Winning is a 1969

1969 in film

The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...

 American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 motion picture starring Paul Newman

Paul Newman

Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...

 and Joanne Woodward

Joanne Woodward

Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward is an American actress, television and theatrical producer, and widow of Paul Newman...

. A number of racecar drivers and people associated with racing appear in the film, including Bobby Unser

Bobby Unser

Robert William "Bobby" Unser is a retired U.S. automobile racer. He is the brother of Al Unser, Jerry Unser and Louie Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser...

, Tony Hulman

Tony Hulman

Anton "Tony" Hulman, Jr. was a businessman from Terre Haute, Indiana who rescued the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1945 and made the Indianapolis 500 popular....

, Bobby Grim

Bobby Grim

Robert "Bobby" Grim was an American racecar driver.Born in Coal City, Indiana, Grim died of cancer in Indianapolis, Indiana. He drove in the and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1958-1969 seasons with 66 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races each year from 1959-1968 except 1965...

, Dan Gurney

Dan Gurney

Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...

, Roger McCluskey

Roger McCluskey

Roger McCluskey was an American race car driver. He was from Tucson, Arizona.He won championship titles in three divisions of USAC -Sprints, Stocks, and Champ Cars. He won the USAC Sprint Car title in 1963 and 1966, the USAC Stock car title in 1969 and 1970. The Champ Car title in 1973...

, and Bruce Walkup

Bruce Walkup

Bruce Walkup is a retired American racecar driver.Walkup raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1967-1971 seasons, with 35 career starts, including the 1969 and 1970 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his best finish in 4th position in 1969 at...

.
The film centers on professional racecar driver Frank Capua and his wife Elora (Newman and Woodward, who were married in real life). Frank spends too much time in the garage, pushing Elora into the arms of Newman's main rival on the track, Luther Erding (Robert Wagner

Robert Wagner

Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...

).
During preparation for this film, Newman was trained for the motorsport

Motorsport

Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...

 by drivers, Bob Sharp and Lake Underwood

Lake Underwood

Lake Underwood was an American entrepreneur who competed as a champion in the racing of prototype automobiles and motorcycles...

, at a race track

Race track

A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...

 high performance driving school—which sparked Newman's enthusiasm for the sport and led to his participation as a competitor in sports car racing

Sports car racing

Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....

 during the remainder of his life.

The film includes footage taken at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....

, the legendary 2.5 mile track.