1969 Indianapolis 500 | Official Race Film

[@truthof7382]

My father was there. I have super 8 movies of the pits and the race. The close ups of the cars and Mario Andretti in the pits are so cool.

[@andyharman3022]

I was 7 years old in 1969 when Mario won the 500. He was my first hero.

[@ragingbull154]

One of the greatest pure driving talents this world has ever seen. He won in everything he drove. F1 World Champion, INDYCAR/USAC champion, Indy 500 winner, Daytona 500 winner, sprint cars...... everything.

[@starguy2718]

Mario said: if you're not constantly on the verge of losing control, then you're going too slow. The results speak for themselves.

[@danielvandersall6756]

Met him in the pits at Indianapolis in the 80's; one of the few drivers that stopped and talked to me for a minute. A legend.

[@TomSmith-io9uk]

Mario and AJ Foyt are the best drivers of all time. Mario would have won at least 5 Indy 500 but the turbo race car blew up all the time in the '70s. Most races ended with less than 12 cars out of 40. Most drivers burnt a piston or crashed. The Unsers were great as well and Johnny Rutherford as well as Gordon Joncock and others. These drivers were Titans and raced in aluminum bear cans full of 40 gallons of kill-your-ass fuel if you hit the wall.

[@beeemm2578]

@@danielvandersall6756 He always came off as a down to earth guy. You imagine sitting down for a few hours listening to all the shit hes experienced? Wow..

[@robertknight5429]

I would say the GOAT. And I'm British!

[@tagnut1952]

I was sitting in grandstand L outside of turn 3 with my family at this race, and as a 17 year old, I can still remember the buzz about Mario before and during the race. I believe that most of the fans there that day was pulling for him, especially after that horrendous crash he had just days before. Looking back now these 50 plus years later, if you'd told me in 1969 that there would be so many more Andretti's race in the 500 in the future (including Mario), but only one Andretti face would be on the Borg Warner trophy, I doubt anyone would've believed it. It just proves how hard it is to win at the Brickyard.

[@duster0669]

The first race I ever saw was this one. This and "The Lovebug" made a life long racer out of me.

[@thatguyfromcetialphaV]

Mario Andretti is one of my heroes. I met him in 2017 and he was just aa wonderful in person as he was on TV.

[@chipsawdust5816]

I hope they let Michael run in F1 now with GM backing.

[@mortenfrosthansen84]

Mario is a young man there.. seing him at Monza, when Peterson was injured and later died. The years of hard spells and terrible accidents are not easy to handle. Amazing life to have lived

[@bobdonovan34]

Those were some of the best looking Indy Cars ever.

[@kadasrichard]

Agree, for me the 1984 cars take the cake for best look

[@Playsinvain]

These shows are great. Andy Granetelli….what a nice guy. Was rooting for him

[@dennism7300]

old racing videos are too fun to watch

[@w.rustylane5650]

This is the year I graduated from HS. Also the year I went into the USMC. I remember this from 1969. Mario's first win at Indy 500. Cheers from eastern TN

[@jamesakers1175]

Loved the cars of that era.

[@williamchristian8389]

My favorite Indy, my favorite driver won, I graduated from high school the day before and 8 day later I went into the US Navy. 1969 was a very exciting year for me.

[@davefromoz2859]

William Christian WELL ALMOST, I was 19 in 69 & I graduated from H.S. on SUNDAY 25 MAY 69; 5 days prior to the 53rd INDY 500 on FRIDAY 30 MAY... Then in NOVEMBER, I JOINED AIR FORCE... BUT I WAS ALSO rooting for A.J. back then... Ever since my early teens I had always dreamed of going to the GREATEST SPECTACLE in RACING instead of watching it on TV. FAST- - -FORWARD to 2012, I got a package in the mail from our little guy ( 28 @ the time ) for my birthday, where i found inside attached to some clues, a little note from "INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY " that stated that tickets he bought for me for the 96th Running " " " would be in mail soon😢... SO, come race weekend 2012 on LEGENDS DAY when we didn't get there in time that morning to stand in line with several hundred other folks to get Autographs from that years drivers, AS we were standing over across the plaza where things were wrapping up, GUESS WHO just happened to be sitting in his Golf cart just feet from me, AND ONLY a 1/2 dozen people standing around there to walk right up & get his Autograph 😁 👍❗️ As we continued to go each year since, we were there last year on the year of my 50th High School reunion, AND Mario's 50th ANNIVERSARY of his victory... AND SO, ONCE AGAIN, We have our tickets for the 104th RUNNING , BUT - - - WELL, THIS YEAR 2020 we will just have to wait & see what unfolds in our lives & country😒 🙏

[@TojuRacing-440]

Great to see these old races! Thanks for posting! Race On!

[@davidrivero7943]

Great year but missed it .Freedom Flights @ 11yrs old & now in Miami , it was December. Cell's got plently charge & I will watch it today . The names & faces eventually became familiar on these fantastic races. These guys look so young & forever will be in Automotive Racing History. TY , for esplendid views.

[@JesseH]

Thank you kindly for the day's in the wide world of sports. What a great reporter he was. That was what I grew up with. 😎👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@charlesdanenberger9584]

My one and only trip with my father,uncle and grandfather. Mario won his only Indy 500 ,but only because the leader's car broke. I dont remember who but it was good to see Mario get his first and only. And I was there. Go Nazareth fans

[@MichianaFisherman]

My first time attending a race at Indy. I picked Mario to win and all my dads friends laughed at me. I laughed all the way home. Great memories for sure!

[@gehlen52]

My Uncle and I watched the race on a closed circuit broadcast at a movie theater in Detroit, quite exciting.

[@charlesfitch4962]

Fantastic footage, those guys back then were modern day gladiators.

[@yandman26]

This is unbelievable, thank you so much for uploading this. The 60's cars are so beautiful but I've never seen a full race.

[@ivanjulian2532]

The cars were still wingless but the tyre width was getting fatter and the wheel track was getting wider. A very nice aesthetic combination.

[@andyharman3022]

Oh, how that classic Wide World of Sports opening takes me back to many Saturday afternoons of the 1970's. The sports scenes of the opening are different than from later seasons, particularly missing the ski jumper that fell off the ramp. I was only 7 when this race aired, and I don't think I watched the Indy 500 until 1972 on the full, same-day delayed telecast. But Mario Andretti became my first hero when he won this race. Too bad he didn't win at least two more: '81 and '87.

[@richardmorris7063]

I liked Mario too, he had some bad luck at Indy but redeemed himself everywhere else.Mark Donahue was another favorite, I believe he was a rookie here.Rip to him..

[@fohponomalama5065]

Jim McKay not only voiced the “agony of defeat” script but also gave the live play by play of the actual ski jump crash where he memorably exclaimed “whoooooa Baby”.

[@richardmorris7063]

@@fohponomalama5065 the agony of defeat! Loved Jim McKay..

[@saleemwaheed9956]

50 year anniversary! Thanks Mario!

[@robertvanomusic369]

So phantastic!!! Greets from Switzerland from a Swiss Enthusiast to this INDY500. Especially the slomotion sections are outstanding and you can see, that they all drifted the whole turn. So really, my highest hope goes to Marco for a win this 103rd edition. They even painted the car the similar colour like Marios winning car. This is a good omen in my view and luck shall be with the Andrettis this year. Cannot wait to the start ... There is nothing on the planet so exiting and historic like the INDY500 in the present time ... well maby the comeback of Tiger in Golf ... Long life this event!

[@FOH3663]

Fantastic! Killet slo-mo outro; Mario, McClusky, Foyt, Bobby, Gary B, Donohue, Gordo, Pollard in the STP wedge, Leonard ... Unbelievable field that year, with one of the greatest front rows ever; AJ, Mario, Bobby Unser... The front row official photo is one of the best images I've seen.

[@taketimeout2share]

Beautiful cars driven by lions. The golden era.

[@skyedog24]

Well said.

[@timford3599]

The BEST analogy that I have ever heard was David Donohue (Mark's Son) who said: "They were Iron Men in Wooden Boats." IMO, the very best quote in the history of American Open Wheel Racing!!!

[@Tommy_Mac]

WWoS was broadcast on Saturdays when I saw this in 1969. I was 9 and became an Indy 500 fanatic ever since! Awesome to see Mario win, again, in this video.Brings it all back...and also another hero for me later in life, Smokey Yunick fixing the car he prepped, Joe Leonard's Gurney Eagle. $2.00 hose clamp from another car damaged the rad., cost him the possible win. Those were the days...cars were dangerous and sex was safe!

[@jamessharp9790]

Probably the best 500 race of all time.

[@alaingattelet7833]

I began interest for car races in 1970 aged 13 , then I was a fan of Al Unser. Today I have nostalgy of those names as Foyt, Gurney, Unser

[@WoodshavenPatriot]

Ahhh...Wide World of Sports. Sounds of my childhood.

[@kmartin8025]

Man these cars are beautiful! Always been a dream to at least be able to sit in one

[@TS-ev1bl]

I was 10 years old in 1969, and this was the first Indy 500 I ever watched or probably was even aware of. This is the same telecast I watched on Wide World of Sports, which I think showed the 500 on a one-week tape delay back then. This is the first time I've seen this race since the day it was broadcast in '69. After seeing this race I was hooked on watching the Indy 500 each year for decades until my interest waned during the IRL - CART split when some of the best CART drivers and teams weren't at the 500. I also got to attend about a half-dozen 500s in person as an adult.

[@anthonyfuller5429]

This is so cool to watch. I'm glad IMS is uploading videos such as these...

[@Redmenace96]

The coverage was great back then! Very real, very technical, they interview the principals..... McKay is a master, the production team deserves credit. Nowadays I feel like I'm only being sold something. The production is slick, but it feels like a long commercial.

[@joekurtz8303]

Great year, good racing,Mario's first Indy victory 🏁🏎 Moon shot in July ,🌚 Gas was still cheap.⛽

[@richardmorris7063]

69 was a helluva time to b 12. We seen alot!

[@matthewwims3386]

Just realized. Mario led 116 laps to win. Simon Pagenaud led 116 laps to win 50 years later.

[@mortenfrosthansen84]

Quirky but cool trivia.. awesome research or curious knowledge👍

[@bloqk16]

I recall when this was originally broadcast on ABC-TV Wide World of Sports on the following Saturday of this race. Back then there was no such thing as "live" TV race coverage for the Indy 500. In 1970, ABC started a "same-day" coverage that was broadcast in primetime. What made this particular ABC WWoS telecast memorable for me was the amount of airtime given for this race; as back then, the WWoS generally produced three sports segments in its 90 minute telecast. Prior to this Indy 500, the WWoS segment for a 500 mile race would be between 25 to 30 minutes.

[@randylovering24]

It was 1971 was the first year they did same day telecast of the indy 500

[@bloqk16]

@Randy Lovering . . . Ah! Thanks for that correction. I did a bit of YT research that did confirm for me that the 1970 race was the first that ABC did in video, and not film. That's probably a reason my year was off. I also recall that I didn't watch much of the 1970 race, in video, since Al Unser completely dominated; as per the radio broadcast anchored by the Sid Collins . . . and I wasn't an Unser fan back then. With Unser dominating the 1970 race, one wonders if the production people with the Indy 500 radio broadcast were hard-pressed to keep coming up with spoken material to keep the broadcast compelling to listen to; as there was little in the way of the racers battling for the lead. Maybe that was the year that Collins dug into his briefcase, or attaché case, for incidental material to work with during the broadcast. I recall many years ago in an article about Collins that he supposedly carried with him a brief/attaché case of printed materials to dip into in case there were lulls in his Indy 500 broadcasts.

[@Skiltaire]

I recall watching this the night of the race, although I think it was on WTTV Channel 4 from Idianapolis, then an independent which had hours and hours of coverage every May.

[@TuberOnTheLoose]

Before they started doing live coverage my family had a tradition of listening to the race live on the radio via loudspeakers while visiting a friend's farm and picking strawberries.

[@bloqk16]

@@TuberOnTheLoose That was back in the days of Sid Collins calling the race? Or his successor, Paul Page? Page was marvelous as Collins's successor, but Collins was a superb announcer for the "500;" and being a local radio talent in Indianapolis made it doubly nice.

[@BoilerBloodline]

So awesome! Every fan loves to see this history! Thank you!

[@Miatacrosser]

Thank you for posting this. I was a junior in high school when this race ran. I remember thinking Foyt had this race won and then he's out. Was happy for Mario as he'd been the car to beat every year from when he sat on the pole as a rookie in '65(best looking sixties era car ever)and Dan Gurney's second place in a stock block 320 c.i. FORD. Lloyd Ruby was another absolute heartbreaker. The greatest driver to never win the 500. And after this race, the next week, I got to see FORD win it's 4th straight 24hrs. du Le Mans in the closest finish in Le Mans history. Man what a great time to be an American and a Ford Fan.

[@bloqk16]

With regards to Mario's fantastic run he had in USAC Champ cars in his earlier days: This past year Vintage Motorsport magazine did a pictorial spread of Mario's original Brawner/Hawk, which was based off of a Brabham chassis. It turns out that the bodywork of that early version created a crude ground-effects aspect to it, which gave the car a better road-holding feature than the other built chassis of that era. Clint Brawner and Jim McGee were clueless about ground-effects back then, it was just the luck of the designed bodywork that created a bit more downforce, on Mario's race car, than what his competitors had with their race cars.

[@Miatacrosser]

@@bloqk16 well back then they had a saying, if it looked right it probably was right and that car just looked sleek and fast. Which was saying a lot considering who the 'other' chassis builders were.

[@davefromoz2859]

Miatacrosser Yep, I was 19 in 69 & graduating from HIGH SCHOOL , and finally, after 43 years Got to go to my very first INDY 500 Thanks to our son who bought me tickets for my birthday... And having gone over to the plaza on Saturday Legends day to try to get driver Autographs, we were too late for any of them, BUT QUITE BY CHANCE, who should be sitting Not 10 feet from me in his golf cart messing with his Cell phone, BUT MY FIRST EVER AUTOGRAPH from of ALL PEOPLE, the guy who won in 69 the year I graduated, MARIO😃❗️ And yes, we were there this year 50 years later for his Amniversary😊

[@jeffking291]

Love these old races. 📻🙂

[@kenegerton7512]

Mario "tough little guy" I love it! Mario has always been one of my favorites. I wish he could have been more successful there at the Brickyard.

[@kuladeeluxe]

That ABC intro sure brought back memories

[@dennisfrancis1126]

I was 9 yrs. old then and I remember my 4th grade elementary teacher had asked us all to write a letter to a celebrity or ‘hero’ who we looked up to and admired. Most of the other boys in my class wrote to football or baseball players - my letter was to Mario. He mailed back an autographed pic of himself sitting on his car at the famous yard-of-bricks from this race. A true gentleman, legend and racing icon.

[@itsenergybob8917]

This is awesome. The '69 Indy 500 was the first one I remember watching. Wide World of Sports was a custom for our house.

[@shawnbeck2303]

I am going to miss not hearing." Gentlemen Start Your Engines" This May! SHAWN

[@KoJo-qh9od]

You're going to hear it on August 23rd instead. At least they are holding the race.

[@andysee6996]

"The Grantelli Jinx is Dead!" ...to be replaced by The Andretti Curse starting a year or two later.

[@hughcdavies]

I know how Mario won, he had something I've never seen him with before or since. Marco you need to grow a moustache by Sunday. Great post, thanks.

[@tpcam78]

hughcdavies It was actually a burn from his crash in practice. His brother Aldo stood in for him in some of the official photos.

[@moonytheloony6516]

Mario never had a mustache.

[@richardmorris7063]

A milkstache after this race maybe..

[@ljag1743]

Wow....I've waited years to see this....glad to see! Wow!

[@altfactor]

It's interesting that Jim McKay's closing narration quoted the then-current O.C. Smith hit song "Little Green Apples".

[@altfactor]

This wasn't the "Official Race Film", but actually the edited videotaped broadcast that ABC's "Wide World Of Sports" produced for telecast about a week later.

[@xSoccerxCorex]

which makes it the official race film since the actual race broadcast (the closed circuit one MCA did that year) is long gone

[@fohponomalama5065]

Jim Clark’s Lotus in 1963 transformed the look of the Indy car from the front engined Offenhausers into the present day rear engined masterpieces.

[@DonTruman]

Good times. Fun race. The technology was advancing so rapidly, it was interesting. Andretti seemed like a good man, and his wife was gorgeous. Cool he won with their lesser car, too.

[@spoony8232]

9:49 "running to the wall with only minor burns" crazy how it's said so casually, definitely a different mentality back then.

[@popswrench2]

back when racing was FUN!!!!!!!!! cars varied greatly .... run what you brung , and may the best or smartest or best built win ...

[@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT]

Racing is still fun. IndyCar is still awesome

[@kyle381000]

When the traditional photographs of each driver/car at the start/finish line were being taken, it was Mario's twin brother Aldo who was actually in the car because Mario had sustained those facial burns.

[@natashag8398]

Crazy to think that Kannan was only a few years from racing against Mario and is still competitive today

[@AtZero138]

Thank you.. this is so great to watch.. My Car was only 1 years old.. how awesome

[@jonathan_tong93]

The 1969 Indianapolis 500 was the origin of Andy Granatelli's notorious kiss to the then-29 year old Mario Andretti whose curse began in 1970. The official film of the 1969 Indy 500 was aired on New Vision 9 on May 26, 1991 and was hosted by the late Harry Gasser from the New Vision 9 NewsWatch right before the live Telecast of the 1991 Indianapolis 500, which was jointly produced by SilverStar Communications, Inc. and Focal Media Arts, Inc.

[@StFidjnr]

very healthy race no fatalities the only injuries are minor ones

[@mesau7002]

That race track has sure changed through the years.

[@Artessnow]

The cars too

[@sidx45]

10:16 "I feel fine" looking like the joker lol. What a warrior!

[@BoilerBloodline]

“Three time winner AJ Foyt. No man has ever won it four times.” AJ - Hold my beer.

[@amodsinyan.2151]

Al Unser after Foyt hold my beer

[@BoilerBloodline]

SHINOBI ! Yep...and then Rick Mears? Castroneves came damn close.

[@starguy2718]

@@BoilerBloodline Spiderman is going for 5

[@zebop917]

Considering my first love is sports car racing on road circuits I still have a fascination for the Indy 500s of this era. Still a time of great evolution and variety amongst the cars. I’d love to know what those 4WD Lotuses would have been capable of.

[@timford3599]

With stronger suspension pieces (No concern about a little added weight) Colin Chapman's brilliant creations would have, most likely, laid the rest of the field to waste. They were as far ahead of technology as Jim Hall's "Yellow Submarine" Ground Effects Racing Car was, with "Lone Star JR" at the wheel in 1980. (It was entered with Al Sr. in 1979 and JR in 1981 but in 1980 the Chaparral Team had the field covered.)

[@maromololi6748]

Mario Andretti A Legend

[@asianoramaagain2269]

Foyt had Number 4 in the bag in 1969 but the split manifold was the red card.The race was very competitive for the first 250 miles and then a rout for Mario in the final 250 miles as everyone just dropped out.This was Roger McCluskey's best "500" as he ran a strong 2nd for a good portion of the first half of the race.Wally Dallenbach also had a good run.

[@cjs83172]

It was certainly McCluskey's best chance to win the Indianapolis 500, despite the fact that he was running third near the end of the 1963 race (the only year he ever led a lap at Indy) and finished third in 1973, when he won the championship, and fifth in 1975. In fact, it wouldn't be until 1971 that he would actually be running at the finish of an Indianapolis 500. And while Foyt always made it so he'd have the best car in his team back then, it wasn't that other drivers in his cars were uncompetitive. Jim McElreath scored the biggest win of his career in the first California 500, the same year that both he and Donnie Allison finished in the top five at Indy (Allison shared a ride with A.J. in NASCAR in both 1970 and '71). (Incidentally, McCluskey would also win the California 500 in 1972.)

[@Carolinian4372]

The Andretti family should have more than one win. I've watched so many indy 500s that an Andretti dominated then something went wrong.

[@richardmorris7063]

You got that right,almost similar to Earnhardt @ Daytona..

[@jamesburns2232]

The Granatelli's and Mario Andretti in 1969 were Italian Americans who knew what it took to go fast and win at Indy!

[@mech5]

How about that pace car, what a beauty.

[@thethirdman225]

‘Two negatives… they make a plus.’ I laughed when Andy Granatelli said that. Andretti once said, ‘There are days when it’s better to stay in bed than to win Indy and be kissed on the mouth by Andy.’

[@tonygunk1886]

“Look at the crowd of 300,000” Smh unbelievable… shoutout to the grandstand builders, amazing how much weight it’s holding up

[@sarasarah1810]

awesome looking machines!!!!!!!!!

[@joebowenracing1348]

If I had a time machine...if I had a time machine.

[@danieljohnstone6805]

Agreed Joe

[@richardmorris7063]

What a memory though,jeez!

[@markdinkel-uh2je]

Swimmin at Dolphin club that day. Steve Fleetwood mentioned that he heard Mario Andretti won while we were swimmin. Another Great memory in my life.

[@bruces3613]

Racing was very dangerous in this Era, much respect.

[@WoodshavenPatriot]

Amazing the difference in technology and also safety equipment vs current racing. Seeing even the pit crews with nothing more than street clothes is interesting.

[@timford3599]

With NO Pit Lane speed limits either. Not to mention the "Rough and Bumpy" concrete surface which often saw 160 MPH entry speeds. Yow!

[@michaelpascarello895]

It is a miracle that he only won 1 time!!!

[@blue04mx53]

the pit stops though. Bring a chair and a glass of ice tea and we'll get some fuel in the car while we chat for a bit. F1 now: "uh oh 3.2 seconds there must have been a problem!"

[@thepunditspundit1776]

You should see early 60s pit stops. Fireball Roberts gets out of the pits in a swift 44 seconds! He’s in the running!

[@keithstudly6071]

The truth was that Mario nursed the car home as the gearbox was way overheated and most of the oil in it was burned. The car driven by Joe Leonard (44) was crewed by Smokey Yunick and he had told Joe just to stay on Mario's tail and that they would push him near the end. Well Leonard hit a hose clamp that the cleanup crew missed after an accident and ruined that plan. Smokey had the hose clamp made into a wall display and as a memento of the race that got away. They changed the radiator and finished sixth. Another heart breaker was the Lloyd Ruby pit incident. The car was a Mongoose car personally built by Chief Mechanic, Dave Laycock and it was truly about the last time a small, low budget team built their own car and had a chance to win. Laycock was so excited at the way they were running that he took the blame for signaling Lloyd to leave the pits too soon and after the accidental damage to the car he was so overwrought the he had to be constrained as he had started throwing his tools around the pit area. Colin Chapman was very restrained in his exit TV interview. He never came back. One quote had him saying 'my new cars are all junk and I am going back to my shop and take them apart with a hacksaw'. Mario was the only one to do any serious practice in one and they knew the wheel hubs were weak and were taking them apart and having them inspected each time the car was run, but they still broke. This was very similar to the Lotus Turbine cars of 1968. Graham Hill had a hub break in the 68 race and many more broke in other USAC races later that year. The 1969 Indy Lotus Ford was both more powerful and heavier than the Turbine cars were and it appears Chapman just didn't make them strong enough.

[@renatostavis1449]

Pure gold!

[@BrandonCrosslin]

Renato Stavis It is the 50th anniversary, so gold is the perfect description.

[@1dashcamboatsandcars]

Great upload.

[@matthewlatty]

Look how close the front row spectators are to the catch fence! 😮

[@EphSBGGSO]

And how about the flag man right down on the track.

[@timford3599]

@@EphSBGGSO The "Fearless & Flamboyant" Pat Vidan, the greatest Flagman in ALL of Motorsports! #2, Doug Clark. The Flagman who has been "The Man" at The Knoxville Speedway for the WoO Nationals and every weekend for many, many years as well!

[@hugejohnson5011]

I was three years old when this took place, and probably either riding my pedal tractor or tricycle at race time, or was on a family farm in Vermont for the Memorial Day weekend. One or the other, guaranteed! Hey, I was only three, my parents wouldn't let me go to Indy, alright? I was pretty much at the mercy of going wherever they took me! But, that's okay, because they dragged me along everywhere with them, and never left me with any weirdos! God rest them, they were wonderful people.

[@anameofsomesort959]

As someone in Indy it's interesting to see how much monument circle has changed. Not seeing it surrounded by sky scrapers is weird.

[@RL.1]

Thanks for uploading this.

[@fernandogarza9196]

18:32 🎶back Home again in Indiana 🎶 19:59 Tony hulman says... "GENTLEMEN START YOUR EN inGINES"

[@herbb8412]

The best looking Indy cars were from this era

[@markdinkel-uh2je]

You know it buddy

[@Paul-zm1hb]

I was there with two buddies of mine. Drove all night in a VW Bug. Exhausted.

[@cantrait7311]

Great Mario You had to have balls of steel to drive those cars and Mario’s fiery accident didn’t flinch him a bit One of the most courageous drivers I ever watched

[@kadasrichard]

He also had a very bad crash at the 1966 Le Mans. The Ford GT40's breaks failed at the end of the Mulsanne straight,Mario hit the sandwall head on.

[@WaltGekko]

This would turn out to be the last time the Indy 500 was scheduled to be run on May 30 regardless of which day of the week that fell on (unless it were Sunday with the race then on Monday 5/31, the 1970-'72 races were on a Saturday, though in 1970 it happened to be May 30 and the next two were because of changes that made Memorial Day the last Monday in May regardless of which date that fell on), The 1973 Indy 500 would be the last 500 to be scheduled for a day of the week other than Sunday with the '74 Indy 500 the first to be on the Sunday ahead of Memorial Day, which it has been scheduled for ever since (excluding 2020 when the race had to be postponed to August due to COVID).

[@bloqk16]

Say! I just noticed the YT thumbnail for this video post shows the Andretti Brawner Hawk in the configuration, with an additional external oil-cooler, it had in a practice session prior to the race. How would I know that? After Andretti did his qualifying run for the Indy 500, it was noted the engine was running exceedingly hot; where adding an additional oil-cooler behind the driver would solve that issue. The USAC officials took note of that addition after the qualification run, and ordered the removal of that oil-cooler for the race. From the accounts written back then of the STP team, with chief mechanic George Bignotti, going to a _Plan B_ for engine cooling, it was to richen the fuel mixture and adding extra STP Oil Treatment to the engine lubricant; as the STP print ads after the race had a banner showing (from my recollection): 'I (Mario Andretti) used more STP than the other guys!'

[@DC322]

This was Andretti's only Indy 500 victory. He came close a couple of times afterwards but the 1969 Indy 500 win was big for Mario.

[@davenorman6717]

Thank you IMS !!!

[@hugejohnson5011]

To add some perspective to this cool race, just think: It was only a few months after this , that the first men stepped onto the Moon! Pretty awesome time for things going on, except for U.S. involvement in the Vietnam conflict. That sucked. But other than that horse sh*t, there were all kinds of happenings. Woodstock music festival was only a few months after this as well. I was only three years old, and my parents wouldn't let me go to Woodstock. To be fair, I didn't even ask them if I could go. I was probably too busy digging dirt with spoons and playing with my Tonkas out by the driveway. Or, stealing sips of my father's beer when he went to use the toilet. I used to pinch his Tiparillo cigars too, but gave up for a bit, because I burned myself with one. Hey, I was three! It happens!

[@worldrecord54]

The pit crews were really bad back then, Losing tires fuel hoses, being stuck. I remember back then, pit crews were not professionals but pick up guys. WEARING STRAW HATS, no safety clothing, good old days. Good video

[@mjanovec]

The Indy cars in the 1960s had so much more style to them.

[@bloqk16]

The lack of sophistication of those race cars back then meant its success laid more into a driver's talent than that of the engineering of it. My interest with motorsports waned when the cars' engineering became so sophisticated that a half-turn of an adjustment screw would mean the difference between competitive and non-competitive race car.

[@prakis1958]

I agree. The cars were so diverse and the driver's had more personality.

[@hcrun]

@@bloqk16 "My interest with motorsports waned when the cars' engineering became so sophisticated...." Ditto.

[@teddrewflack400]

Everything in the 60s was .

[@richardmorris7063]

They weren't cookie cutter,you may see a roadsters ya might see a turbine car.Lots of experimentation.

[@tombystander]

4:21 idk why but I love that shot of the birds nest

[@onemoremisfit]

19:22 Mario's face was a little singed, but his hair was perfect!

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

Yay Mario & Andy!

[@TheMousquetaire]

The cars were the best ever. Nice, powerful, diverse, fast and of course, furious. Pilots were Alpha ones. It was better then than today.

[@doctabyte5370]

Who came here for the 50th Anniversary of this victory?

[@markdinkel9006]

I made it. north vista. sweet

[@davefromoz2859]

😁 👍 Scroll back up ⬆️ to : WILLIAM CHRISTIAN 's comment & read my reply to his comment...

[@jimc6154]

The Willy Mays Of auto racing..The Best.