Indianapolis 500 in film and media
The Indianapolis 500 auto race has been the subject for several motion pictures. It has also received countless references in television, film, commercials, books, and other media. The following is a list of such references. Highlight films. Official highlight films for the Indianapolis 500 date back to about 1949. However, newsreel films and highlight films for races prior to WWII also exist, including footage of the inaugural 500 in 1911. Currently, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway produces an official release. Previously, it was not uncommon for multiple films to be produced annually. Among the companies  that sponsored films were Firestone, STP, Bowes Seal Fast, Ford, Chrysler, and Ashland Oil. Narration for the films was performed by several individuals, including Sid Collins, Bud Lindemann, Ralph Camargo, Stan Richards, Marvin Miller, Charlie Brockman, Tom Carnegie, Paul Page, and Bob Jenkins. In some of the films, IMS Radio Network audio is used, featuring Jenkins, Mike King, and others. Section::::"The Legends of the Brickyard". In 1987, ESPN re-packaged the Indianapolis 500 highlight films into a television series. The episodes from 1975-1986 were included in a series titled "The Legends of the Brickyard", which was hosted by Bob  Jenkins and Larry Nuber. The duo would appear at the beginning and end of each episode, and at commercial bumpers to add brief commentary about the race. All of the segments were recorded at the Speedway, and most were done in the pit area during practice for the 1987 Indy 500. Additional episodes were added in subsequent years for the races of 1987-1996. Jenkins and Nuber hosted the episode for the 1987 race, but for 1988-1993, only Jenkins appeared since Nuber was no longer with the network. The episodes for 1994-1996 featured no host. Some of the  episodes were slightly edited for content and time, and were made to fit a 30-minute broadcast window. The final original episode that aired highlighted the 1996 race, and the series was rerun on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Classic through 2000. Section::::"Indy 500: A Race for Heroes". Starting in 1989, ESPN started producing a second Indy 500-related program, "". Similar to "The Legends of the Brickyard", but each episode focuses on one particular driver, and their career at Indianapolis. It aired in reruns through about 2000. The drivers featured were Sam Hanks, Jimmy Bryan, Mauri Rose, Wilbur Shaw, Tony Bettenhausen , Dan Gurney, Bill Vukovich, Roger Penske, Mark Donohue, Tom Sneva, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Troy Ruttman, Jim Rathmann, Louis Meyer, Johnny Rutherford, A. J. Foyt, Rick Mears, Al Unser, Sr., Al Unser, Jr., Bobby Unser, Gordon Johncock, Arie Luyendyk, Emerson Fittipaldi, Rodger Ward, and British Invasion. Several episodes were made available on Joost.com, and the Foyt episode was included on a 2007 DVD release. Section::::"Indy 500: The Classics". Speedvision re-packaged the Indianapolis 500 highlight films from 1960-1989, with the exception of 1967, and aired them in a 30-minute format. The show was hosted by Mike King and  Donald Davidson. When Speedvision reorganized into SPEED, the program was no longer aired. Section::::"SportsCentury". The ESPN documentary series "SportsCentury" has featured several Indy 500 drivers. The original top 100 voting included A. J. Foyt (#80) and Mario Andretti (#92), but episodes were not initially created for those two drivers. After the original run, the series was expanded, and eventually included episodes for the following Indy 500 drivers: A. J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Sr., Bill Vukovich, and Rick Mears. Brickyard 400 winners Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, and Tony Stewart have also been featured. Program cover art. Since the inception  of the race in 1911, a collectible Official Program has been sold by the track each year at the race. The cover art for the program is typically created by a notable painter, illustrator, or photographer. With the exception of a period from roughly 1954-1976, each annual program has featured a unique cover, many commissioned by a renowned artist. Recent program covers/artists: