A Revolution at Indy - 1965

This 1965 film looks at the build up and execution of the Indianapolis 500 race of 1965. Narrated by Sid Collins, it is billed as a showdown between the tradition "Offies" and the new rear mounted engine cars typified by the Lotus 38 driven by Jim Clark. Only 11 of the starting 33 finish the race, with Clark triumphing with a new course record. Parnelli Jones took second and newcomer Mario Andretti an impressive third. As Clark takes the chequered flag, we see Lotus mastermind Colin Chapman dancing gleefully down the pit lane.

[@tsf5-productions]

Never as of today (July 4, 2023) have I seen this video. What fun! These Indy cars are among my favorites, with Jim Clark's Lotus-Ford leading the pack. All the Ford powered cars were so cool to hear on the tracks...especially the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Only sad thing or two was not having the great two time Indianapolis "500" winner, Rodger Ward; and, the late Bobby Marshman (who died from a Firestone tire testing program that proceeded after the U.S.A.C. (United States Auto Club sanctioned) Phoenix 200 race of November of 1964.
Goodyear Tire Corporation made their impact well in '65. A.J. Foyt, Jr. led the way with that company in Indy racing.
In the '65 "500" at Indianapolis, the great F-1 driver from Duns, Scotland, had one thing in mind: Win Indy. So did Ford Motor Company. What a good, safe race that set records of the time.

[@jimeditorial]

That kid Andretti shows real promise....I think he has a future in auto racing....

[@aureliobrighton1871]

Well, he had already learned to drive this kind of car in his native Italy ... 😉

[@tomlusty8376]

Andretti admits he stretched the truth about racing in Italy.​@@aureliobrighton1871

[@Lamontius]

The young guy in the Team Lotus overalls with glasses @24:23 is Allan Moffat OBE OAM.
He'd go on to win the Australian Touring Car Championship 4 times and the Bathurst 500/1000 4 times also. Amongst other racing achievements, he'd also win the 1975 Sebring 12hr along with Brian Redman and Sam Posey in a BMW 3.0 CSL, the first racing victory for BMW in North America.

[@paulreilly3904]

That's fantastic information. Thanks so much. Greetings from the UK.

[@craigyirush3492]

His autobiography is worth reading; he tells the story of how he ended up at Indy in ‘65.

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

Yay Jim Clark and Lotus Ford! Indy '65, A truly historic race.

[@johneddy908]

The Ford engine that powered that Lotus 38 that Jim Clark drove to victory at Indy in 1965 was based on the Windsor V8. It was a 4.2-liter DOHC 32-valve, all-aluminum V8 with a Hillborn-derived fuel injection system that was heavily modified by Ford engineers.

[@DennisMerwood]

By 1965 the V8 was not based on the pushrod Windsor V8 like the previous years, John.
It was a totally new block, and totally different. A real racing engine.

[@timford3599]

I just love these Periscope films. They are so well put together and, their many other subject matter videos are great as well. Thank you for posting this tremendous stroll down memory lane. Which, ultimately lead us to Indy's "Victory Lane!"

[@bloqk16]

Back then, two ways to see televised coverage of the race in the US:
1. Closed-circuit TV that was shown at some theatrical screenings.
2. Seeing condensed televised highlights of the race on ABC-TV "Wide World of Sports" at 5 PM the following Saturday.
For the entire nation that could not attend the race, radio coverage performed by the late Sid Collins was first-rate. That man was born to be the voice on "The Greatest Spectacle In Racing."
And that was back in the era when the term, "spectacle" was not an overwrought pre-race production that made the race take a back seat. The race itself was the spectacle.

[@camerongreenwoodcrampakacgc.]

1965. My favourite Indy Indianapolis 500 of all time apart from many others. Won by Jim Clark, the greatest driver of all time apart from Ayrton Senna.

[@twillis449]

Naw - Ayrton himself said that Jim was the best :) It's unfortunate that we could never see how good post-1970s F1 drivers were against drivers in other series.

[@starguy2718]

Narrated by the great Sid Collins, the "Voice of the 500".

[@repetitivemotion]

150,000 in attendance for qualifying!

[@paulsummers2640]

Those rear engined cars are beautiful....and dangerous. A.J. Foyt once said later in life that he wouldn't drive one in a parade any more.

[@DennisMerwood]

In 1958 the Offy Roadsters at the Monza Race of Two Worlds qualified at 177mph!
Versus 151mph at Indy in 1965 with the "Funny cars". LOL

[@twillis449]

Interesting that Autolite is boasting how it uses race cars to test its products and make them better. Now we have Pirelli chemists making tires for F1 that can't even last 100 or so km before they're worn out - LOL