Indianapolis, IN – Picture a thrilling race where American motorsport icons like A.J. Foyt and Jimmy Bryan go head-to-head with European Grand Prix legends such as Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio. This exhilarating scenario unfolded in 1958 at the “500 Miglia di Monza,” famously dubbed the “Race of Two Worlds.”
For the first time in history, the radio broadcasts of this monumental event from 67 years ago, along with the 1957 “Race of Two Worlds,” will be available for digital download starting June 29. This initiative is part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum’s dedicated efforts to restore and preserve its archives. Each broadcast will be offered at a price of $9.99.
The choice of June 29 as the release date is significant, as it coincides with the original race dates in 1957 and 1958 at Italy’s Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. These broadcasts were long thought to be lost, but 1/4-inch audio recordings were unearthed in the IMS Museum vault. As part of the Museum’s ongoing audio preservation project, these recordings were sent to Memnon Archiving Services in Bloomington, Indiana, for careful preservation and digitization.
The “Race of Two Worlds” was a distinctive non-points event sanctioned by the United States Auto Club (USAC), held on Monza’s challenging 2.64-mile oval, featuring steep banking in the corners up to 38 degrees. The races covered a total of 500 miles, consisting of three 63-lap heats, with the winner determined by the fastest overall elapsed time.
In 1957, safety concerns led to limited European participation, with only the Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar team, fresh from a victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, taking part. However, the 1958 race saw a strong European presence, including stars like Moss, Fangio, Phil Hill, Mike Hawthorn, and Luigi Musso. USAC champion Jimmy Bryan triumphed in the inaugural 1957 race, while Jim Rathmann emerged victorious in 1958.
The original radio broadcasts were a collaborative effort between the Air Trails Network in Dayton, Ohio, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network. Although the beloved IMS radio Chief Announcer Sid Collins did not travel to the event, the races were expertly narrated by Jack Wymer, station manager of Dayton’s WING, alongside fellow WING personality Alex Buchan and Charlie Brockman, a seasoned veteran of the IMS Radio Network broadcasts.
