Thrilling 1958 Indianapolis 500 Auto Race - rare film

[@dcstrng1]

Thanks for posting -- I was ten years old living in North Dakota when this ran, was the first year I tracked the Indy 500 (rooted for the lay-down engine, Belund AP Special -- that eventually won). My dad worked at a TV station and took my kid brother and me out to the transmitter that evening to see the delayed TV broadcast since we didn't have a TV at the house (radio was live in those days, but TV was delayed and condensed into 30 minutes as I recall). Made a lap chart and followed it all the way... memories !!

[@paladin0654]

So you're 76, like me?

[@lesilluminations1]

@@dcstrng1 Great post. Only thing better than hearing from people who lived the era, is somebody who also remembers it so well.

[@Gumshrud1]

good job enhancing this 16mm film. In 1960 as a kid, I got to sit in Jimmy Bryan's racecar at a speedshop in Norwalk/Downey area of LA. I still recall thinking how spartan the inside of the racecar was.

[@Tulsa_Films]

Thank you for your compliment and comments

[@es7614]

Amazing footage, have never seen this before. Thanks for sharing. These roadsters are beautiful machines.

[@jacksonfisher9872]

Thank you for the memories. Jimmy lived with us in the '50s (in Phoenix -- on 7th Street and Colter) and was a "really good guy" who loved fast cars and great cigars.

[@Tulsa_Films]

Our pleasure!

[@Zircon10]

George Amick, a rookie driver came in second in this 1958 Indy 500. The next year Bill France decided to run two 100 mile heats using USAC cars. That was the only time I got to see Indy cars run. I was ten years old. As George was coming out of the West turn a gust of air picked up his car and it rolled over. As it sat down on the tarmac poor George was decapitated. I was looking at the exact spot it happened. It was a lot for a ten year old to process. France decided that Indy cars were too fast on the 31 degree high banked turns at Daytona and that is the last Indy car race that was run. Amick hailed from Vernonia, Oregon, he was 34 years old. RIP.

[@tonnywildweasel8138]

I love those type of racing cars. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@Tulsa_Films]

Glad you enjoyed

[@scattercreek7389]

I was born in 1958 in May, pretty special to see this, they were so fearless 😮

[@chipsawdust5816]

I was two months later, missed it dang it :P

[@charlespomroy231]

And a little nuts

[@ror312gallery19]

me too and one day after the race, and so was my 1 year older big brother,,cheers scattercreek,,,cheers from italy,,!

[@m.lecollie3565]

Once upon a time the Indianapolis 500 was the Great American race. Anyone who could build a car to compete was welcome. Not the case anymore. No more "home built" racers. Never again will there be cars powered by turbines or even diesel engines. My personal favorite were the cars powered by the Offenhauser 4 cylinder. A legend at the "Brickyard".

[@maxmulsanne7054]

The Offy will always be my favorite too. Ever since I first heard one from the movie _'Winning'_ (1969); the scene where Paul Newman and others are pulling out of the pits for a restart after the first lap crash (footage of the 1966 500).

[@patrickgriffitt6551]

When innovation is overruled the series dies. NASCAR comes to mind. I was at Indy in 1965. Green car, non Offy engine, foreign driver, foreign car, mid engine, gas not fuel.. Loved it.

[@philking6444]

This is a real treat. I was about 2 months old. I love the old front engine roadsters. 150 mph was still a couple of years away. 😊

[@mariohower4501]

I stopped by the raceway on the way through and was very impressed with the museum there and the history it was cool

[@henrychubbs2823]

This is one of the better race highlight films-no heavy product promotion or guy singing dialog. It's odd how the film makes no mention of Pat O'Connor's tragic death yet they show a spectator holding a newspaper with the headline of his passing.

[@joegangi6110]

Very cool to see my uncle Paul in car #15 near the beginning of the video as well as coming into the pits to get his car repaired.

[@orionexplorer]

I remember my folks talking about Jimmy Bryan and seeing him race at the Arizona State Fairground one mile dirt track. I was born in 1960 and saw sprint and midget cars race at Manzanita Speedway (RIP) in Phoenix that were without roll cages. I saw my first indy car race at Phoenix International Raceway 1976 for the Jimmy Bryan Memorial race, too bad they don't run the Jimmy Bryan nor Bobby Ball Memorial races now, that was great seeing indy cars race twice a season. The first race started the season and the last race ended the season. Lots of memories.

[@michaellytle4968]

I grew up in Phx also my dad took me to Arizona state fair grounds and PIR then mid 70's - 80's at manzanita every fri,sat night.

[@MK007-YT]

​@@michaellytle4968; Wasn't Jack Miller ( My Mentor, RIP ) just The Best !! ❤ 👍👍

[@stevethornbrugh9417]

Great improvement over the other videos of this race.

[@HenryFrederick]

Pretty cool coverage showing the actual race...

[@symonolesijuk7748]

GREAT footage from the big balls era

[@ci3008]

I've never understood why they didn't have a roll bar high enough to protect their heads. Thanks for posting this classic video.

[@alvanwalls8371]

Alot of these drivers lost there lives on the tracks of the day..

[@davidstout8604]

Roll bars became mandatory after this wreck

[@davidaugustofc2574]

Rollbars added weight and drag, so no one would do that unless mandatory

[@georgesheffield1580]

Look at the helmets and drivers suits

[@georgesheffield1580]

Also no seatbelt

[@dgriffin6074]

Amazing the progress in safety and efficiency. An F1 pit stop including all new tires now takes a fraction over 2 SECONDS.

[@jimpawloski3069]

Formula One doesn’t add gas during pit stops and they have a lot more people over the wall.

[@jamesburns2232]

With tires that could last over 500 miles and no fuel stops, there would be no need for pit stops except for the drivers to relieve themselves. 🤠

[@symonolesijuk7748]

No fuel allowed in the pits in F1... Tyres only... That's why the pit stop is 2-3 secs

[@DL-ls5sy]

at the same time, 1958, a small rear engine car appears in Europe. this Formula one car's name was COOPER

[@michaelsheedy]

I remember going to the local theater to see the Indy 500 on closed circuit back in the 60's with my Dad. And the 1st lap was usually a mess with injury and fatlities.

[@robjulian4148]

Ah! the good old days, when all a pit crew needed was a sledgehammer, a pair of scissors and some drinks on a stick

[@HorribleHarry]

Priceless … thank you

[@ひわた氏とも]

Thank you for showing me the very precious color film record! (And it even has audio!) By the way, mid-ship cars weren't participating yet at this time. These guys are full of courage to run around with such thin tires with a big displacement engine on a very long bonnet!

[@Tulsa_Films]

Thanks for the info!

[@kehhab]

Thanks Tulsa Films! Very cool to be able to watch this.

[@harponercam]

I believe I sat in that car, at the Devington Shopping center In Indianapolis- the Dean Van Lines special that Rodger Ward won the race in 1959. I was 6 or 7 and we lived a block away about 1961 or so. The '58 500 was the first race I saw and we were in the infield near that big wreck.

[@w.rustylane5650]

That's a grueling race. 500 miles is a long way. Cheers from eastern TN

[@Tulsa_Films]

Cheers

[@drock9083]

@1:25 A Real Marlboro Man👍

[@JudahHarris-n3w]

Great improvement over the other videos of this race.. Verdadeiros pilotos, de coragem e determinação.

[@alvanwalls8371]

Gotta love those Roadsters ..RIP Tony Bentehousen.Gary and Tony Jr. Got the Indy wins for Dad

[@timford3599]

Don't forget brother Merle! He also paid a big price for his Indy car racing addiction. It was indeed a family thing.

[@johnhenryclark911]

I Did Not Know That Gary Bentehousen And Tony Bentehousen Won 🏁🏎️🏆🥛🏁🏎️🏆🥛 The Indianapolis 500! Although Gary Bentehousen Should Have Won 🏁🏎️🏆🥛 The 1972 Indianapolis 500 , Instead Of The Late Great Mark Donahue , For Roger Penske!🏁🏎️🏆🥛 I Am Posting 📬 This At 8:52 p.m. , Tuesday Night 🌛🌉🌃🌌 , April 16, 2024.

[@dcongdon2294]

Thank you

[@richardcolton1009]

ending up upside down sure looks dangerous

[@lespanharddufurania]

Merci aux reporters d'avoir mémorisé cette mémorable et légendaire course ... 👍 👍 😍

[@benvoiles3505]

I never knew him but Pat O'Conner was actually my cousin by marriage. After his death i lived near his sister and niece in the little town of Butlerville Indiana. His mother and my uncle by marriage lived in North Vernon. I was at his mother's house many times. He had a son three years younger than me. Today there is a monument to him in North Veron.

[@yindyamarra]

You look at these cars and shiver at No roll bar

[@robertcoffey9724]

My first 500

[@dennismaloney5059]

Jimmy Bryan was my hero when I was a kid.

[@davidstout8604]

Great hero to have! Jim Bryan was a class act.

[@paulwiegand4267]

Phantastik film Material of this kind of racing without any security

[@BadWolf762]

I think this may have been the year AJ called his car "A tub of shit" on his post crash interview.

[@snsixstringerfjb7730]

My dad was a machinist at Meyer-Drake engineering and helped build that car that won the 1958 Indianapolis 500. I was only 3 years old at the time. The first Indy 500 i saw was the 1964 race.....yikes!.

[@thomasmcginnis3783]

*Stunning!* to see the comparative danger -- No fencing, bare concrete walls, no pit lane exit, no full-face helmets or fire suits, and still bopping along at 150mph. Ground forces? What's that??

[@paulwiegand4267]

Ja, und keine Überollbügel, Sicherheitszellen oder Gurte ...und all das nach dem Crash in LeMans

[@plumedargent4459]

The glory days of the big Indy Roadsters and the last days of the Offenhauser and Novi engines at the Brickyard. Ten years later and only a lonely few tried to qualify front-engine cars, without success. But these roadsters were hot rods; channel frame, front engine, rear differential, drum brakes, much the same configuration as a passenger car. Basically the same as the first Indy 500 car designs.

[@BSNFabricating]

The configuration of the cars might've been similar to the early days, but there had been SOME refinements over the years. After World War II, car builders like Frank Kurtis started taking inspiration from aircraft and applying it to their race cars. Things like chromemoly tubing, aluminum, and so on. While these cars might be primitie by today's standards, they were probably more state of the art in 1958 than today's (12-year-old) Indy car chassis are in 2023. Of course when Jack Brabham, Colin Chapman and them came along with the smaller rear-engine cars a few years later, it changed the whole ballgame.

[@AndyFromBeaverton]

AJ Foyt's rookie year.

[@tatersalad9416]

Mechanic smoking a cigar on the grid. Amazing.

[@stilldajoker]

The so called helmets they wore. Grew up in Indy, lived by Laguna Seca, it is just crazy and wonderful at the same time to see the evolution of driver safety over the years. Cars, tracks, gear, spectators, it had to get better and it did.

[@scottward7813]

The plastic helmets are basically worthless, you can see that some of the drivers have switched over to something more than eighth of a inch thick. Unreal

[@701CPD]

My Dad raced midgets and Crosleys in 1949 and 1950 in the old AAA. I used to play with his old Cromwell helmet - basically hard pasteboard and cardboard!

[@paladin0654]

I listened to this on my Arvin 3 transistor radio, couldn't put it down.

[@stevethornbrugh9417]

I like the improvement of the video. The audio for the narrator is lacking, but I like what you’ve done. Great improvement over the other videos of the race.

[@Tulsa_Films]

Thanks, will try to further enhance the audio track

[@BulletSpoung]

I was 8 years old and with my dad. We were sitting across from the pits and 3/4 of the way down pit wall to the south and about fifteen rows up from the fence. I remember it being hot, and the cars were very loud.

[@ray.shoesmith]

01:23 madlad having a quick smoke before the race 😂

[@jimgard310]

I had to go back to make sure I saw that right the first time.

[@RRaquello]

That first lap crash can still make you mad 65 years later. From what I've read the other drivers felt the same way about Elisian and got their revenge in a particularly gruesome manner (if the rumor is true).

[@kerrywsmyth]

The pits and the stands from the paddock all the way to stand E look much like they do today. The shocker is the fact that stands are completely absent the entirety of the rest of the track. Nothing but grass and trees on turns 2, 3 and 4. I notice there is no black pole either. And the catch fence protecting the fans is so small and thin that it’s difficult to see.

[@twillis449]

Jimmy Bryan - legend

[@floridapmi]

Doesn't even mention Pat O'Conner died in that accident.

[@quercus5398]

I’ll bet some drivers got elbow burns with those tires !

[@haroldmordt4421]

Wow, at 12:35 a guy is reading a newspaper that says Pat O'Conner has died in a crash as the same race is still underway! How is that possible?

[@arise2945]

Many big-city newspapers used to print multiple editions through the day, and would print 'extra' editions if breaking news was important enough. In 1958 Indianapolis the 500 was most certainly a big deal. There is a photo of A.J. Foyt in the winner's circle with the 500 extra edition announcing his win in 1964 and the deaths of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald. Foyt looks like he would rather be anyplace else in the world.

[@8avexp]

@@arise2945 There was a tragic fatal accident at the start of the '64 race.

[@JonesyTerp1]

@@arise2945 Analog version of looking at twitter on your cell phone.

[@JeffreyShaw-gr1bb]

Absolutely correct. I grew up in Indy in the late 50’s through 1967. My dad subscribed to 3 papers; Indianapolis News ( morning and evening) and I believe the other was the Indianapolis Times.

[@Charlie-fx9dp]

It was another time with no security, amazing cars terrible pilot heroes, time of legend... Now, it's always dangerous but with more money, precision, technic... Message from old 76' guy of france.

[@DigbyOdel-et3xx]

Fascinating snapshot of motorsports back then. The lack of safety for drivers, mechanics, photographers/ camera men and even the spectators as compared to modern era ,(2024) is amazing. But think of it this way, to those fans those cars looked as futuristic as the Indy cars of 2024 look to us.🤔

[@JeffreyShaw-gr1bb]

Had roll bars been used/required in the 1950’s, Bill Vukovich may have been the first and only to win three consecutive Indy’s. He won in 53 and 54 and was leading in 55 when he flipped on the backstretch and killed when he landed upside down. He was certainly the most dominating racer at Indy in the 1950’s.

[@MK007-YT]

Difficult to comprehend how extremely Talented A Driver, Vukovich really was ! 👍👍

[@T1122w]

All the red flags this year and this wreck was only a caution

[@ror312gallery19]

Last time the same car won 2 years in a row?? 1957, 1958, and both winners retired in victory lane. sadly JB returned to die on 1st lap at Langhorne,New Jersey soon after,, Sam Hanks, 1957 500 winner, drove the pace car at many races at Pocono 500 and was a real nice guy. No longer follow THE PARADE CAR 500 as its all manufactured, heck all the cars are designed and built here in effing Italy, WTF,, oh well thank heaven for a good memory and all the Historics and Retro Racing going on and spreading like wildfire. Great Drags from an Italian guy down under in New Zealand all winter here in Italy, as it was summer down there, he has a simple utoobe channel, and he just shoots great vids of events all over his area. anyhoo, cheers to ALL real race fans out there. Love from Italy a Brooklyn, NYC boy in the foothills of The Alps,,!!

[@richditlevsen4225]

This designed car that won would go on to win again. They laid the engine down horizontal. BAD ASS DESIGN

[@Thomas-wf9nq]

These guys were absolutely nuts! And to think it took until 1973 for them to change the pit entrance swede savage paid for that with his life!

[@johnfrew2798]

Open cockpits and tires that suck what a horrible accident on turn 3

[@tphvictims5101]

The good old days when they had cigarette lighters in the cars. And ashtrays

[@ror312gallery19]

Thank you TF for sharing, also GREAT comments, I was a 50 plus year fan, Dad took us kids to Pocono in June 29 1972, WOW, delved into the history, became a CART , etc Timing n Scoring , worked 1000s of hot track sessions, became a photographer, writer, interviewed everyone, learned to be an artist , painted tons of racing cars new and old, But i will not watch any corporate sports ever again. I only watch historics. love to all real race fans , Robert in Italy. PS have art on my channel if you are curious....😁

[@Eedg769]

My late father attended the ‘58 race and he said he was sitting in a section called the Terrace Annex. It seems the sections have been reconfigured since then and “Terrace Annex” no longer exists? Does anyone know where it might have been located?

[@jwandhistools]

Blows my mind how they were clueless enough to run onto the track after a pileup or with flags while the cars were still running. Good lord.

[@elliotburke5796]

that driver at 1:24 is smoking a cigarette, in the car, while waiting to start at 1:41. Truly insane.

[@charlesmelchioretto9600]

Verdadeiros pilotos, de coragem e determinação

[@lestorhaslam7635]

The driver at one minute twenty se3conds is smoking.

[@philmanson2991]

Good dawg, it was so dangerous back then. No fire suits, full-face helmets, a single seat-belt, no side-protection, no roll-bar...INSANITY!!

[@MrRobster1234]

Pat O'Connor died in that accident.

[@kurtpena5462]

I notice that they made no mention of injuries at all. His car flew 50 feet in the air and landed upside down, bursting into flames.

[@andradejurk]

No head protection! Amazing years....regards from Brazil.

[@Tulsa_Films]

Regards from Oklahoma USA

[@mwalker3547]

A couple of months before my birthday. Congratulations Jimmy Bryant.

[@67daltonknox]

This was before the British got interested in Indy, when antediluvian roadsters were the thing. Within a few years, rear engined cars took over, followed by AWD turbine Lotuses. The goodole boys didn't know what had hit them and they were scrambling to change the rules fast enough to regain control.

[@marleyorange]

Looks fun!

[@Carlos-r5n2b]

Run what ya got. these race fans watched the most competitive races ever.

[@jamessimms415]

Anyone notice @ 1:25 the driver taking a last drag on a cigarette?

[@paulreilly3904]

Yep I did. Just watching this before work in the UK. Never mind the high octane fuel and no fireproof clothes etc. Different days. Best wishes

[@riversarcadereview385]

I remember the days of 3 tire changes

[@Tim1963-u6n]

These guys had very little protection and we think racing is dangerous today and it is but nothing like back then

[@Thomas-wf9nq]

These cars were SOOOO unsafe

[@Thojouno]

Men so tough they used their heads as roll bars!

[@frisk151]

Id like to clarify as a long ago champion watercraft competitor, and a highway boss... " Only the men out there, know how lonely the world can be". LOL! There is NOTHING at all lonely about racing.. Pretty much all sorts of racing.. Those who have done it with any sort of drive to win will tell you... IT is not ever lonely...

[@ror312gallery19]

subbing,cheers mates,!

[@BoomX22]

Look how simple the world was

[@sportssix8302]

16:02 that is actress Shirley McLane

[@paulwiegand4267]

😳 uff, Särge mit Rädern, die den Vollzug anstreben

[@DustyTail]

In an era when race car drivers didn’t have “fan bois.” They were heros.

[@wesharris2559]

Those were real men!

[@VelhaGuardaTricolor]

3:28 Did the driver from the car that flipped over, died?

[@JeffreyShaw-gr1bb]

Yes, Pat O’Connor.

[@richieb74]

How fast would they get in the straights?

[@davidstout8604]

In 1958, they’d make it to 150mph +/-

[@schumisebas]

@@davidstout8604 The average was 144mph so I would say more like 170 in the straights and 120 in corners

[@arise2945]

At 12:10 they say 180 in the straights and 135 in the turns.

[@DL-ls5sy]

Jean Marcenac, Novi

[@polok890]

Who's the guy with the umbrella hat

[@denniscarroll7696]

Was that Shirley MacLaine giving him kisses in the Winners Circle?

[@JamesLaumand]

Is James garner in it

[@vatansalvery]

Is he smoking !!! 1:25 Also, the man who is cleaning the windshield is smoking a cigar while another is pumping fuel 😂

[@fransergiodelgado]

A big one at Indy 500…

[@fmradio42]

9:12 I'll have one Big Mac and large fries.

[@edwardmylnychuk5774]

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE CARS THE DRIVERS WERE REALLY AT RISK FROM ANY ACCIDENT, NO SAFETY TO THEM AT ALL,

[@BrianBattles]

So bizarre that guys would race without rollcages, wtf?

[@chha6439]

A lot of bad wrecks and fires in the next years after this! I think it was Eddie sacks that burnt up in the car in a couple years. It was a bad era for racing.

[@JeffreyShaw-gr1bb]

That was 1964 when Sachs and MacDonald were killed in turn 4 of lap 2. I was 8 years old and attending a church picnic not far from the track. I overheard some of the men saying they could see the black smoke from the awful inferno. Eddie was a fan favorite.

[@UguysRnuts]

When the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation downsized to video only they threw their entire film library in dumpsters after first drilling 3" holes through the cans and the reels they contained. Your tax dollars at work.