VICTORY CIRCLE DAYTONA BEACH 1957 INDIANAPOLIS 500 AUTO RACE 76394
“Victory Circle,” presented by the Perfect Circle Corporation, is a 27-minute film detailing the splendor of the 1957 Daytona Beach Race and the 1957 Indianapolis 500. We’re first taken to sun-soaked sands of Florida and meet engineer and stock car racer John Zink at mark 02:15, who would go on to set a stock-auto speed record of 141.2 mph — the fastest time ever recorded at the Daytona straightaway. A spectacular crash follows at mark 3:00, as Bill Norkett’s car loses control and goes flipping wildly down the sands, highlighting the dangers involved in auto racing. (Norkett survived). The 160-mile Grand National race begins at mark 05:00 and features the likes of Paul Goldsmith, Banjo Matthew, and Cotton Owens, who moved from his third place starting position to lead the first lap. Spin-outs abound in the race footage, with Goldsmith and Owens switching leads throughout the race. Goldsmith was forced out of the race with a blown piston at mark 09:30 with 36 miles left in the race. Owens led the rest of the way for his first career win and a then-record 101.6 mph.
At mark 11:25, we’re transported to Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 1957 Indianapolis 500. At mark 12:10 we meet veteran racer Sam Hanks, who discusses his car’s radically design side-mounted engine, planned and built by owner George Salih. The film continues by displaying the cars and drivers as they prepare for that 1957 contest, beginning at mark 13:40 and including the likes of pole-position winner Pat O’Connor as well as Fred Agabashian, Bob Christie, Don Freeland, Al Keller, Paul Russo, and Jack Turner. At mark 15:40, O’Connor roars into the lead at the start, with Agabashian taking second. At the end of the first lap, O’Connor still leads taking corners at 136 mph. At mark 18:30, Hanks is shown screaming into the lead, averaging more than 141 mph, while pursued by Russo. As Salith paces and nervously smokes at mark 20:55 as he watches his car stay in the lead, Russo and Jim Rathmann battle it out for second place. Forced to pit at mark 22:35, Hanks surrenders first place to Rathmann, who is now topping 143 mph. Hanks regains the lead for the final time on lap 135 at mark 23:32. He went on to take the 1957 checkered flag at Indy in his thirteenth attempt (the most tries of any Indy winner), 21 seconds ahead of Rathmann and a lap ahead of third-place finisher Jimmy Bryan. Hanks announced his retirement from speedway competition in Victory Circle at mark 23:30.
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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 and 2k. For more information visit