The exact cause of Savage's sudden turn across the race track and into the infield wall has not been settled. On the first day of qualifying, gusting winds slowed Savage from matching his best practice speeds, but he still shattered the track record with a four-lap qualifying average of 196.582 mph (316.368 km/h). All survived, but nearly a dozen people suffered burns and lacerations caused by debris that was launched into the grandstand. RARE ALTERNATIVE ANGLE of Savage's crash and aftermath happened during Indy 500 1973Description:Swede Savage was comfortably leading the field by 42nd lap, in the STP-sponsored Eagle - Offenhauser #40 prepared by George Bignotti, when he pitted for refueling and new tires on the 55th lap. Savage's wreck was the third explosive crash in Indy's deadliest year that claimed the lives of three men and permanently scarred another. It doesn't have to stay dangerous, but it's an element of this sport that makes it what it is.. Only a couple of hundred yards past the start-line, the blue McLaren - Offy of rookie Salt Walther skidded to the right and hit Jerry Grant's Eagle - Offy, crashing against the wall. 1973 Indianapolis 500 Crash. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. I felt I wouldn't make a mistake that would kill me, but I knew I could pay for someone else's mistake. 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. [citation needed] Lung failure was repeated as the cause of death by Savage's daughter Angela in a May 2015 interview.[13]. Even the thought of it 40 years later still evokes a heart-wrenching response from Foyt, an owner who tries to shelter his emotions far more than he did as a driver. I don't have a death wish, but I had a goal and felt I had to proceed. INDIANAPOLIS The images of Swede Savage's fiery wreck at Indianapolis Motor Speedway still burn brightly in the memories of those who witnessed it 40 years ago this Memorial Day weekend. Early in the season, Chrysler cut back support for the AAR effort and Gurney stepped out of the car to let Savage drive the entire season. Swede was a native of San Bernardino, California. Tragically, one of his. Swede Savage fatal crash at Indy 500 (30 May 1973) ALL ANGLES & PICTURES All Indy 500 Legends 1:18 Rick Mears hard crash at Indy 500 (May 7, 1992) THE MOST COMPLETE FOOTAGE All Indy 500 Legends 1:48 Billy Boat brutal crash at Indy 500 (May 10, 2003) ALL ANGLES & PICS All Indy 500 Legends 1:13 It's you, the car and the racetrack.. [1][2][3] . (AP Photo/File), Special Instructions: MAY 30 1973, FILE PHOTO, FILE - In this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. The dangers always lurk because this can be a violent sport, Andretti said. But the pain of an inescapable memory is still there in his voice and on his face. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. He was interred in the Mt. The Gearheads hosted a roundtable of a different sort, discussing the state of the hobby at the 71st Grand National Roadster Show. < back . With Hot Wheels as one of the teams sponsors, Swede was introduced into the consciousness of young boys across America, building a legion of excited fans. Even though Savage suffered extensive and complex fractures on his legs, his return to the tracks was considered sure, and Wally Dallenbach was recruited by George Bignotti for Team Patrick-STP as a temporary replacement during his absence. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Later in the day, as the winds abated, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser and Mark Donohue each bettered Savage's time. In 1970, Savage and Gurney drove identical factory-sponsored Plymouth Barracudas in the Trans-Am Series. Collect, curate and comment on your files. As a young boy, Swedes dream was always to compete in and win the Indianapolis 500. It had been widely reported that Savage's death was caused by lung and kidney complications,[1] but Steve Olvey, Savage's attending physician at Indy (and later CART's director of medical affairs), claimed in his book Rapid Response that the real cause of death was complications related to contaminated plasma. He was just 26 years old when he died. The scattered remains spewed near the exit in Turn 4. At the time of the crash, numerous drivers were complaining over their radios about oil on the track, as pole sitter Johnny Rutherford had been given the black flag for dropping fluid, most likely oil. Swede raced car #42 and Dan raced an identical car #48. He ultimately started 4th in the race mixed in among racing legends Bobby Unser, Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue and Johnny Rutherford; drivers who would go on to accumulate a total of eight Indy 500 victories between them. 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 60 mph (opposite the normal direction of travel) to the crash. Even though Savage suffered extensive and complex fractures on his legs, his return to the tracks was considered sure, and Wally Dallenbach was recruited by George Bignotti for Team Patrick-STP as a temporary replacement during his absence. Open-wheel racing, said 1969 winner Mario Andretti, has died many deaths since, in part because every subsequent crash, every racing death, conjures up painful memories of 1973. Check out the vast collections of swede savage pictures from AP Images. (AP Photo/File), Family and friends of race car driver Swede Savage, who died Monday, July 2, of injuries sustained in the May 30 crash at the Indianapolis 500, gather at the grave site at Mountain View Cemetery following funeral services in San Bernardino, Calif., July 6, 1973. [4] This would be his sole professional auto racing victory. On May 5, Swede Savage upped the speed chart to 197.802 mph (318.331 km/h), inching closer to the elusive 200 mph (320 km/h) mark. FILE - This May 30, 1973, file photo, shows Swede Savage amid the burning wreckage of his race car after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race in Indianapolis, Ind. But on lap 59, his car inexplicably veered sharply toward the infield wall as it exited the fourth turn. His athletic career reached a crossroads, however, when his high school football coach told him that he had to chose between motorcycle racing (in which he was considered a professional due to the meager prize money he was winning) or continue participating in high school athletics as an amateur. In his autobiography, Bobby Unser wrote that when Savage exited the pits, he became alarmed at how hard Savage was pushing, and dropped back slightly in anticipation of an incident. While still being trapped into the wreckage, rescuers saw him moving, a fact that astonished Jim McKay and Chris Economaki, covering the race for ABC Sports broadcasts. 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. Indianapolis, IN 5/30/1973 He died at age 26 from complications while recovering from injuries suffered in a crash during the 1973 Indianapolis 500, nearly five weeks earlier. Swede Savage in his Olsonite Eagle leading the USAC INDY 150 Champ Car Race held on the road course at Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 26, 1970 in. Swede Savage, 1973 Indy 500 Auto Racing: Indianapolis 500: Aerial view of Swede Savage with medical staff after sustaining injury during crash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He was married with a seven-year-old daughter, Shelly; his widow Sheryl was expecting their second child, daughter Angela, at the time of his death. The 1973 race was a terrible race, Foyt recalled. Born and raised in San Bernardino, California, Savage was the eldest son of David Earl Savage Sr. and Joetta Taylor Savage. Prior approval is required for ALL uses of images depicting SPORTS ILLUSTRATED or GOLF magazine covers, and for ANY use in RETAIL PRODUCTS. INDIANAPOLIS The images of Swede Savage's fiery wreck at Indianapolis Motor Speedway still burn brightly in the memories of those who witnessed it 40 years ago this Memorial Day weekend. Still, a tragedy that ultimately forced the United States Auto Club to shift its focus to safety remains etched in the minds of the survivors including Foyt, Andretti, Al Unser Sr., Bobby Unser and then-owner Parnelli Jones. I would tell people for years that Johncock won the race that no one wanted to remember, IMS historian Donald Davidson recalled. CREDIT: John Iacono (Photo by John Iacono /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) Savage's car twitched back and forth, then slid across to the inside of the track at nearly top speed, hitting the angled inside wall nearly head-on. Follow. He won well over a hundred quarter midget races. He competed in the Indianapolis 500 twice; in his debut in 1972, he finished 32nd after dropping out on lap six with mechanical problems.[6]. He appeared on a major network TV talk show and was a guest at the White House at an age when most people are still figuring out what to do with their lives. 65 Swede Savage Premium High Res Photos Browse 65 swede savage stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Family and friends of race car driver Swede Savage, who died Monday, July 2, of injuries sustained in the May 30 crash at the Indianapolis 500, gather at the grave site at Mountain View Cemetery following funeral services in San Bernardino, Calif., July 6, 1973. They were teammates together in the 1970 Trans Am series in what have become two of the most iconic road racing cars of all time: the twin 1970 All American Racers Plymouth Barracudas. He rejoined in second place, closely behind Al Unser and just ahead of Bobby Unser. His widow Sheryl, who is six months pregnant, is seated at far right. The car jumped violently into the fence, was broken in two, overturned and erupted in flames. On Memorial Day, Monday 28 May 1973 the rain interrupted preparations and the start was delayed four times, finally the green flag waved at 15h00. Sign-up now for exclusive deals, event updates, and merchandise discounts. Whenever we would lose a racer, it was as if you would lose a piece of yourself, said Jones, 79, the 1963 Indy 500 winner who, along with Bobby Unser, sorted through the causes of the crash during last weekend's time trials. It's what keeps us motivated. 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. Savage was interred in the Mountain View Cemetery in his hometown of San Bernardino. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser (number 40) prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. We arranged a cast of builders, owner/clients and builder/owners to talk about where the hobby is at, where it's going, and what the stakes are with regard to quality and chasing perfection.
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