GENTLEMEN: START YOUR ENGINES

[Music] the lead car is moving along smoothly since the first Indy 500 in 1911 the speed this means beyond the shadow of a doubt next year's car faster almost before the sounds of the cheering throng has had its chance to fade away the engines roar echoes across the speedway build tests developed modify plunge of the faster car has begun design and build a car modify the old change engines a stronger metal stresses greater here what about suspension changes April I check on fuels and lubricants questions that need answers and answers that need proving if the challenge of the faster car is to be met these perplexities are not viewed at the speedway in 1911 ray Haroon winner of the first indianapolis 500 had some problems but he also had some solution in those days a mechanic wrote in the cockpit with a driver and one of his functions providing you didn't fall out was to inform the driver of the manoeuvres of the cars behind but Haroon knew a light car was a fast car so he designed and built a single-seater replacing the mechanic for the first rear view mirror while the favorite attractions of the speedway's museum is ray herons Marmon wasp his engineering genius after 10 or 12 laps Haroon would reach down and force grease to the various friction points of his car a self-contained system which is only now being incorporated on modern passenger cars in many contributions to the durability safety and performance of today's automobiles are the direct results of engineering achievements in race car design and construction balloon tires the first four-wheel hydraulic brakes were on an Indy car then came hydraulic shock absorbers there's also been a slight change in engines - not to mention the sleek styling influenced the racing machine has had on passenger car [Music] when you push a car to extremes to find that fact when you have a super sleek high-speed machine going 185 to 190 miles per hour competing for a big prize something's bound to happen a man flipping through the air is Jack Turner at a moment like this what do you do what can you do we asked Jack Turner I always try to hold on to the steering wheel it seemed like if you can get a grip on the steering wheel and hold on to it I know I've experienced this several times they have the roll bar on the car court the speedway maintains its own precautions when the green light turns to the yellow the emergency vehicles pull out onto the track ambulances wreckers firefighting equipment the fire crews are well trained in getting a driver out of his car just as quickly as possible there have been however rare instances when no amount of safety equipment could save a drivers life the 1964 race when a car hit the wall ended the path of another which caught on fire for the first time in Indianapolis history the race was stopped two drivers lost their lives in 1958 there was an accident in the third turn of the first lap 17 cars were stalled on the turn at one time although one driver did lose his life the safety equipment was responsible for saving all the other drivers on the brighter side in 1962 Jim Hurtubise was qualifying he came out of huddle one turn spun around bounced off the wall hit it again but was able to climb out of his car without injury only a seriously damaged car again in 1962 Bob Twitty spot was forced into the wall flipped a couple of times Hospital a few days but without that safety equipment it could have been fatal then there's the humorous side Jack Turner spun around 360 degrees and drove back into the pit area what kind of a man accepts a risk such as this the challenge of the track man and machine fabulous prize money is a hero a daredevil neither this man accepts racing as a profession and does the best job he knows how in 1990 way was built for a top speed of 90 miles per hour the track remains virtually unchanged except for resurfacing it's the hardest track in the world to drive at high speeds speeds ranging from 140 on the turns to 190 on the straightaway the track is a simple circuit consisting of four identical quarter mile turn each banked at 9 degrees there are two straightaways five eighths of a mile in length and two straightaways at each end of the course one eighth mile each what's it like to ride this track in a super fast super light car this is Roger Warren he's been driving at Indianapolis since 1951 he's a champion let's make a lap with Roger and see [Music] we're going down the front straightaway approaching the starting line to the speed of about 160 miles per hour to go into the turn down in the groove down to the white line now pick up the throttle and start drifting back out stay in the groove pick up the speed a little bit cross the straightaway at about a hundred and six the turn number two now onto the back straightaway until about a hundred and sixty and start accelerating under the light 185 300 yards mark number two [Applause] [Music] number three in about 160 bring it down to the white line now get back on the throttle and start accelerating on out across the straightaway at about 155 to 160 he's off now and down into turn number four stay in the groove now let the car drift back out driving out to the wall and down the straightaway bring the speed back up to 190 miles per hour [Applause] approaching the starting lineup for the completion of one lap [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] many our race has been won or lost in the pit it's not just Car and Driver but a team effort where everyone must learn to function as a unit that's AJ watson talking to roger warden crews trained by AJ are reputed to make the fastest pit stop how many men on a crew AJ well there's actually fellas on the crew but only five men go over the wall we have three fellas changing tires than a refueler which I usually do what makes a good crew rigorous training and attention to detail each man must know and stick to his own particular job and not worry about the other fellow Watson's crews have been working together about six or eight years this is a fast stop but in just 17 seconds his crew has changed four tires and loaded 50 gallons of fuel 1964 AJ's crew set an indianapolis record roger ward pulled into the fifth was refueled and on his way out again in just 12 seconds [Music] other crews aren't as fast or as lucky this car lost 40 precious seconds because the man changing the rear tire was not used to the hot exhaust some problems just can't be anticipated a boat which secured the brake pedal worked loose no one could find another to replace it during the pressure and excitement of this pitstop the car was enveloped in an almost invisible alcohol plane [Music] a second place machine is now out of the race in early May cars crews and drivers arrive at the speedway to prepare for the big event gasoline a leap activity get ready [Music] on the track there are trials and practice run see how she handles in traffic with a full load of fuel up to hub driving rookie drivers are qualified judged by their peers some make it some don't and someone is going to have to house and we get that car back in shape for tomorrow this car will be a problem for anyone and not for this year's race anyway the two weekends before the big event are set aside for Time Trial race against the clock now more than 60 have been entered but only 33 will make the big event the fastest thirty to qualify the car gets a flying start and four successive laps a 10-mile run just how quick he is determines just where he will be in that starting lineup 11 rules of cars three cars to a row the quickest car on the first day of qualification gets the pole position winning this position alone is worth more than $10,000 who gets inside on the first row as the advantage of a clear track ahead on his early lab speeds get faster will your time and position hold or be beaten it's not final until six o'clock ready to try this driver came back in he feels that finer adjustments on the car will give him a better time on an official run [Music] speedway rules require that time trials end promptly at six o'clock often there's disappointment when the car is in the pit ready to go the final gun and the steward waives the car off so it's back to the garages and try again tomorrow there are mixed emotions at the end of the first day is time trials actually I am quite happy with my qualifying time you always feel that you can do better but we're pleased to be in the third row and of course there's only one strategy around here win the race yes I am satisfied with my position the outside of the second row I would have been much happier if I had gone faster but we just about had to get qualified on the first day and that was the big hump to get over we had run quite a bit faster than anyone else here all week and even the morning of qualifying we had one up at over 160 miles an hour when I went out to qualify I don't know if it was me or the track or the wind or what it was but we couldn't get up to the speed that we had hoped to and for that reason we're sitting in the middle of the front row and we're very happy to be in a race we feel we have a good starting position and we'll be right up there when the race gets going well we're gonna run as hard as we can all the way and the followers in front of us better be standing on it during and between time trials things happen work on pit stops [Music] practice developing strategy [Applause] beat the clock after every run driver and mechanic confer look for that successful combination for the fastest way around this team have found the technique this one did not you can't relax at 250 feet per second now what's the strategy is the suspension seriously damaged can the car be repaired by tomorrow on the last day of time trials there's still a chance to get in the starting lineup by qualifying faster than some of the other cars the driver may think he has it but there's another car which could beat his time if it doesn't there's another car on the line ready to try it's really a race against the clock now six five three two one five files are over maybe they didn't make the first roll but they're in the race silent empty bleachers stand watch over the speedway in the garages there's anxiety as crewmen and mechanics labor through the night making final adjustments on their car some machines are completely disassembled cleaned rebuilt its work precise and exacting a skillful labor that will keep that car up front make it a winner race morning always seems to come a little too early what records will be broken today what is our challenge for tomorrow [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Music] here they come out of the fourth turn down the straightaway approaching the starting line 33 cars 33 of the world's finest riders ready to compete in another Indianapolis 500 [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music]