See Rodger Ward Win the 1959 Indy 500

This was the year of the “Flying W’s”, namely Watson, Ward and Wilke.
Two-time “500”-winning chief mechanic A.J. Watson had teamed up with longtime racing benefactor Bob Wilke for the purpose of building cars for other people in addition to entering their own. In spite of never having finished higher than eighth in any of his eight previous 500 starts, their driver, Rodger Ward, charged from sixth to second on the first lap and then led 130 of the 200 laps on the way to forcing Jim Rathmann into the runner-up position for the third time since 1952.
Rathmann, whose car was a twin sister to Ward’s, was originally to have been a teammate until Wilke agreed to sell the car to Lindsey Hopkins, for whom Rathmann had been driving since 1956.
Although later builders were credited with having pioneered pneumatic onboard air jacks for expediting pit stops, it was in reality Don Watson, A.J.’s father, who developed them for the Ward and Rathmann one-two finishers of 1959.

[@TNitroH]

I love these old films. My first 500 was 61.

[@markborzak9308]

There is nothing like Indy, thanks, I was born in '59, really cool

[@zon3665]

Thanks for posting this. This is great. $340,000 purse. About 147 mph. It's amazing that the average speed will jump another 100 mph in the next 50 years. Very cool to look back.

[@jkwbluebullitt]

Me and my wife were married by Roger Ward Jr in Amo Indiana and years later his father Rodger Ward would come and hang out in the store we owend there .

[@zon3665]

Oh yeah!

[@guarddave]

New film for me! Great!

[@tsf5-productions]

The late and great "Chief I.M.S. Track Announcer"... Tom Carnegie does the narration of this 1959 Indy "500".

[@rafaelcoutomarinho6314]

Indianápolis: o templo da velocidade ❤

[@lmkiefer572]

$150 to lead a lap then, how much now?

[@mikehylton7194]

Fix the aspect ratio! Not interested otherwise.