The roadster/ Offy 270 era was the greatest of all time. Man that was racing! I wish it was still like that and I wish the Brickyard still looked like that! I was growing up in Indiana during that time and the Indy 500 was the absolute Mecca of the racing world. It was one of the truly big events of the year for our family and the atmosphere there was so festive and at race time was positively electric!

Ive been a HUGE Indianapolis 500 fan for most of my life.Ireally loved the roadster era,and I try to collect as much of Indy memorabilia as I can.

This was the first Indianapolis 500 for two future 2-time winners, Rodger Ward and the legendary Bill Vukovich, as well as the last for 3-time winner Mauri Rose. Of special note, this race also marked the first appearance for Roger Penske at the Indianapolis 500. Penske watched this race from the stands.

Good old Indy - when the rollcage was your head. And the stretch of bricks at the start/finish - every lap must have been like "hmmmmm YUH YUH YUH YUH hmmmmm".

Attrition was high in this race as only eight cars finished.

This was really awesome watching

@canals22 I'm glad you enjoyed this and thanks for watching and your comment! Videos such as this are meant to be shared. They don't do anyone any good hidden behind copyrights where no one can enjoy them!

Knew a man named Ray Hart who was a friend of Lee Wallard's. Seems Lee never forgot his friends after wining the Indy 500. He must have been quite a person.

This is a really great video.From the year I was Born!Thanks for sharing! James Becker

Thanks for posting this video. It was a treat to watch the Indy roadsters. I shared this video with my friend who owns Andy Linden's No. 57 Indy car, Leitenberger Special, that finished in 4th place.

Check out Mauri Rose's crash at

@buckzx12r Hi James! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this film. I am glad that so many have enjoyed them, including yourself and yours truly. These films are of days long gone....a special era in the Indianapolis 500 history. Thanks for watching!

A week later in reading, Pa. Wallard's car suffered a fuel line break and caught fire. Lee steered the car around a turn to avoid an explosion in front of the grandstand before exiting the car, on fire. He suffered burns over half his body, basically ending his career. it may also have contributed to his early death a dozen years later at age 52. I'm glad he had this moment of triumph.

Great stuff..! Many thanks for posting !!

my grandfather helped build the leitenberger special out of an old midget racer. his name was robert e. stewart.

Lee Wallard from Altamont n.y on the race had a bad crash and fire and had to retire became a steward at my home track and here i grew up Fonda Speedway "The Track of Champions"

Nice film, Reminds me of my first Indy 500 in 1982 when they had the old garages there.

Second race in the 1951 formula one season

Midway into the "West Coast" driver domination era at Indy, tho Wallard was not one of them. McGrath, Faulkner, Ruttman, Parsons, Hanks, Agabashian, Vukie and Ward were all big names at places like Gilmore, Orange Show, Culver City and Carroll Speedways. Four of them had been or would be 500 winners; seven would sit on the pole.

Damn..no wall between the pits and the track....some lucky bastards