Original subtitles

(fire roaring)

(film reel ticking)

("The Star Spangled Banner" by John Stafford Smith)

(crowd cheering)

- [Announcer] Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.

At the flying of our national anthem,

we're ready to start the Bobby Ball 150 miler

here in Phoenix International Raceway

and now for those famous words.

- [Announcer] Gentlemen, start you engines!

(cars revving)

- [Announcer] The cars are beginning to move.

Bobby Unser, outside front row is away first.

Followed by his brother Al Unser on the fall.

Right behind the three car Indianapolis Motor AJ Foyt.

Newcomer Swede Savage,

veteran Lloyd Ruby, Johnny Rutherford

and a total of 24 cars.

Now moving around the track behind the pace car.

They'll be coming down for the green flag in just a moment.

Then it will be 150 laps

of top racing by the finest race drivers

and the fastest championship cars in the world.

There it is, they're on their way.

(cars revving)

At the end of the first lap, it's Bobby Unser in front,

Al Unser second and AJ Foyt, end of current one,

the field begins to spring up.

There's a spin in turn two,

no damage just some shaken nerves

and black rubber on the track.

Now a battle is shaping up between the Unser brothers.

They're running one two

with Al pushing hard on Bobby for the front spot.

From the looks of things this could be an Unser race

all the way down to the finish.

- In the history of Indy 500, one name reigns supreme

and that is Unser, from the late 50s to the 90s.

Bobby and Al Unser have dominated the motor racing world

with their unique brand of driving skill and determination.

- My love or maybe you can say hate the Indy 500,

started in 1968.

- Bobby Unser came from a family of race-car drivers.

He made a name for himself as a driver who pushed himself

and his cars to the limit.

He drove fast and hard all the time,

and has won numerous racing championships

throughout his career,

including three Indianapolis 500 titles.

Never shy of the spotlight,

Bobby Unser has also been the center of controversy

because of his opinions about what is fair

and just both on and off the track.

Robert William Unser, better known as Bobby

was born on February 20 1934, in Colorado Springs

and at an early age he knew that he was born to race.

Bobby Unser's older Brother Jerry Junior

became the first Unser race car champion.

Winning the 1957 United States Auto Clubs

Stock Car Championship

before dying during practice of the 1959 Indianapolis 500.

Louis Unser, Bobby's other older brother

started a racing career but was later diagnosed

with multiple sclerosis and was unable to continue driving.

This left racing open to the two younger Unser boys.

At age 16, Bobby Unser won his first race at the Southwest

Modified Stock Car Championship,

which he won again the following year.

His grandfather, Louis Unser was a mechanic whose three sons

were the first to ride up Pikes Peak, a 14,110 foot

high mountain on the edge of the Great Plains in the 1920s.

This was the first race of what would become

an annual tradition for the Unsers.

Only the Unser boys made it to the top.

This was the start of the Unsers domination

of that very mountain.

(dramatic music)

Al Unser, younger brother to Bobby is the most

successful racer in the history

of the Indianapolis 500 Motor Speedway.

During his three decade career Al Unser had four first place

finishes, three second, four third, one fourth, a fifth

and two other top 10 places.

This is a racing dynasty that were born to race.

- I was 17 when my father let me race.

I started with modified stock cars before my father

start let me race with real race cars

like my brother Bobby was.

(dramatic music)

(cars revving)

(tires screeching)

- This is Speedway Park in Albuquerque.

Hometown tracks like this, is where most great race drivers

began their professional racing career.

And this is the Ontario Motor Speedway,

home of the California 500.

Hi, I'm Roger Ward, and I've been a driver

of championship race cars for a long, long time.

I'm retired now, and probably as just as well,

considering the caliber of race drivers today.

They're intelligent and tough.

And lately, the toughest of them all

have been the Unsers brother, Bobby and Al.

I've been following the Unsers story

ever since young Gary Jr. came up to the old brick yard

in Indianapolis in 1958.

(car revving)

(tires screeching)

We remember his tragic death in a practice run

at the Speedway the following year.

I remember the courage of the family.

And I know of the brave vow taken by his brothers

to win for Jerry.

And I know of their record, since then.

They have been phenomenal.

- Running against the clock is an old story to the Unsers.

They have been doing it almost since the first day

that an automobile dirt track was open up at the top

of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Many people in this area refer to it as Unser Mountain

because of the amount of times an Unser has won the race.

It is one of the oldest automobile races

in the history of the US.

In fact, it is second only to the Indianapolis 500.

- [Announcer] Pikes Peak or bust, here's the entrance

to the long road of Pikes Peak Colorado.

Where thousands are thrilled yearly by a 12 mile race

that takes the stark and heart out of everybody

but a champion.

There's the start, 12 miles of grueling,

skidding heartbreaking climb.

No smooth, wide track, no bank curves here.

You take that dust and dirt and bumps and hairpin twists

as they come if you can.

If not, you're liable to crash a few hundred feet down

to a very dry Davy Jones locker.

All tires are champion equipped.

Here again a champion with champion this top the top.

(car revving)

There he is Louie Unser, under the flag for the second

consecutive year, time 16 minute one 810 seconds boy!

- [Host] Unsers have been winning here

almost since its inception.

And the Unser who has won it more times than any other

is Bobby Unser, with 13 wins.

On one occasion in 1969,

he raced a Ford Torno stock car and won.

- Most of my races at Pikes Peak had been

in the racing cars, not stock cars.

But in the late 60s they started to bring

back the stock car division.

I was down to Daytona at the time

and I run into Bucky Knutson, the president of Ford.

And he told me that he wanted to speed record at Pikes Peak

and he asked me to get it for him.

I decided that 69 Ford Torino,

which was gonna be specially built for the run on June 29th.

The car was built by the team of Holman and Moody

of Bill Stroppe Racing

and compared to a traditional stock car,

the 69 Torino Cobra was lower

and leaner than the street version.

The lights, the mirrors, the trims

and any other non essentials were removed.

The chassis is stock car design

that's been beefed up for racing.

For strength we had a steel strapped

to strengthen the wheel axle housing.

But the power of the Torino came from

that big old Boss Ford 29 V8 which was hand built

by the legendary Smokey Yunick.

(upbeat music)

- The car is a 1969 Ford Torino, Talladega bodied stock car,

and it was built specifically for the run of Pikes Peak

on June 29 of 1969.

The car was built by the team of Holman and Moody

and Bill Stroppe Racing and compared to a stock 69 Torino

Cobra, it's obvious to see the race car is lower

and leaner than the street version.

With subtle aero mods all over the car.

The lights, mirrors, trim and other non necessities

were removed and the bumpers were tucked in

for a sleeker profile.

The headlights were removed in favor of cold air intakes

to cool the various fluid coolers on board

and a complete roll cage was installed

for stiffness and safety.

Toe-hooks and hood pins appear in the front,

but the grill retains a mostly stock appearance.

A small wing was added to the rear deck for stability,

and the glass was replaced with plexi

and retained with straps and tabs.

Two small quarter vents relieve air pressure

and the rear bumper features a smooth panel

with a license plate recess once was.

The rocker panels are recessed

to accommodate the side exhaust.

You'll notice that this isn't a perfectly restored show car

because it's mostly original and it's still covered

in stone chips from climbing the big hill.

(upbeat music)

The chassis is primarily a stock design

that has been beefed up for racing.

With a lowered front suspension, high rate springs,

outboard mounted racing shock absorbers,

a larger sway bar and reinforced strap rods.

Adjusters in the struts allow for alignment tuning

and reinforcements were welded into the lower control arms.

Skid plates protect the engine,

and certain part numbers contained X's.

These are experimental racing pieces,

but they still carry Ford part numbers.

The racing headers merge into flat collectors

for ground clearance, and the wheels are oversized

steel pieces with wide rubber up front

and Unser SPECT tread and compound in the back.

Rear Suspension exhibit some classic hot rodding tricks,

including moving the stiffer rear leaf springs in board

to accommodate the larger tires.

A steel strap strengthens the nine inch rear axle housing

and a narrowed steel fuel cell feeds the beast,

an arch tubular crossing not only reinforces the chassis,

but also provides a raised upper mount for the long travel

rear racing shocks.

A pair of filtered rear axle breathers sit

between the tubes.

So overall, the chassis design and execution are pretty

basic, but they were obviously very effective

because this car did set a record at Pikes Peak.

When he climbed in the car, Unser was greeted with an array

of switches and gauges.

The switches control ignition, pumps and cooling fans,

and the gauges readout RPM, pressures and temperatures

and note the backup set of gauges in case the ride

is rougher than expected,

and the primaries is getting knocked out.

A handwritten cheat sheet is taped to the inside headliner,

but we have no evidence if it's authentic or not.

The car has an automatic transmission,

and we think the base of the shifter is a Pontiac piece.

But we didn't confirm that.

Power comes from a Boss Ford 29 V8.

That was hand built by the legendary Smokey Yunick himself.

Rumor has it that outside of some regular maintenance,

Smokey was probably the last person to do any major work

on this engine, and it's still run strong today.

Power numbers aren't readily known,

but judging by the fact that it's set a record at Pikes Peak

we know this Boss-9 has what it takes.

(upbeat music)

(car revving)

(suspenseful music)

- What type of race is Pikes Peak?

What's the attraction?

With the camera on board Bobby Unser's race car

you can see for yourself.

(engine revs)

In 1955 Bobby Unser debuted at Pikes Peak,

now dubbed Unser's Peak

because of his family's history

of success at the hill climb.

He finished fifth that year behind his two brothers.

A year later, he won his first of a record 13 championships.

Bobby Unser won six streak titles from 1958 to 1963.

But his streak ended in 1964

when his younger brother Al won the race.

However, his sweetest victory Unser's Peak

came 10 years later,

when he tied his uncle's record of nine wins.

The Unser brothers raced at Pikes Peak to beat each other,

but most of all to beat their uncle Louis's record.

(engine revs)

Because Bobby has done so well at Pikes Peak,

they now call him the King of the Mountain.

- What made them so competitive?

What drives them to victory after victory?

I think perhaps desire, which stems from Pop Unser

a very patient, but demanding teacher.

- My father was a stern man, but a fair man.

He was kind.

But he sure did have a mind of his own.

When he wasn't given us driving lessons

or teaching us about racing.

My mother made sure we were practicing our music.

I can't believe that she got me to play

that trumpet, even to this day.

she was up against the stacked deck.

I wasn't a bad trumpet player.

With a little practice

I'm sure I could probably pick it up again.

- My name is Marie Unser.

I've been going to auto-races most of my life.

This is because all the men I have ever loved were racers.

I've had four sons, everyone a champion.

Once I hope my boys might become doctors,

lawyers or concert pianist.

Having any of these dreams fulfilled

would make almost any woman happy.

But tell me, do you know any mother who's had two sons

in the winner's circle it is the Indianapolis?

Well, I had, then there is Louis, he doesn't drive anymore,

but he has worked his championship in a spiritual triumph

over a crippling disease.

He designs and builds racing engines.

His company is very well known among racers everywhere.

My fourth son was Jerry Junior.

We lost him just as he was rising to the top

of his profession.

He was trying for the big prize when he died.

But his passing was not in vain.

He pointed the way for his younger brothers.

Then there was another man in my life.

I met him a long time ago.

He was the most persistent, exasperating, self assured,

hard headed man I ever knew,

and I loved him with all my heart.

He was the inspiration behind all of this sons.

All of my racing boys.

- [Narrator] This is Albuquerque, New Mexico,

where the Unsers have lived

since Pop Unser moved his growing family in Colorado

in the early 30s.

(lighthearted music)

There was less than 32,000 people here in those days.

Now there's more than a third of a million

in the Metropolitan area.

- There is a racetrack of some sorts in every sizable city

within the United States.

They are generally operated by local people

who love auto racing most of the time

they barely make it pay.

This one is unusual as it started to national driving

championships on their way, Bobby and Al Unser.

- My love or maybe you can say my hate for the Indy 500

started in 1968.

- [Announcer] In 1967 the word was out but those mechanical

marvels, the turbine powered racers would make obsolete

the piston engines the office support.

In 1968, three turbines made the race and two of the three

qualified for the choice of starting positions.

(swing music)

It was Graham Hill who smashed the record first

for the top speed of 171.887.

(crowd cheering)

Then ex motorcycle champ Joe Leonard turned the lap

just a whisker under 172 miles an hour

to win the pole position.

(engine revs)

The third man in the front row was Bobby Unser

of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

He has won three straight races to start the 1968 season,

and he had a few plans of his own

about this Indianapolis race.

And qualifying for his front row starting position,

Bobby became the first driver in history

to record an official 170 mile an hour lap

at Indianapolis in a piston engine car.

- [Announcer] Start your engines.

(car engines rev)

Mario Andretti has just started in car number two.

(engines revving)

- I looked forward to this day for quite some time.

We knew what the turbines were capable of doing

but I had to find out if I could take them and practice

because they had more speed on the straight

than we could handle.

- [Announcer] And the green flag is up.

(cars revving)

(upbeat music)

Joe Leonard, Bobby Unser, and Mario Andretti,

shoulder to shoulder and Mario Andretti,

hard response as Mario gets through to the next turn.

(engines revving)

(tense music)

- When it came to about the eighth lap,

I was able to go ahead and pass Joe Leonard.

Finding out that if I slipped up alongside him

and get the revs up, I know I'm by him.

And once I got by him, I knew I could beat 'em and trap 'em.

That's what kept me ahead

and I went down and made my first pit stop.

(engines revving)

- [Announcer] It's the 40th, Alan Tirpitz's

new four wheel drive car and starts back into the race,

but flames back up through the turbocharger

and precious moments are lost.

As George Vicnaughty, gets the fire out.

(engines revving)

(upbeat music)

Then a lap later Al comes down the main straightaway

and heads for turn one.

- [Announcer] Rated for the yellow Holman,

they're in car number 24.

(engines revving)

(upbeat music)

- By the 40th lap, my brother Al, had gone into the wall.

I was on the opposite side of the track,

but I saw it what happen, so.

Naturally when I saw him sit up on the wall

waving his arms at me,

I know he was in good shape.

(cars revving)

- [Announcer] And now Lloyd Ruby has the lead,

Bobby is second, Leonard is third.

(dramatic music)

(tires screeching)

Leonard's team mate Graham Hill hits the wall

and turn two, one turbine is out.

- [Announcer] Graham hill is out of the car and he is okay.

Graham hill is out of the car and is okay.

- [Announcer] The duel between piston engine

and turbine engine continue.

(engines revving)

(tires screeching)

His first 500, his first accident.

Bill Butkovich gets acquainted with turn three.

He's okay, the car is okay, and he gets a restart.

But Rutherford and Macklerie tangled.

Mike Mosely spins into the in field

and Bobby Unser has some problems of his own.

- On my third and last trip to the pits I noticed

I had only one gear working

and then my turbos having problems.

So I fell back in third place.

(dramatic music)

(car revving)

- [Announcer] Then the bottom drops out of Lloyd Ruby's

world, he's forced into the pits with ignition trouble.

His crew replaces a coil and six minutes 29 seconds

of precious racing time.

(car revving)

Such a little thing to cost a great team the race.

(dramatic music)

In the 181st lap, Carl Williams puts the caution light

on in the backstretch.

There is a stubborn fire and Leonard is locked in first

place with Bobby Unser and Gerny behind him.

The caution light continues, and it looks as though the race

will finish under the yellow with Leonard a certain victor.

(cars revving)

But the wreckage is towed away.

At the start of the 192nd lap, the green flag comes up

and the incredible happens.

Joe Leonard accelerates but nothing happens.

The turbine engine dies and the car rolls to a stop

and turn one as Bobby Unser sweeps into the lead

and heads for the checkered flag.

- [Announcer] We got the signal just...

(engines revving)

(dramatic music)

- And what was funny was that I didn't even

know where the victory circle was.

So I just had to follow the crowd

and hope they lead me there.

- On hearing that her son had won the 1968 Indianapolis 500,

Here is what Marie Unser had to say.

- I remember I told the news man at Bobby's 500 victory.

Well, I have one son in the winner's circle.

Now I've got to get the other one there too.

I'll admit, that was a mother's wishful thinking.

But you know, it could have easily happened in 1969.

Except for that fun ride Al took a motorcycle one day.

We were very thankful it was no worse than a broken ankle,

but he was out of all races for two critical months.

- [Announcer] In spite of being reduced

to spectator status for that long.

Al Unser finished the rest of the season so strongly

that he was runner up to Mario Andretti

for the 1969 driving championship.

- I was 17, when my father started to let me race.

I started with modified stock cars before my father

started to let me race with real race cars

like my brother Bobby was, yeah.

- An early season showing in 1970 quickly made Al Unser,

the favorite for the Indy 500.

(engines revving)

- [Announcer] A strong early season showing in 1970

quickly made Al

the early May favorite to win the Indianapolis Classic.

(car revving)

(upbeat music)

He turned lap after lap at high speeds in practice

and when it came time for him to qualify, he was ready.

Al zipped around the track and an average speed of 170.221

miles an hour and won the pole position.

(car engines growl)

- It sounds deceptively easy.

But if the brakes from the old Speedway could talk,

it would tell stories

of those who gave their best and failed.

- [Announcer] The Unsers have been winners

but they've been losers too.

(tires screeching)

In 1968 Al slowly walked back over the path his car took

into the wall trying to figure out what happened.

(tires screeching)

In 1965, Bobby tried to master the Novi and failed.

But there is nothing unusual about that.

In any given year and Indianapolis there are almost

as many incidents during practice and qualification

as there are cars in the race.

(tires screeching)

(upbeat music)

Almost every career driver has visited the wall

at one time or another.

If they can profit by the experience,

then they're one step closer to being a champion.

That's pretty well describes Bobby Unser.

He's reached that point in his career where a consistent

top performance is normal rather than the exception.

But in qualifying for the 1970 500,

his biggest problem is how to beat little brother.

(orchestral music)

33 men chasing a million dollars, there is rain and delays.

But finally that magic moment,

the start of the race is at hand.

(crowd cheering)

- [Announcer] Now race fans, it's a little past time

for those important words from Mr. Holman.

Gentlemen start your engines.

(crowd cheering)

- [Host] 33 men are chasing a million dollars

in the 1970 Indianapolis 500.

There are delays but suddenly the commentator announces

that the race is about to begin.

The green flag drops.

It's the start of the 1970 Indy 500.

(engines revving)

- When the race did start, Johnny Rutherford got ahead

of me down the corner right at the beginning.

But, the second corner Rutherford was,

he was still ahead of me, but as the race continued,

I was able to catch him and I got by him, yeah.

That was my first one.

(engines revving)

- [Announcer] Here they come traveling

there down the straightaway

and the winner (car revving drowns out speaker).

(engines revving)

- I was very concerned that

I might've overshot the station.

That can happen when you're too anxious as you see,

drivers have a tendency to do that.

But I knew I couldn't be too slow, you know,

either as you might waste time so you have

to be very careful.

(car revving)

Lauren came back and made a great challenge

but I was able to keep from overtaking me, yeah.

(engines revving)

- [Announcer] A vibration more in part

brakes on the car driven

by Roger McCluskey is followed into the wall

by Ronny Putnam and Sam Sessions.

(dramatic music)

(tires screeching)

Others including Jerry Grant

spin through the pile up.

Within moments the situation is under control.

The safety crews work with fast precision,

no one is injured.

It just takes time to clean up such a big mess.

Al Unser escapes the accidents and continues to lead.

(engines revving)

- On last 15 laps of the race I was able to put a lap

between myself and AJ Foyt, Mark Donohue.

AJ was running second, Donohue was third.

(engines revving)

(dramatic music)

- [Announcer] Yes, Al Unser won his first 500

and Bobby won his, but each of them won for all the Unsers,

for two brothers who helped to show the way,

for their own family and the mother

who gave encouragement and devotion.

There was one other, Jerry Unser Senior,

did not live to see either of his boys in Winner's Circle.

He started them on their way.

He helped them learn their profession,

he shared their disappointments and occasional triumphs,

but he wasn't there for the big moment, or was he?

Anyway, the last time we talked to Jerry Unser,

he said he knew it was going to happen just this way.

- Over the years Bobby and Al Unser have raced against

each other multiple times.

(upbeat music)

- [Announcer] It took two years to transform a gigantic

grape vineyard into the most modern racing plant in America.

The big goal at Ontario, California was getting

the finishing touches.

And Al Unser was busy making friends with a new track.

Then one day, there it was, all finished,

full of people and race cars.

Except for the Indianapolis although this is

the track that Roger Ward knows best.

(cars revving)

- [Announcer] At the start Lloyd Ruby took the lead

from his pole position.

Al Unser, Dan Gurney, Johnny Rutherford and Bobby Unser

were right behind him.

Down the main straightaway Al pursued Lloyd Ruby

and passed him going into turn one.

(cars revving)

As Al made his first routine pit stop.

Bobby was sidelined with mechanical failure.

(engine revs)

Except for brief leading Al Unser

dominated the race until the 186th lap.

At that point he could almost coast over the finish line.

But as he went into turn one he found

quite suddenly that he really was coasting.

His supercharger had failed just 35 miles from the end.

And Texan Jim McElreath wrote his name

in the record book as the winner

of the first California 500.

- [Announcer] But even with this defeat,

Al Unser proceeded to finish the season even stronger

than he did in 1969.

He won the next five races on the championship trail,

and during the USAC national championship,

starting the 1971 season,

Al Unser, won an exhibition race in Argentina,

then with brother Bobby, came to Phoenix,

Arizona for the first domestic event of the year.

- 24 cars and drivers are ready to battle it out.

Bobby is on the pole position while

Al right behind him with Johnny Rutherford alongside.

On the parade lap Jim Malone

checked the 24 car placing before the started the race.

The flag goes down, and they're off.

(engines revving)

As they race around the track, it's AJ Foyt, Al Unser

and Johnny Rutherford, battling it out for front position.

(cars revving)

As the race continues, Rutherford holds on in fourth place

as he waits for his chance, but it never come.

The first fuel stop comes around,

Bobby goes in first, Al follows leaving Foyt

to take over the lead.

(engines revving)

AJ Foyt surrenders the lead to Al Unser and comes in.

(upbeat music)

The Unser duel continues.

This time it's Al in front with Bobby pursuing his brother

like a lion on the hunt for food.

Bob Harkey comes in turn two and spins off the track.

He then recovers and drives off.

The dueling Unsers continue their battle on the race track.

Bobby Unser now leads and has his brother Al

breathing down his neck.

Would it have been better to be second

and push all the way to the finish line?

He thinks before making his move, but it's too late.

Al sweeps past him to take the lead.

Then the wheel blade on Bobby's car comes off

leaving the steering wheel to vibrate.

Bobby has no alternative but to drop back

but he still holds on a second place.

And that's the way they finished, Al Unser first,

with Bobby Unser second, car number one wins

and car number two second.

Well, if you're going to lose,

it's better losing to your brother.

That way you can keep the prize money in the family.

- [Announcer] By May, Bobby and Al,

were thinking in terms of carving up the best part

of the million dollar purse offered

for the 1971 the Indianapolis 500.

(engines revving)

When it came to qualification time,

Al, figured that a speed of 174.622,

which earned him a second row position

was a good place to start off for a second 500 win.

- [Announcer] 174.622 miles an hour.

A great ride for the first time champion

and the winner of the--

- [Announcer] Dan Gurny he has retired as a driver.

Now he worries Bobby Unser over the line

at a speed of 175.816 miles per hour.

And that makes two Unsers in the show.

- [Announcer] Bobby Unser!

(cars revving)

(lighthearted music)

- [Announcer] And suddenly race day.

(cars revving)

The field breaks into four groups, the fastest,

the medium speed, the slowest, and Mark Donohue,

who runs away from everyone.

Peter Epson and Bobby Unser duel

for a second in the straightaway.

Just a wisp of smoke from the back of Chris Luft's car,

suddenly it becomes a stream of oil.

Chris Luft, Mel Canyon and Freddie and Gordon Johncock,

others spin wildly

to avoid the wreckage.

Al and Bobby Unser come through as the emergency crews

go about their jobs with rapid efficiency.

(upbeat music)

In the 50th lap, Donahue makes a pit stop.

Surrenders the lead to Joe Leonard who passes to Bobby Unser

and then back to Donahue in the 65th lap.

He records the fastest speed of the race.

174.961 miles per hour then coasts into the turn

for infield with a shattered gearbox.

From the 67th lap till the 118th lap,

a duel between teammates makes history,

the lead passes from Al Unser to Joe Leonard

and then back again.

(car revving)

And then in the main straightaway.

(tires screeching)

David Hobbs blew an engine.

Rick Muether was right behind him at that moment.

The rest you can see.

Al Unser, got through safely,

so did AJ Foyt and others as Holland Spangler

slow the field.

(engines revving)

The caution light is on, Al Unser comes in for 14 seconds

to top off his tank.

He had made a pit stop about 15 laps before,

now he's back running but full tanks.

(engines revving)

Joe Leonard goes out of the race.

And now Al Unser leads with his brother Bobby

in close pursuit.

(engines revving)

It's the 165th lap, a wheel comes off Mike Mosley's car

and Bobby Unser has a choice to make,

hit Mosley or hit the wall?

As it turns out, they both piled into cars parked earlier

by Chris Luft Mark Donohue.

Bobby is shaken but unhurt,

mostly it's hospitalize.

And while this is going on Lloyd Ruby experiences

that annual frustration which appears to be becoming

the rule rather than the exception.

At one time or another Lloyd Ruby

has met almost every 500 since 1966,

only to have an end for him like this.

(dramatic music)

For Bobby belong walk back and for little brother,

the green flag, the lead and clear sailing

with only Peter Epson on the same lap with them.

The last 11 laps are quiet, uneventful,

except perhaps for those butterflies in Al's stomach

as he gets closer to the finish, the checkered flag.

Al Unser has done it, he has won his second Indianapolis 500

Al Unser has just joined a very select group of men.

Those that have won the 500 back to back,

Mauri Rose, Wilbur Shaw, Bill Butkovich and now Al Unser.

- On Sunday, May 25 1975, the 59th Indianapolis 500

takes place, AJ Foyt started on the pole position

with Bobby Unser on third and Al Unser on 11.

- [Keith] Good day, ladies and gentlemen,

and welcome to the 1975 Indianapolis 500.

Hello, everybody, I'm Keith Jackson.

The moments before the start of an Indianapolis 500

are very special.

They're the kind of moments that we long

for in motor racing.

It's a kind of ultimate anticipation, for it is

a hot humid day as it usually is in late May in Indiana

and the heat will be a common adversary for everybody

trying to run a race car fast today.

In the 33 car starting field, there are six former winners

with only four rookies, but all those four rookies are rich

in experience from other racetracks.

This starting field qualified better than 185 miles an hour

collectively, which is one of the fastest fields ever

and the roar from the start of an Indianapolis 500

is indeed heard around the world.

And to amplify on that vision, let's turn to a former winner

of the Indy 500, AJ Foyt,

who today is trying to make it four wins.

The only person in Indy 500 history to do that.

AJ, is this the most important race that you have ever run?

- Hello, Keith, to answer your question.

Yes, it is, I've always felt the records are made

to be broken.

And as long as I can continue to race,

I wanna win and set all the records I possibly can.

But I always said that the day that I lose that drive,

I will hang it up and quit racing.

This is a very important race in my life.

For the first time, I've had an opportunity

to become the only man at this time

to win the Indy 500 four times.

And that's a goal I want to achieve, if I possibly can.

- [Keith] Now to amplify on that point,

let's turn to a colleague, the expert commentator

for our coverage of the Indianapolis 500,

former world champion racing driver, Jackie Stewart.

- Hello, Keith, perhaps in the whole world,

there are only a handful of truly great events.

And here in Indianapolis, this is certainly one of them.

Because in every city in the world,

and every corner of the world,

they know that the Indy 500 is taking place today.

And these drivers down in the grid also know that fact,

there are 33 of them facing an enormous crowd,

perhaps the biggest motor race in the whole world.

- [Keith] You and I are sitting here and we can feel

the tension, but it is nothing like the tension

that's built on the starting grid.

- Keith, I can remember when I came out of gasoline alley,

and was faced by this enormous crowd, what a shock it was.

It was a system shock like I have never received before.

You were just faced with this multitude of people,

your nerves start to shake as your whole system

goes into overdrive.

As the pit crew make check after check,

going over the same things they have done many times before.

As the drivers make sure that they are safe

as they pull on their fire resistant suits,

back labs and gloves in case the inevitable happens

for full protection.

These men at this time are going through emotions

most people never experience.

They don't know what their day is going to bring.

They are 33 of them.

And surely there will be accidents today.

They know that, they know it's a calculated risk,

but they're great men.

- [Keith] This race must be one of a kind.

- Yes, the Indy 500 track runs over two and a half miles.

It looks like it's simply for easy corners.

But this is not the case.

It's two and a half miles round,

and it's got a nine degree bank on all four turns.

But it's not that simple because each one of them

has a character and personality of their own.

Turn one is certainly different from turn three

which looks to be the same from the start or finishing line.

There's a narrow strip of brick, you go into turn one

and you're faced with these enormous visions,

faces of people as you short shoot the turn two.

Now this is an important turn as you must go cleanly down

the back straight to turn three.

So you enter it at very high speed.

Again, you go along until you get to turn four,

where you can enter the pits

or go down the start finishing line.

From a driver's point of view, it's a big thrill.

You see the grandstand as you go towards turn one,

banking on the outside wall.

You then go high on the race track into turn two

along the short shot, before you commit yourself

to this corner.

This is one you must do correctly as the wind affects you,

in this corner, but you must get down the back straight

and away as quickly as possible.

This gives the driver the opportunity to look at his mirror,

check his gauges and his tires just in case

he can see a puncture.

Then as you enter, turn three, you are doing an incredibly

high speed around 220 miles an hour.

It's a little bit bumpy in the middle as the car goes

very high and very close to the wall in the short shoot

before you get to turn four.

This is a corner that causes loads of trouble

and Indianapolis as there are so many accidents here.

The cars seem to get close to the walls

as they loom towards you

as you go down the bank straight.

Again you are doing about 220 miles an hour before

you are faced with this narrow tunnel of vision that you see

that the spectators are on both sides of you.

What a racetrack, what an emotional feat,

just to get around there at such high speeds

is an incredible feat for each driver.

- [Keith] And coming off that start is a time of trust,

faith and luck, am I right?

- Yes, there are 33 men packed into a very small space

at very high speed.

the talents of the drivers here have trained

for a whole month.

And this of course is their big day to show what

they can do as they try to win the Indy 500.

- [Keith] Tony Holman bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

in 1945 from Eddie Rickenbacker and Associates,

since 1946, Tony Holman has conducted

one of the most dramatic moments in sports anywhere,

just like this.

- Gentlemen, start your engines!

(crowd cheering)

(dramatic music)

- [Announcer] The starter now will hold the flags

and watch the field, those veterans up front,

Lloyd John Puckanundstra hold them

in proper starting position,

we'll get a green right now

and we're racing in Indianapolis.

- [Announcer] Got a positive advantage to come back on

- [Announcer] Gordon Johncock, AJ Foyt and Bobby Unser,

the front row running one two three.

And it's Johncock, defending champion

now sitting comfortably in the number four position.

- [Announcer] But look what a lead,

this man has put, man Gordon Jonhcock's got,

he's really pulled over strings,

he is a charger, Gordon Johncock's the type of man

who you'd expect to do this sort of performance.

I think AJ Foyt certainly not gonna try

and challenge him too hard in this time

because it's a long race.

500 miles is a long way to go.

- [Announcer] It is a light car, everything is about

7/8 the size previously and Salt Walther

in car number 77 is the first man hit that road.

Salt Walther.

- [Announcer] And that is a break for everybody

particularly those people concerned

about the fuel consumption.

(engines revving)

- [Announcer] Cars stream down the back,

straight away you can see Dollard

taking advantage of the draft slingshots back,

they is a smoke, they is a car spinning.

It's Mario Andretti, it looks like he's in a mechanically,

he's gone into the wall very hard and right onto the grass.

- [Announcer] Mario Andretti on the back strafe

hits the wall and he hits on the left side of the car

and that's where the fuel tank is located.

They is no fuel tank on the right, it's kept on the left

because most of the accidents in the past half of those

people have gone to the outside wall.

But that time something happened at the rear

of Andretti's car, stepping around Mario had no chance,

the yellow flag is up.

He tears across the wall and walks away,

but he's obviously shaken

because he must have been battling

in the neighborhood of 190 miles an hour.

Here we come down with AJ Foyt,

beginning to move through traffic that he's running behind

Tom Sneva, number 58 is in the yellow car coming around

turn number two and oh we got Tom Sneva.

He's on the wall, he goes into a terrible bit of fire,

the infamous rip round up back of the car

comes tumbling across, AJ Foyt is right behind him,

he was able to avoid it somehow,

but Tom Sneva is in the car, he is moving around,

he is trying to get out, an incredible accident

on car number 68 Tom Sneva, there is fire,

Sneva, acting to get out of the car.

The fireman is there spraying it down.

The question is, is there fire in the cockpit?

But what a spectacular flip

and the fire suit hopefully will protect young

Tom Sneva as he struggles to get out of the car,

and Jackie, it appears that he has exited that car.

- [Announcer] Yeah he is, and he has got lots of help.

They've obviously doused the fire,

you can't see the alcohol flame of course,

but he looks as if he's okay,

he's certainly moving around,

I don't think I've ever seen a driver who,

so easily after...

- [Announcer] Oh, he got him on the front straight.

That is Gary Bettenhausen has lost the rear wheel,

and look at him do the job of driving,

holy smokes, how in the world did he hold it?

- [Announcer] Well that car's only running on three wheels,

my goodness he was steering,

ya see it's not properly steering because one wheel's

popped up in the air,

it's really a tremendous problem for him.

- [Announcer] Round of applause building for

Bettenhausen for a magnificent piece of work

in keeping that car away from everybody else.

Gary injured his left arm a year ago.

This morning and there is that rain.

- [Announcer] Oh and it's very heavy Keith,

it's almost thunder rain,

it's gonna absolutely flood the racetrack.

Look at everybody running but look at a heavy the rain is,

what are these cars gonna do on this sort of rain.

- [Announcer] They're gonna start slipping and sliding.

It is a cloud first of all fashion and Midwest thunderstorm

as it was during here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

- [Announcer] Remember these cars have got slick tires on,

they're supposed to run on the rain.

These tires can hydroplane at even about 20 miles an hour.

You can see them start to pat them down,

there, he's got the checkered flag in his hand.

- [Announcer] All right, let's check first standings now.

It becomes vital, who's leading?

It is Bobby Unser who has the lead,

Johnny Rutherford is second.

They're just barely moving along.

They're beginning to hydroplane.

They're throwing up a rooster tail.

AJ Foyt is running in third, Pancho Carter is four,

Roger McCluskey five, Bill Buetebar six

and George Steiner is seven.

Their wobbling all over the place.

Here comes Unser and Foyt coming along, AJ is a lap down,

almost a lap down to Bobby.

Bobby Unser in the blue car,

on the right is the leader as they work their way

so very carefully at this point however remember

they must be very careful because if he slides

off the racetrack he could still lose

this race to Johhny Rutherford

who is feeling his way around.

It's like walking on grease.

- [Announcer] Remember these drivers are not used

to driving in the rain and the cars are certainly

not set up, I've driven in the rain, of course,

a lot of times,

because in Europe we do drive in the rain

but here we have time and there's cars all over the place.

I just got back from the hydroplanning

and they might have walked from the road.

Cars spinning and look at this gosh.

- [Announcer] That's Billy Butkovich.

- [Announcer] Billy Butkovich trying to control,

he's heading for the infield, oh he's gone up to the fence,

and he's driving it away.

- [Announcer] The red flag is up, the race is up,

the checkered flag is up.

And they're stopping the race,

there's Johnny Rutherford

he is running in second place.

- [Announcer] Impossible conditions for these drivers,

look at that, it's almost fog,

the cars are barely visible on the straightaway.

- [Announcer] You can't see it, perhaps but Bobby Unser.

Coasting through to the crowd there,

there were four cars tangled up coming off that fourth turn,

AJ Foyt is coming along

he is gonna be third and their is the winner car number 48.

Bobby Unser wins in a driving rain storm,

here at Indianapolis.

(dramatic music)

- By the 174th lap, a huge downpour fell onto the track

officials immediately end the race, just 26 laps short

of the scheduled distance.

Bobby Unser was leading the 500 at the red flag

and was declared the winner defending champion

Johnny Rutherford was in second and pole position

AJ Foyt came home third, Al Unser finished the race

with a broken connecting rod.

This was Bobby's second win.

- No, I had no idea it was gonna rain.

In fact, I was really lucky to bring the car down to a safe

speed before the rain suddenly came down.

It was like skiing on an ice rink.

They was no control over that car at all.

- In 1978 Al Unser breaks a five year bad run

by winning the 62nd Indianapolis 500.

- Once you win in the Annapolis then you know you can do it

and you wanna win every year and repeat that victory.

- [Announcer] Comes down the front stretch

from the last time.

- [Announcer] The checkered flag will be waved

by Patton Finand for Al Unser of Albuquerque.

He has won his third Indianapolis 500.

Joining the name of Louie Meijer, of Wilbur Shaw,

of Marie Rose and AJ Foyt

as the only man who won this race three times.

AJ of course has won it four, with his victory last year.

Al Unser now in a very exclusive society

ff three time winners there he is.

- [Announcer] Breathing relief, look at Karen,

the lovely Karen

his wife there, she doesn't know where to look.

She must be a happy lady right now, oh a lovely kiss.

- [Announcer] Okay, Karen waiting for husband Al Unser.

We thinking orange flame retardant glove.

There's AJ Foyt the final humiliation of the day,

he stops in the racecourse run out of fuel,

no doubt there also it's Wally Galenbacher

in car number six,

he's also out of fuel.

He will finish well down on back

unofficially in fifth or sixth place.

We'll have the final official standings.

AJ Foyt's gonna be eighth or ninth that appears

but into victory lane is Al Unser it's all over.

Took something over three hours to do in intense heat

and humidity in Indianapolis.

We would suspect he's not feeling it very much right now.

- You wanna win.

So after competing for six years without a win,

I was desperate, I was desperate to prove that

I could do it, I could do it again!

And that's what I did.

- In 1981 Bobby Unser took the pole.

Unser was running strong

that day when the frustration began.

Time and time again, the race was slow

and under the yellow flag.

Unser, even caught fire in the pits, but chose to drive it

out of the car by using the airflow to put the flames out.

Unser and Andretti both pitted, running one two.

Bobby was out first with Andretti close behind.

As they re-entered the track,

the rest of the field was passing.

Unser accelerates past several cars before merging in

about 10 spots in front of Andretti

who also passed a few cars before merging into the track.

Andretti radioed this incident into his crew

but no penalty at this time was taken.

For the next three laps Unser

lead the field to win the race.

The next day Mario Andretti was declared the winner.

- Now I know what the rules are.

I studied them rules probably harder than any other driver

at that time.

So I knew what I did might have been a gray area,

but I also knew that no rules against it.

- In October of that year Bobby Unser was reinstated

and became the three time winner of the Indianapolis 500.

But Mario Andretti sees it differently.

- Guys look, what happened that day is clear.

Bobby passed the cars under the yellow flag

when he came out of the pits.

- I didn't do anything wrong.

It just depends on how you read them rules.

- The 1981 Indy 500 was arguably the most controversial

in the history of the event.

- [Interviewer] With me is Thomas W Binford,

the chief steward at the Indianapolis 500,

who's responsible for acting on protests.

And a protest has been launched by the Patrick Racing team

contending that winner Bobby Unser past cars illegally

under the yellow flag.

Tom, what's next?

- Well, right now and this evening, we will be reviewing

all of the facts in this case

as well as the entire playback results.

Then we will post our official decision and results

at 8:00 tomorrow morning.

But then that time, the unofficial protest will be accepted

that they still want the places.

We may decide in our favor before it's even made,

it's official, we may not.

If they don't take a file protest and we'll have it hearing.

- [Interviewer] Okay, you're saying that you may decide

to take action on this yourself.

Passing under the yellow,

what type of penalty or judgment may this incur?

- It could incur as much as a wall penalty,

which would of course take the victory away

from Bobby Unser and present it to Mario Andretti.

- [Interviewer] Okay, so it's been a long day at the track

for all of us, and it looks like a longer night

for the officials.

- This time it's champion was not decided on the racetrack.

But in the court.

The trophy changed hands between two racing legends.

Bobby Unser and Mario Andretti over a controversial blending

role dictated where a driver could merge onto the track

coming out of the pits under a yellow flag

and who followed the rule and who didn't.

Was the blending rule clear?

That question remains the bone of the contention

to this present day.

(dramatic music)

There did exist a verbal agreement with the drivers,

the cars would bend back into the track after their pit stop

in such a way that any advantage gained by that driver

over those that would remain on the track behind

the base car would be neutralized.

- I would have done the same thing

by feeling the decision to overturn

the verdict to give me the race.

But the fact is that Bobby violated the rules

that were already in place.

Yeah, they tested that rule before.

They went back and forth with various hearings

that Bobby did pass whatever amount of cars

under the yellow flag.

I think he admitted to eight,

it was probably more but eight,

let's say, and so he committed this infraction of the rules.

And that was very clear to everybody.

But the judges ruled, all three judges,

rule to change the decision,

and only gave him a $40,000 fine.

Which was the toughest part of it all for me to accept

because, hey, I pay $40,000 any day to be able to cheat

and win the Indy 500.

I blame the USAC and the Indianapolis officials.

What they needed to do was uphold the decision.

But they crumbled under the pressure

and they threw out the rule book.

The fact is that Bobby would've probably

won the race anyway.

So why even bother to cheat like that?

- You know I can't believe that I'm listening to this.

I disagree in everything that Mario has said.

Except the very last part where USAC handle this matter

really badly, I totally agree with that.

So let me put the matter straight, number one.

The $40,000 fine was to pay for the court fees

that USAC had to pay, it was not a fine as such.

They could do that as it was no rule to stop them.

Number two, the rule book states at any car leaving

the pits from the exit to be completed in turn two.

Now let's just say that it wasn't legal, even though it was.

Mario did the exact same thing behind me.

So don't tell me it's wrong for me,

but it's okay for Mario Andretti.

Now I passed eight cars,

which I own up to,

Mario who was behind me, he passed two.

Now that wasn't in the rules we

would've both been penalized.

- That's Bobby, Bobby you can't interpret

the rules to your own liking

or create new rules just for you.

That rule is just as plain as you could ever paint it.

You cheated and you know it.

- Let me tell you, the people who made a decision on this

didn't know anything during that race.

No penalty, no nothing.

The official did not say that Bobby Unser

did anything wrong.

Nothing occurred until sometime after

the tapes of the race reviewed.

- Mario, do you think that we would still be discussing this

if ABC didn't make such a big deal

of this on their telecast?

- Yeah, but you have to remember back then the procedure was

that they penalize after they looked at the tapes

of the complete race overnight

and that was just the normal procedure.

But after that 81 Indy 500 incident,

they agreed if there was going to be a penalty put in place

that severe they need to call the guy in right away.

And if he would have been more in during the race,

then maybe he could've made it right then

he could've been placed back

to where he should've been, restart.

And then he could've made it up.

And hey, trust me, he would have,

he had a great car that day.

- I have got to add, there was never a penalize rule written

for this supposed infraction, but let's just say

Mario is right and I am wrong.

What is the penalty?

Where was the penalty written?

Where was the penalty verbally given?

It was never given!

It was never written!

So when you leave the pits you cannot blend into the group

of cars between turn one and turn two,

that was against the rules.

And in the rule book, but it states that you must blend into

the track coming off a turn two.

And it had a specific place marked for that.

How can that not be understood by anybody?

- Okay, all I have to say is that even though

I didn't win the race.

I started last ended up finishing second,

and I am proud of that.

- After the incident of the 1981 Indianapolis 500,

Bobby Unser decided to retire from race car driving in 1982.

Leaving brother Al Unser on the track.

- [Announcer] Hello, ladies and gentlemen,

and welcome to the 71st Indianapolis 500.

No event is as large and dramatic with a wealth

of compelling stories like the Indianapolis 500 Motor Race.

We have AJ Foyt trying to capture his fifth title win.

Plus Mario Andretti trying to break 17 years of freakishly

bad racing luck at Indianapolis.

All the difficulties and the drivers have had

in keeping these cars off the wall

as we get ready to call the race.

But never before has there been a front row

as strong as this one.

Mario Andretti, Bobby Ray Hall and Rick Mears,

each have won the race and each today

are on the top of his form.

- It wasn't until 1987 that Al Unser won his next and fourth

Indy 500 title.

With no car to race, Al Unser thought that his career

as a race car driver was over.

But it wasn't until Dan Ongus crashed in

the practice session that left the door open to Al Unser

to compete in the 71st Indianapolis 500.

- None of us places winning,

second place doesn't I know that

so, that's how I came to realize

that I couldn't do it no more,

in 1999, I decided to hang up.

- Yes, sir, you can keep your eye on the Unsers.

They were born to race.

(tense music)