Content from an original article on Racer.com
A new documentary about the development of safety protocols in American racing by Dr. Stephen Olvey and Dr. Terry Trammell will open simultaneously in the U.S. and the U.K. on September 6.
Rapid Response tells the story of medical and safety professionals who refused to accept the high mortality rate among American race car drivers, fundamentally altering the history of motorsports safety.
In 1966 medical student and racing fan Olvey gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he is asked to volunteer at the Indianapolis 500 on their medical team. What started as a fun insider view of a sport he loved quickly devolves before his eyes as he sees the level of medical support given to the drivers, whom he has befriended, is terrifyingly non-existent. After feeling helpless at the scene of what turns out to be a fatal accident, Dr. Olvey was soon joined by longtime colleague and friend Dr. Trammell. They set off on a mission to build a team to apply science to transform motorsports from the most fatal form of sport to one of the safest.
With direct commentary by both Dr. Olvey and Dr. Trammell, the movie highlights the new era safety teams, especially at the Indianapolis 500, and features interviews with drivers Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, Al Unser, Parnelli Jones, Rick Mears, and others.
Co-director Michael Miles said: “To have our movie open at the same time in the two top motorsports markets in the world is a dream come true. Rapid Response has been a passion project of mine as both a documentary filmmaker and motorsports fan for years. My partner, Roger Hinze, and I could not be anymore proud of the film. This is a movie not only for motorsports fans, but for all audiences. This a true story told by the men who changed the culture of an entire sport through the application of science. They are true heroes who saved countless lives. Dr. Olvey and Dr. Trammell, are men that any parent would be proud to have their child emulate.”