Would you strap yourself to a jet engine?

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built on a plot of farmland in 1909 as a testing ground for America's fledgling racing technology industry. The track's four turns, two long straights, and two short straights haven't changed in width or bank since the first full 500 in 1911, but the renown of the event and the level of competition has only grown immensely with every passing year. The Indianapolis 500 is now known worldwide as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

The 1960's were a particularly strong decade of dynasty building for a handful of racing families, car manufacturers, and engineers. A.J. Foyt won three times in the decade and a fourth in the '70s. Parnelli Jones made a name for himself (and the team that now bears his name) by making daring choices with technology and being a strategic driver on the track.