This color educational film is about the Indianapolis 500. It was sponsored by Humble Oil and Esso. There is no copyright at the beginning or end of the film so the date of the production remains unclear but it is in the mid 1960s. Imperial Oil presented it and they were owned partially by Exxon which acquired Esso and Humble Oil who were sponsors.

Credit title card: Imperial Oil presents Gentlemen: Start Your Engines! Race cars race along the track (:08-:19) Cars are being worked on at the Indianapolis 500 aka Indy 500 . A worker sweeps garbage out of the stands. Build, test, develop, modify – for a faster car. Men work on cars (:20-1:20) Old footage of The first Indy 500 in 1911. Won by Ray Harroun. He had his problems but in those days the mechanic road in the cockpit with the driver. Harroun knew that a light car was a fast car so he got rid of the mechanic (whose primary function was to look behind and see what the other cars were doing) and created the first rearview mirror

(1:20-1:54). One of the favorite attractions of the Indy 500 museum is Harroun’s car. A lot of updates to cars were first used on Indy cars. Modifications are shown (1:54-2:54). Wipeouts and wrecks are shown at the Indy 500. Jack Turner is shown flipping through the air in his car. The track has a system that when the green light turns to yellow, the ambulance, wreckers, firefighting equipment (2:55-3:49) The 1964 Indy 500 – the race was stopped after a fiery crash and 2 drivers lost their lives. in 1958, an accident occurred that involved 17 cars, 1 driver died, the others were saved by their safety equipment. In 1962 there was an accident during qualifying and the driver survived. In 1962 Indy 500 race, there was an accident and the drivers survived. Safety equipment works. Lots of footage of cars/drivers(3:50-5:37) In 1909 the track was created, it remains virtually unchanged except for resurfacing, the hardest track in the world to drive at high speeds. Rodger Ward, an Indy 500 champ, shows how hard to drive just 1 lap. He goes 160 mph, goes into turn, straight away, etc. He goes 160-190mph. POV of driving (5:38-7:56) Rodger goes into the pit. Crews can make or break a race. 8 men on the crew, 5 go over the wall. Change tires and refuel. A Time clock is shown as the crew makes the necessary changes. In 1964 Rodger Ward’s crew set a record of 12 second pit stop (7:57-9:23). Some crews aren’t as fast or as lucky. Mishaps are shown (9:24-10:18).

Gasoline Alley sign. In early May every year, cars and crews arrive for the event. Prepping and working on cars. Trial and practice runs on the track. Some make it, some don’t a wreck is shown. Only 33 of 60 make it after qualifying (10:19-12:42).

Speedway rules make qualifying end at 6pm. Drivers take about qualifying and where they’ll be on the track as the race starts. Cars moving, problems arise. Pit stops. Practice laps. Beat the clock. Drivers and mechanics confer. Car on fire, car loses tire. Qualifying continues, drivers modify and make adjustments. The time trials are over (12:43-15:55). Silent, empty bleachers wait for the people. Mechanics work on the cars, get them ready all night before the race. It’s the morning of the race. Festivities being before the engines start. Cars line up. Drivers shake hands, get ready (15:56-17:21) ‘Gentlemen, start your engines’ is said and the cars start. The race is underway. 33 cars, 33 drivers (17:21-18:12). Credits: Gentlemen: Start Your Engines followed by production credits. A presentation of Humble Oil & Refining Company. Happy Motoring from Esso! (18:13-18:33)

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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