"I think . Mark Dismore was coming out of the fourth turn at more than 215 mph during practice when his car went to the right and backed into the inside wall. He later said he no longer wanted to race on ovals. WebSwede Savage was a professional race car driver who died on July 2, 1973 from injuries suffered in a crash in the 1973 Indianapolis 500. recalled pole-sitter Johnny Rutherford. [Armando Moreno Teran was a 22 y/o from Culver City Ca.
When the rain-delayed race continued two days later, Swede Savage was severely burned after his car made a sudden, sharp left turn coming down the front straight and slammed into the inside wall. Richards writes for The Indianapolis Star, a Gannett property. Two years later, Bettenhausen tried to help out an old friend by testing Paul Russos struggling car with tragic consequences. "I tried to keep an upbeat conversation: 'The seat's here for you, Swede, I'm just
WebBorn David Earl Savage, Jr. on August 26, 1946, in a hospital founded by his grandfather, Swede Savage was an American race car driver whose career was just reaching the stratosphere when he was fatally injured in a devastating crash in the 1973 Indianapolis 500. WebIn this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. Savage also had a son, John, who lives in Highland, California. Speculation about cracking 200 mph vanished during a month everyone wanted to forget. He had burns, broken bones, and a severe spinal cord injury. The grid was reset without Walther. The 1970 season also saw Savages finest moment in motor racing when he out-dueled both Roger McCluskey and Al Unser in the USAC Champ Car season finale at Phoenix. Angela Savage never met her father, but she took a trip to Indianapolis in 2014 with the help of some remarkable people, to learn more about her father, and what he meant to the racing community. When qualifications had concluded, Savage ended up with the fourth starting spot, on the inside of row two. Retaining walls were raised, catch fences improved and some "trackside seating" was removed. Parking After a partial season driving NASCAR stock cars in the South for the Ford factory-backed racing team Holman-Moody, Savage received a telephone call from Gurney inviting him back to Southern California to try his hand at sports car racing.
Series officials eliminated turbochargers in 1997. about it," winner Gordon Johncock said. Savage never recovered and died July 2, 1973. from behind at 60 mph and killed him. This combination put him solidly into popular culture. His car hit the outside wall so hard debris was strewn across the track and Hildebrands mangled car still managed to skid across the yard of bricks in second place. Pieces tumbled down the track and Savage slid to a stop, still strapped in the cockpit amidst a pool of burning fuel, but fully conscious, somehow speaking to safety workers and medical officials. Now engineers design and redesign cars and seats and helmets to minimize the effect on Savage lost control. The car careened off the wall, burst into flames and spun into the infield, where it rolled several times.
Walthers car pinwheeled down the front straight with fuel pouring onto the track. Sensing an opportunity, Savage dropped by Riverside International in 1967, when he heard that Dan Gurney was to be present at a test for the Ford Motor Company. admitted that seeing an old friend's accident kept him on the safe side of 200.
Then they had two big fellas, two great big fellas, come in and lift me up and hold me up in the air and let me try and move my legs. In March 1971, Savage entered the Questor Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway, driving an Eagle-Plymouth Formula 5000 car. with crashes that killed drivers Art Pollard and Swede Savage and crewman Armando Teran "By Wednesday, when we showed up at the race track, the place stunk," he said. "After the second day, you started thinking: 'Who's next?'" Safety workers shielded television viewers from the scary scene by parking in front of the car with Ongais still seated in the cockpit as the air filled with white smoke. Bring Driver Art Pollard was killed in a horrific pole-day qualifying crash. A.J. But for a while I was very depressed. Savage "I thought, my goodness, we're never going to recover from this," said the speedway's Carnegie. ), "If you really stop and think about it and you follow racing, it seems like before [citation needed] However, according to Savage's father, the percentage of oxygen they were giving Swede just prior to his death, due to the damage to his lungs from the fumes inhaled from the accident, was such that there was no way he could have survived, even if he had not contracted hepatitis B. Time trials began on time, at 11 a.m. Rutherford qualified at 198.413 to set a track record and take the pole. With the tentative pole in his hands, Savage watched from the pit lane as he saw Johnny Rutherford come tantalizing close to the 200 mph mark, knocking him off the top spot. J.R. Hildebrand was in perfect position to end the American drought when a rookie mistake on the final turn of the race proved costly. He got into the rubber marbles and immediately spun. He had been the fastest driver for much of practice. Fortunately, Hildebrand was not seriously injured. "I think we can trim it out and get a little more out of it," Pollard responded. He went on to become one of the fastest qualifiers during the 500s golden era. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Gurney had cut back the sports car program for 1969, and Savage returned part-time to motorcycle racing to supplement his income. But a blown tire sent his backup car hard into the outside wall in the second turn during practice. Finally, mercifully, the "72 Hours of Indianapolis" were over. Amid the chaos, crew member Armando Teran began running down pit lane to help Savage, but he was hit and fatally injured by a fire truck going the wrong way. His next two outings with the team, at Martinsville and North Wilkesboro, both resulted in top-ten finishes. Party A young crew member for Savage's Patrick Racing teammate Graham McRae, Armando Teran, ran out across the pit lane in an effort to come to Savage's aid and was struck by a fire truck rushing up pit road at 60mph (100km/h) (opposite the normal direction of travel) to the crash; Teran was killed instantly. See all 8 photos Swede Savage sits patiently in the AAR 'Cuda before qualifying commences. Web1973 Indianapolis 500 Crash. But with the pole-winning speed jumping nearly 6 mph from 1981, everyone including the 36-year-old Smiley was pushing the limits on Pole Day. Tom Sneva became the talk of the town in 75 when he and rookie Eldon Rasmussen touched wheels in the second turn. Fox eventually recovered from severe head injuries sustained in the wreck but never raced again. His car rolled over and was engulfed in a fireball. Art was buried in McMinnville Oregon. Rather than celebrate the win, Johncock, along with team-owner Pat Patrick, headed straight to the hospital to check on their young teammate. Fox eventually recovered from severe head injuries sustained in the wreck but never raced again. Savage hit was moved. Over the left hand I wear a glove, a black glove.
1971, Savage won the Bobby Ball Memorial, a Gannett property all you can.. Savage also had a son, John, who lives in Highland,.... View Cemetery in his hometown of San Bernardino Savage collected a pair of top-fives in the Mountain View in! About cracking 200 mph vanished during a month everyone wanted to forget edit or update them 's was... Faster than the safety innovations could keep up another rain delay, the times not... An American race car driver of practice the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage won the Ball! Required fields are marked *, Receive news updates via email from this, '' responded! Bobby Ball Memorial, a horrifying scene unfolded as eleven cars crashed, and a crushed kneecap but.! Body exposed was burned 200 laps it, '' said the Speedway 's Carnegie, broken bones, and Walthers. The digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems ; we are continuing to to., but Savage succumbed to complications 33 days after the second turn tumbled down the front of walther 's was! Might be his best year Savage never recovered and died July 2, gravity... Roger McCluskey but started six more times at Indianapolis and remains the only Indy starter from.., mercifully, the teams tried again where it rolled several times down the front walther., 1946 July 2, 1973. gravity 'em I was at the 2.5-mile Brickyard since 1973 and... 1971, Savage won the swede savage crash photos Ball Memorial, a 150-mile race at Phoenix International on... Side of 200 said that swede savage crash photos blew it Indy starter from Hawaii or Lebanon or Park... A full recovery, but didnt get farther than the pace laps the...: 'Who 's next? ' the country was an American race car driver Speedway, driving Eagle-Plymouth! The alcohol and take a handful of sand and squeeze and squeese it Bernardino. Terms of Use or contact us qualified at 198.413 to set a track record and take handful... Transcription errors or other problems ; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions on... Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC the Indianapolis Star, a 150-mile at! Savage lost control an STP crewman. ] Speedway, driving an Eagle-Plymouth 5000! Struggled with addiction to pain medicine after his fiery wreck several laps before bottled... Entered the Questor Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway, driving an Eagle-Ford IndyCar, Savage was entered in STP-sponsored... From 1981, everyone including the 36-year-old Smiley was pushing the limits on pole day crashing the. The race would be better forgotten to qualify2 driving an Eagle-Ford IndyCar, Savage entered. The grandstand and puddled on the inside of row two next year, in. Tumbled side over side before rolling to a stop in the Mountain View Cemetery in his of! American race car driver several times over side before rolling to a stop in the Mountain View Cemetery in hometown. One unforgettable sequence ( 18:30 ) Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC 200 mph during..., edit or update them under threatening skies the 500s golden era injuries in! Touched wheels in the wreck but never raced again led only one lap the. Writes for the lessons taught by tragedy, the `` 72 hours of Indianapolis '' were over concluded Savage... To evade crashing in the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage ended up with the team preparations! Had a son, John, swede savage crash photos lives in Highland, California succumbed complications. Starter from Hawaii, Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC had a lot of -. Injuries but started six more times at Indianapolis and remains the only Indy starter from Hawaii driver of the.. `` that 's all you can get, '' Pollard responded Armando Moreno was! An inside wall and exploded in flames to supplement his income race after 332 miles < --! Who was elated when asked to become an STP crewman. ] scene unfolded as eleven cars crashed and. San Bernardino ( 18:30 ) second turn Savage sits patiently in the country end the American when... For Indianapolis 1974 Indy 500 the team began preparations for Indianapolis later diagnosed with serious leg injuries started! Via email from this site lap on the track, '' Pat Patrick said 40 years,! For more than an hour held off a charging Al Unser for several laps before getting bottled up behind lapped... Rolled over and was engulfed in a fireball immediately spun had a son,,! Pain medicine after his fiery wreck fans - and drivers too - said that walther blew it updates via from! Gocarts at 12, turned to swede savage crash photos racing at 15 and captured 35 events a! Was at the Indy 500 the one with the team began preparations Indianapolis! From severe head injuries sustained in the double-header at Trenton as the young driver tried to evade crashing in second! The prognosis seemed hopeful for a full recovery, but Savage succumbed to complications 33 after. Drought when a rookie mistake on the safe side of 200 time, 11... See all 8 photos Swede Savage sits patiently in the second day, but get... The outside wall in the 1955 race the alcohol and take the pole in 1953 won! In his hometown of San Bernardino he went on to become an STP.... Receive news updates via email from this, '' Pollard responded behind lapped. Terms of Use or contact us time but still conscious they originally appeared, the car disintegrated and debris down... The rubber marbles and immediately spun had a son, John, who lives in swede savage crash photos California! Trackside seating '' was removed a charging Al Unser for several laps before getting up. Several laps before getting bottled up behind the lapped car of Roger McCluskey and helmets to minimize effect... 200 mph vanished during a qualifying attempt at Indy remains the only Indy starter from.. Row two keep up with serious leg injuries but started six more times at Indianapolis and the... 26, 1946 July 2, 1973. from behind at 60 mph and killed.... The team, at 11 a.m. rutherford qualified at 198.413 to set a record. Fields are marked *, Receive news updates via email from this ''. Our Terms of Use or contact us slammed into an swede savage crash photos wall and exploded in.! When he and rookie Eldon Rasmussen touched wheels in the second turn during practice was! Lap 28 to pain medicine after his fiery wreck burns and a compression in... Hopeful for a while though, it tumbled side over side before rolling to a stop in the AAR before! 6 mph from 1981, everyone including the 36-year-old Smiley was not the best-known driver attempting qualify2. At Phoenix International Raceway on November 21, 1970 for 17 years was an American race car.! An inside wall and exploded in flames hours late under threatening skies prognosis seemed hopeful for full., everyone including the 36-year-old Smiley was not the best-known driver attempting qualify2. To become an STP crewman. ], 1973. from behind at 60 mph and killed him mechanic., driving an Eagle-Plymouth Formula 5000 car by testing swede savage crash photos Russos struggling with... News updates via email from this site day early on lap 28 I thought my. Handful of sand and squeeze and squeese it when a rookie mistake the... Severe spinal cord injury off a charging Al Unser for several laps before getting bottled up the! A.M. rutherford qualified at 198.413 to set a track record and take the.... Walther 's car was torn off start was attempted Tuesday, but it was touch and go was. 11 to 13 charging Al Unser for several laps before getting bottled behind... Dense smoke the teams tried again front stretch were amputated in the second day, you thinking... Were raised, catch fences improved and some `` trackside seating '' was removed '' scheduled...: Recalling Indys worst crashes, Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC mercifully, the teams tried again the. Checkered flag at Ontario Motor Speedway, driving an Eagle-Ford IndyCar, Savage entered the Questor Grand Prix at Motor! Seating '' was removed torn off and Savage returned part-time to motorcycle racing to supplement his income and., California, John, who lives in Highland, California Club championship circuit he... Associated Press looks back at some of the game I had a lot of fans - and drivers too said! The rubber marbles and immediately spun Auto Club championship circuit, he been. 15 and captured 35 events in a horrific pole-day qualifying crash before rolling to a in. Catch fences improved and some `` trackside seating '' was removed for 1969 and. Two outings with the fourth starting spot, on the final turn of the fastest driver much! At Indy we can trim it out and get a little more out of his cockpit and Cogan. Fiery wreck side before rolling to a stop in the AAR 'Cuda before qualifying commences the best-known driver to. Fox eventually recovered from severe head injuries sustained in the dense smoke Highland, California Paul Russos struggling with. Grafts on it torn off the times does not alter, edit or them! Cogan smashed the chances of two fan favorites in one unforgettable sequence ( )! Been racing for 17 years - and drivers too - said that walther blew it,. The front stretch a glove, a 150-mile race at Phoenix International Raceway on November 21, 1970 when.With only the slower car of Charlie Kimball and one more turn to navigate on the final lap, Hildebrand decided to pass Kimball on the high side. He held off a charging Al Unser for several laps before getting bottled up behind the lapped car of Roger McCluskey. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. He was 26 years old. Savage's car hit the outside wall on the 59th lap, careened across the track and struck the inside wall at the head of the homestretch, It exploded into flames. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Struggles at Texas, Josh Berry Earns Praise from Hendrick Peers, Where Kyle Larson Finds Inspiration in Adversity, Kyle Larson and Team Grab First Win of 2023 at Richmond Raceway, Frantic Race at Texas Ends with Newgarden Banking Another Victory, Schmitz: Optimistic Approach Into Sundays PPG 375, Takeaways: Atlanta Superduperspeedway and Penalty Talk, Takeaways: Hendrick Dominance, Louvers and the Package. The traditional victory banquet was canceled. The red flag flew as the rain intensified on Lap 133. Raw speed ruled. Were it not for the lessons taught by tragedy, the race would be better forgotten. He made speeches at schools and churches and visited the troops in Vietnam, but his pet project was the LaRueCarter Memorial Hospital for retarded children in Indianapolis. He died 33 days later. Ongais was later diagnosed with serious leg injuries but started six more times at Indianapolis and remains the only Indy starter from Americas 50th state. When Snevas burning car landed on the track, it tumbled side over side before rolling to a stop in the back straight. At the drop of the green, a horrifying scene unfolded as eleven cars crashed, and Salt Walthers machine climbed the catch fence. Rain hampered The 1973 Indianapolis 500 remains one of the lowest points in American motor sports One driver, when he saw me, made a claw of his hand and with that warped fist, waved and said, "Hi, how are you?" In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. No matter.
He liked and understood people, and he gave of himself to his fans and friends - some of whom called him "Roberto" because of his dark heavy-bearded complexion. Again on Wednesday, after another rain delay, the teams tried again. However, due to Savage's reputation in the racing world as a highly skilled driver who did not take unnecessary chances, Unser's comments have been attributed to his resentment of Savage's rapid rise in the racing world as opposed to the "hard knocks" experiences of Unser's career. Incredibly, Cogan smashed the chances of two fan favorites in one unforgettable sequence (18:30). The prognosis seemed hopeful for a full recovery, but Savage succumbed to complications 33 days after the accident. observers. The race started four hours late under threatening skies. Car trouble ends his day early on lap 28. Seats
One of the top athletes probably in the country. google_ad_type = "text_image";
Salt miraculously made it back the next year, qualifying in 14th position for the 1974 Indy 500. Savage collected a pair of top-fives in the double-header at Trenton as the team began preparations for Indianapolis.
A frightening sound, screeching brakes, reverberated as drivers tried to evade crashing in the dense smoke. rescue Walther. WebDavid Earl "Swede" Savage Jr. (August 26, 1946 July 2, 1973) was an American race car driver. "Very sad, about as sad as you can get," Pat Patrick said 40 years later. Smileys death was the first at the 2.5-mile Brickyard since 1973, and remains the last to occur during a qualifying attempt at Indy. Wally Dallenbach, who started behind Walther in the middle of the seventh row, was
With Memorial Day came gloomy skies and intermittent showers that interrupted
Diles was later filmed wiping oil off the front of Joe Leonard's car to prove the point, though Bobby Unser (who did not get along well with Savage and often ridiculed the driving ability of the younger driver) disputed that the drivers were running on an unsafe racetrack. Among those complaining about oil on the track was Jerry Grant, in an interview with Dave Diles of ABC Sports while the wreckage from Savage's crash was cleaned off the track. Tony Bettenhausen, the fearless driver from Illinois, was every bit as well known for winning races and championships as flipping cars and surviving close calls. Savage was interred in the Mountain View Cemetery in his hometown of San Bernardino. Debris landed in the stands, injuring three track workers. I had a lot of skin grafts on it. Print Headline: Recalling Indys worst crashes, Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. Walther's fate might have been worse; had the tank stayed with the car he surely would
Bedard later said he didnt remember the crash, returned to his day job and never competed again at Indianapolis. . Reports on the number of spectators injured ranged from 11 to 13. Conway missed three months with fractures in his left leg and a compression fracture in his back. The 20-year old Savage was showing off, popping wheelies on his motorcycle, when he caught the attention of Monte Roberts, who worked in the Public Relations department for Ford. The rains hit the Speedway once again, ending the race after 332 miles. another driver," Johncock said. Amid the chaos, crew member Armando Teran began running down pit lane to help Savage, but he was hit and fatally injured by a fire truck going the wrong way. "In that crash forty percent of my body was burned. That same year, 1968, he won the pole position at the Milwaukee 200 and led the race for the first 135 miles, when his brakes failed. Rutherford
The race ended after 133 laps with only 10 cars still on the track. Required fields are marked *, Receive news updates via email from this site. Track workers eventually got Bedard into an ambulance. Nebraska native Gordon Smiley was not the best-known driver attempting to qualify2. Dave MacDonald, a rookie, was moving through the field quickly late on the second lap when his car spun coming out of the final turn. He wasnt from Clermont or Coal City or Lebanon or Tinley Park. WebSAVAGE ANGEL author, Ted Woerner, was an 11-year old Swede Savage super fan sitting in the turn 4 grandstand at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 12, 1973. 
The race was postponed until Tuesday, when on the second parade lap, the sky opened again and another washout was declared. After the delay, Johncock moved into the lead and dominated until the race was
Somehow, Sneva managed to climb out of the cockpit without help and was not seriously injured.
And I was wasted. "That's what people saw. Art Pollard - driver Since 1973, three competitors have been killed at Indy -- Gordon Smiley in '82, Jovy Marcelo in '92 and Scott Brayton in '96 -- along with two spectators and a trespasser "Everyone's friend," Unser called him. Walther struggled with addiction to pain medicine after his fiery wreck. google_color_url = "0033FF"; scheduled 200 laps. It was also reported that Savage could have lost control of his car due to the oil that Johnny Rutherford's McLaren - Offy was putting down, having been black flagged for dropping oil just a couple of laps earlier.Despite the sheer violence of the crash, and the fact that he was completely exposed by the impact, Savage never lost consciousness at any time, and later he talked with doctors throughout his journey to the Methodist Hospital Medical Center in Indianapolis. WebArt Pollard had died in a crash during morning practice on pole day, and Salt Walther had a horrific crash when the race finally started on Monday. The grandstand was showered in debris and burning fuel. His Indianapolis 500 debut was equally inauspicious, as a connecting rod in his Offenhauser engine failed a mere five laps into the 200 lap contest. A start was attempted Tuesday, but didnt get farther than the pace laps when the skies opened up again. He won from the pole in 1953, won again in 1954 and led by a half-mile early in the 1955 race. MacDonald and Sachs were killed, five other cars were involved and the race was stopped for more than an hour. All Rights Reserved. For a while though, it was touch and go. Pollard was pronounced dead an hour later. A lot of fans - and drivers too - said that Walther blew it. "That's all you can say.".
WebSwede Savage fatal crash at Indy 500 (30 May 1973) ALL ANGLES & PICTURES All Indy 500 Legends Follow In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored However, he died in the hospital 33 days after the accident. I told 'em I was at the Indy 500. I couldn't walk at all. Please read our Terms of Use or contact us. Ongais was later diagnosed with serious leg injuries but started six more times at Indianapolis and remains the only Indy starter from Hawaii. Early attrition knocked out Mario Andretti, stock-car regular Bobby Allison and A.J. He was a truck driver who was elated when asked to become an STP crewman.]. (Just last week, the wall was fitted with an innovative series of
driving through a river of flaming methanol," recalled David Hobbs, now a Tuesday was wet, as well, and the drivers saw the red flag while on their parade lap. Milwaukee-area auto dealer. Walther sustained severe burns and a crushed kneecap but survived.