https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/abd5cca5-eac5-4be8-aba8-dba256250a0d Help us preserve, scan and post more rare and endangered films on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCddem5RlB3bQe99wyY49g0g/join Website: www.PeriscopeFilm.com This film directed and produced by Rodney Jacob and presented by Freewheelin' Films (https://freewheelinfilms.net/), "The Indy 500 / Setting the Pace" is a retrospective look at the history and significance of the Indianapolis 500, beginning with the inaugural race in 1911. It also serves as a promo for the Oldsmobile Calais 500 Pace Car. The film highlights the rapid technological advancements of the early 20th century and the evolution of both race cars and passenger vehicles. From the hand-built Marmon Wasp with the first rearview mirror to today’s high-tech machines made of carbon fiber and titanium, the race has served as a showcase for automotive innovation. The tradition of the pace car is explored as a symbol of future automotive trends, with an emphasis on both performance and efficiency. Safety advancements in motorsports are acknowledged, along with the passion and risks that drive racers. The film also features actor and racer James Garner preparing to drive the Oldsmobile Calais 500 Pace Car, reinforcing the cultural crossover between racing and entertainment. Ultimately, the Indy 500 is portrayed not just as a race, but as an annual celebration of the automobile's role in American identity and progress. 0:00 – Opening titles. 0:22 – The documentary opens with the first Indy 500 in 1911, reflecting on the early 20th century and its rapid technological advancements, including the emergence of the automobile. 0:52 – Ray Harroun wins the first Indy 500 in the Marmon Wasp, a hand-built car notable for having the first rearview mirror. 1:27 – A comparison begins between the primitive Marman Wasp and today’s advanced racing cars, showcasing the evolution of racing technology. 2:01 – The Indy 500 has always been a showcase for both racing and passenger car innovation, with pace cars representing cutting-edge automotive design. 2:42 – Early pace cars were performance-based brands; over time, manufacturers used them to build brand prestige and performance image. 3:39 – The selection of the pace car now includes criteria like technical innovation and efficiency, not just raw performance. 4:25 – Preparations for the race highlight the blend of tradition and modern engineering at the Indy 500. 4:41 – The racetrack, originally paved with bricks, has evolved with time, symbolizing the ongoing innovation in motorsports. 5:02 – Crashes at Indy are common, but advances in safety have significantly improved survival rates. 5:53 – Despite risks, drivers are drawn by passion and the dream of winning at Indy, as Mario Andretti exemplifies. 6:18 – Modern cars reflect racing heritage, emphasizing performance, safety, and driver engagement—mirroring race cars more than ever. 6:53 – Actor and racer James Garner is introduced as the Oldsmobile Calais 500 Pace Car driver, linking Hollywood with racing history. 7:30 – The pace car also plays a crucial role during crashes, regrouping race cars and maintaining safety during restarts. 7:43 – Garner discusses the responsibility of pace car driving, emphasizing precision and performance. 8:19 – On non-race days, the empty track symbolizes anticipation; the car remains the star of the Indy tradition. 8:45 – The Indy 500 is celebrated as the world's largest single-day sporting event, honoring the automobile as a core part of modern identity and culture. The Oldsmobile Calais is a compact car that was manufactured by Oldsmobile from 1985 through 1991, superseding the Oldsmobile Omega and named after the city of Calais, France. Oldsmobile provided the vehicles for the 1985 Indianapolis 500, including two specially built convertibles (a body style never offered by GM) as actual on-track pace cars. The convertibles, one of which was driven by actor James Garner, were painted candy-apple red with a red and silver interior. Oldsmobile also supplied "Calais 500" coupes with decals and special paint, they were otherwise stock for public sale. Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2J67PJDEJw Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Sat, 13 Jun 2026 13:15:44 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/abd5cca5-eac5-4be8-aba8-dba256250a0d All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.