The story of the 1966 500-mile race at Indianapolis, produced by two different motion picture companies on two entirely different films, is now presented on one 54-minute high-quality DVD by Rare Sportsfilms! As was the custom for many years at the Speedway, several companies produced different versions of the race highlights for different sponsors. We have picked the two best films that show the crashes from different angles and the history made during the month of May, 1966. Both "Invasion Of Eagles" by Championship Racefilms and "The International 500" by Dynamic Films are entirely different, even as they both show the 1966 race, won by rookie Graham Hill.
"Invasion Of Eagles" tells the 1966 Indy story from the perspective of the five-car Eagle contingent: Roger McCluskey in car #8, Jerry Grant in the Bardahl Pacesetter #88, Joe Leonard in #6, Lloyd Ruby in the Bardahl Eagle #14 and Dan Gurney in #31. Gurney is taken out of the race (along with 10 other cars) in the spectacular first lap pileup on the main straightaway, Joe Leonard is the highest finishing Eagle (9th after a clogged fuel line) and Lloyd Ruby runs the strongest of all, either leading or challenging for the lead most of the race until a broken cam housing stud causes an oil leak that sidelines him after 166 laps.
"Invasion Of Eagles" also shows many drivers during qualification attempts, including pole-winner Mario Andretti, Graham Hill, Lloyd Ruby (#5 on the starting grid), defending champion Jim Clark, rookie Jackie Stewart, A.J. Foyt (crashes his car, then qualifies in a back-up), Jerry Grant, Gurney, Joe Leonard, Bobby Grim (the only roadster to make the field) and Greg Weld, who crashes the last Novi during his qualifying attempt.
Dynamic's "International 500" on the other hand, covers the story of the controversial finish, has more closeups of the drivers and racing personalities and includes actual live interviews with Jackie Stewart, Rodger Ward, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Lloyd Ruby, Mario Andretti and car owner Colin Chapman. (Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt have some interesting comments moments after the big first lap crash!) Nice closeups in both films show Ruby, Foyt, Clark, Hill, Harlan Fengler, Ward, J.C. Agajanian, Andretti, Jim McElreath, George Snider, Andy Granatelli, Johnny Boyd, Gary Congdon, Greg Weld, Eddie Johnson, Clint Brawner, Jim Hurtubise, Al Unser and George Bignotti.
On this DVD you'll see the huge first lap smashup from three different angles run four different times, one in slow-motion! Other mishaps are all shown from at least two different views each: Johnny Boyd's wreck on lap 6, Chuck Hulse and George Snider crashing in turn two, Jim Clark's spin out of turn four and Al Unser's crash near the pit entrance. In addition to these, you'll see 20 different shots of spins, skids or crashes in practice and qualifications!
During the race, several drivers are shown during pit stops including Jim McElreath, Al Unser, Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Lloyd Ruby, Jackie Stewart, Jerry Grant and Joe Leonard.
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