1964 Road America 500 Part 1

[@MrPorsche85]

I love how it looks like just a drive in the country. No Armco, no fences, no rumble strips. True road racing.

[@tsf5-productions]

Wow! "The Captain" Roger Penske in 1964 taken the movie audience for a one lap tour. Roger hasn't change his style of talking all these decades. Very classic SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) racing autos that makes this historic track way back when look like a vacation site. The drivers of that time and racing teams have that feel of excitement...in a much simpler form of looks and rules. Indianapolis driver in sports car series, Bud Gates. That man had a car dealership back in the 1960's and '70's.

[@shrannodanes5890]

I was there as a 12 y/o kid. This is great to see, like a time machine- thanks so much for posting it!

[@prreith]

Man, I can barely recognize turn 3 at .49, now THAT is a scenic country drive, the ride along with Roger too. One of my favorite "Glory Days" episodes on ESPN2 with Dave Dispain was the 1965 RA 500. Complete with the flagman smoking on pit lane, and 'Hoss' (from Bonanza) fueling his car with a milk jug.. Anyway, this is just as entertaining, great upload, thanks for sharing.

[@lolshark99b49]

Drivers driving two different cars in the same race- wild!

[@tomschmidt5738]

I was on the Mecom team that year..

[@Taylor-xn2qx]

Roger Penske is mostly known for his successful racing teams, but he used to be a racing driver too.

[@bloqk16]

The part @7:17 of the interview with Walt Hansgen: He was the mentor to race driver Mark Donohue; whom was the driver that was there for Roger Penske's early era successes in motorsports.

[@caribman10]

There's a Ferrari Testa Rossa in the field....what do you figure, it's a 1957/58? I so miss the days when cars weren't immediately obsolete the next year...it allowed normal people (like me) to see cars spanning sometimes a decade in the same starting lineup.

[@scottk3034]

Corner workers got some serious nads.

[@djw6430]

I was one. Back straight (fastest part of course I was told) into a slightly downhill 120 degree left hand slightly uphill turn. Except for actually driving in the race, this was the definition of FUN.

[@melodigrand]

At 8.55 a glimpse of the Cheetah, Cro Sal Special with Ralph Salyer. He managed to finish 3rd in that car at Road America 500 in 1965.

[@PeterMayer]

Look how bare it was

[@craigpennington1251]

Just think if those turns were banked at 40 degrees. Unfortunately, racing like this doesn't happen in the U.S any more. Pity. I long for the days of Real Cars and Real Gasoline returning.

[@bloqk16]

The picturesque parts of the course that are tree-lined . . . or they could be looked upon as deadly vegetation when a car plows into them.

[@carlsaganlives5112]

Well yeah, there's that in addition to occasional wildlife crossings, keeping you alert. That's part of the reason for the whole damn track now surrounded by ugly chain link.

[@caribman10]

63 starters!

[@slashracingproductions5593]

amazing too bad the longest race there now adays is only 2 hrs

[@carlsaganlives5112]

Jeez, as 'recently' as the mid 80's the 500 was still around with the legendary Camel GT series screaming through the woods. Once I dozed off in the carousel back when it was empty - NOTHING to do with adult beverages - got a couple hours in and still had what would be a full race today left to enjoy, hahaha.

[@marcrichardson8011]

I think Roger may have been over estimating the speeds a tad.

[@caribman10]

You had to be a REAL race car driver back then - Chaparrals were passing Volvo P1800's (Rutan?) , Elva Porsches were racing Ferrari 275LM's and there was NO WHINING.

[@peterbastian7665]

should be 1965 edition, the Cobras are wearing the 1965 paint scheme

[@broken1965]

I was born next year lol

[@scottlowe5824]

Rodgers in the grand sport corvette 005

[@brianhusted3909]

In 1965, you could buy a new Mustang GT with a HYPO 289 and a 4 speed transmission for $2,800.

[@Timinator62]

Racing for an astronomic $10,000

[@chrispat7579]

A lot of blue collar workers in 1964 were making about $2 an hour, or around $4160 annually. High skilled might be making as much as $4 an hour, or around $8320 a year. Everyone there basically had a "real" job doing something else.