33 is second Eddie saaks is third Brian betous and Sachs fight it out down the backstretch bous has hauled up on Brian and entering the fourth turn he stands on it and charges into first place here they come down the front straight away there's a new threat AMC a rookie in yellow number 99 has taken third bous is pushing the pace to 141 mph as the leaders battle their way around the oval Brian's crew Waits can their car run in front only Brian has the answer out of the fourth turn Brian jolts the throttle of his belon special and passes bonen on the outside rookie AMC comes up fast on the inside passes bous and makes his bit for first Brian Riding High On the Groove dips down to hold the [Music] lead the dog fight for front position is between the three cars in the field with a new low [Music] silhouette coming on to the main straight that's Amic out in front Brian low on the inside noses ahead of Amic ENT the turn but AMC riding faster in the groove comes into the second turn on top [Music] bous also in a car of new design is crowding Brian for second place Brian and betous charge down the main straight away inches apart but where's aming at 118 mil the terrific Pace has brought Amic the first of the leaders into the pits starting in 25th position Amic has had to charge all the way to run in front a sensational effort by a driver in his first 500 try with Amic in the pits Johnny Boyd in his flight number nine takes over third place Jim Bryan Wheels into the pits he gives bous first place while he makes a precautionary tire change and refueled pous is driving hard to widen the gap Brian wants to get out and go the bond special pulls out with three fresh tires and fuel in 29 seconds where's bous now bous gives the lead back to Brian to make his Pit Stop Brian rockets off the fourth turn and heads for the main straightaway 40 seconds 45 seconds and bous finally gets away can he get back on the track before Brian comes around as he guns out of the pits Brian Roars by to hold first place still in third but moving closer Boyd lead puts it in the bow special Brian and bous in a fierce duel for the lead Boyd now only seconds [Music] behind a terrific Pace brings boy into the pits his plan had been to run the 500 with one less stop than the competition Brian and bous blister the track and pressure seconds take away for [Music] boy 37 seconds and voyd pulls out still holding third place he has a job to do to catch the Front [Music] Runners these are the lonely miles after the first Pit Stop 125 M down 375 to go the fans settle back to watch the hours take their toll it's just a matter of time this is the test the challenge of nerve and stamina the next 150 laps grind more rubber into the brick and asphalt burn more fuel supplies down drain more strength from weary muscles through the monotonous brutal miles the leaders set a torturous Pace after 3 hours only 14 cars still running [Applause] Bob Christi and Mike mcel lose control 12 cars now the leaders pit for the last time less than 2 minutes separate the first four positions Jimmy rafman Dick's brother comes into the pits too fast and spins on the apron he decides to go around again the last laps unwind crew members lean over the pit Wall to Watch and worry there's a fire in the pits spilled fuel Burns in the cockpit of car number 59 the safety crew Works frantically to smother the flame burning only inches away from the fuel tank MC Wilson has to get out the car is through for the day only two more laps to go Jimmy Bryan is still holding on to first place Amic only 30 seconds behind is turning his fastest laps in the race voyd is 12 seconds behind him there's the White Flag pointing at Brian the last lap only one more lap to go Here Comes Brian down the straight away for the checkered flag and he wins the 42nd Indianapolis [Music] 500 Rookie Amic finishes second Johnny Boyd finishes third to run in front and stay the distance is the challenge not only to the men and machines but to the industry which Services them here's what Jimmy briyan has to say this is the real test this is like it is for so many things naturally the best product gives the best service and uh that's what we need here at Indianapolis to seal all this high powered combustion and be durable to last a full 500 miles and that's why we use perfect ccle piston ring it's the same ring that uh any customer can buy off the package shelf in any partk store Jimmy Bryan has won $15,000 his share of $335,000 the biggest purse in 500 history this is the dream come true from this testing and improving come the cars we drive today and the new cars of Tomorrow are already on the way looking onward to the Future as new goals are made and set still the challenge lies before us and the challenge will be