Indianapolis 500 in Film and Media - Film References

Film References

• A Christmas Story (1983) - During the flat tire scene, the narrator, Jean Shepherd, explain that the Old Man always dreamed of being "in the pits at the Indianapolis Speedway in the 500."
• The Brave Little Toaster (1987) - During the junkyard scene, one of the cars sent to the crushing machine claims he "once ran the Indy 500."
• Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) - Closing credits show a Motor Trend magazine reporting "Reaper wins Indy 500."
• Grease (1978) - During the "Greased Lightnin" scene in the garage, an accurate, authentic period Firestone Indianapolis 500 advertisement poster is located on the wall in the background.
• Apocalypse Now (1979) - Captain Willard states that "Charging a man with murder in this place (Vietnam) was like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500."
• Platoon (1986) - Bunny states that "Ain't nothing like a piece of pussy, except maybe the Indy 500."
• JFK (1991) - Susie Cox states that she had spoken to a car salesman who had accompanied Lee Harvey Oswald on a test drive who said that Oswald "took the curves like A.J. Foyt at the Indy 500."
• Days of Thunder (1990) - When asked what his goal was in open-wheel auto racing, Cole Trickle said "Indianapolis, but you can't win Indy without a great car and my name isn't Unser or Andretti."
• Speed Racer (2008) indirectly references the Indy 500 with the winner of the Grand Prix drinking from a bottle of milk.