swede savage crash photos

Longtime Indy 500 spectators who witnessed the crash called it the most spectacular single-car accident in the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Swede Savage (1946-1973) - Find a Grave Memorial. Tragically, one of his. 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. 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. < back . Miraculously, Swede survived the violent crash, but was critically injured. 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. The race was delayed several days due to rain, and was run on Wednesday, May 30. (AP Photo), Swede Savage's car, which was in a wreck in the Indianapolis 500, is pictured spinning out, May 30, 1973. I would tell people for years that Johncock won the race that no one wanted to remember, IMS historian Donald Davidson recalled. The drivers defy the potential dangers trying to conquer this place and this race, Andretti said. It doesn't have to stay dangerous, but it's an element of this sport that makes it what it is.. Like Savage and Pollard, Andretti accepted the dangers. Swede Savage Trans Am style #autoracing #auto #racing #trans #am. (AP Photo). In March 1971, Savage entered the Questor Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway, driving an Eagle-Plymouth Formula 5000 car. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. Age now has the upper hand on the square-jaw, tough-as-nails Texan whose countless injuries over four decades of racing have emboldened him to become the consummate survivor. 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. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. 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. The early part of my career I figured my chances of survival would be rather slim after losing so many of my friends including Swede. Browse and buy images now. 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. Indianapolis, IN 5/30/1973 CREDIT: John Iacono (Photo by John Iacono /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X17734 TK1 R17 F19 ) PURCHASE A LICENSE All survived, but nearly a dozen people suffered burns and lacerations caused by debris that was launched into the grandstand. Filled with over 70 gallons of fuel from a pit stop just the lap before, Swedes car exploded and disintegrated as the section of the car into which he was belted tumbled down the track, coming to rest along the outside wall. 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. Born 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. Check out the vast collections of swede savage pictures from AP Images. Savage debuted in the old SCCA United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) series in April 1968, driving a Lola T70 Mk III (the car campaigned by Gurney in the 1967 Can-Am racing series; a condition of employment Gurney imposed on the young driver was that he rebuild and prepare the car for competition with very little assistance from other AAR staff). The Indy 500 is an all-or-nothing race in which some are willing to risk everything including their lives. Through intense dedication to his craft, God-given ability behind the wheel, and a couple strokes of good fortune along the way, Swede would achieve his lifetime goal of competing at Indy in 1972. (AP Photo), Swede Savage is taken to an ambulance on a stretcher after he crashed his car during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. All Indy 500 Legends. 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. United States; Canada; . Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. He rejoined in second place, closely behind Al Unser and just ahead of Bobby Unser. On Sunday May 6, three drivers left the grounds to race in the NASCAR Winston 500 at Talladega. The big ones like that you can't accept. See photos from throughout Swede Savage's career. 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. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection while still in the hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. 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 Savage's wreck was the third explosive crash in Indy's deadliest year that claimed the lives of three men and permanently scarred another. Gurney, who owned his own auto racing team and race car construction business in Santa Ana, California, All American Racers, quickly took Swede under his wing and provided him the environment, equipment, and nurturing to develop into a top flight race car driver. 1973 Indianapolis 500 crash and subsequent death, Complete Non-Championship Formula One results, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Andretti Wins Both Heats of Questor Race", "Swede Savage 1973 Indy 500 Fatal Crash Original ABC Broadcast Footage", "Deadly May of 1973 still resonates at Indianapolis Motor Speedway", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Swede_Savage&oldid=1133528939, This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 07:12. As he did so often during his open-wheel career, he came out clean on the other side of the fireball that engulfed the cars of Savage and Walther. Walther's 75-gallon fuel tank, which was nearly full of methanol, shattered as his car slammed back onto the racetrack. He rejoined in second place, closely behind Al Unser and just ahead of Bobby Unser. It was Swede's choice. 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. He had been the fastest driver for much of practice. His skill behind the wheel was obvious from the beginning. 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. I think there has to be a little drama. Swede Savage, driver of another Patrick Racing, STP-sponsored car, and Armando Teran, mechanic on a third Patrick/STP car, also died. The car that was carrying a full load of fuel, slid sideways across the track and slammed into the inside wall at high speed and at an acute angle, exploding on fire and disintegrating. He crashed violently early in the race that year and died a month later. It's what keeps us motivated. Gordon Johncock took the checkered flag under caution with 67 laps remaining on a dark, gloomy Wednesday afternoon. As a young boy, Swedes dream was always to compete in and win the Indianapolis 500. The enhanced safety measures have enabled drivers to walk away from other devastating crashes the past two decades. FILE - In this May 30, 1973, file photo, debris from Swede Savage's STP car flies in the air as he crashed during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. The Gearheads hosted a roundtable of a different sort, discussing the state of the hobby at the 71st Grand National Roadster Show. [12] Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. 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. That in itself is part of the attraction. However, he died in the hospital 33 days after the accident. It's about the racing at the Brickyard, too. Foyt, a four-time Indy 500 winner, said softly. Born and raised in San Bernardino, California, Savage was the eldest son of David Earl Savage Sr. and Joetta Taylor Savage. However, he died in the hospital 33 days after the accident. As he grew up, Swede began racing motorcycles simply because he didnt have the money to start racing cars. In his book \"Rapid Response: My Inside Story as a Motor Racing Life-Saver\" published in 2010, Dr. Stephen Olvey who was Swede Savage's attending physician at Indianapolis hospital, and later CART's Director of Medical Affairs, indicated that the real cause of death was complications related to a blood transfusion, contaminated with Hepatitis B, which caused his liver to fail. One thing is for sure, if you dwell on the negative, you better get out of it. Five-time Indy 500 winning chief mechanic, George Bignotti, was in charge of technical preparation, and Swedes close friend from his days at All American Racers, Jim Wright, was Bignottis talented assistant. Collect, curate and comment on your files. It was a May to forget. (AP Photo), Swede Savage car is in flames following his crash during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. 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. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. But reducing the size of the fuel tank (now 18 gallons) and switching to less combustible fuels are among the primary reasons open-wheel racing is safer, Andretti and Foyt said. It's still on my mind.. But Tuesday was wet and the drivers saw the red flag while on their parade lap. 1973 Indianapolis 500 Crash. 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. A second theory is provided by numerous drivers complaining over their radios about oil on the track, as pole sitter Rutherford had been given the black flag for dropping fluid, most likely oil. Among pallbearers are Dan Gurney, second from left, and Jim Wright, dark glasses. He never put the brakes on.. Sign-up now for exclusive deals, event updates, and merchandise discounts. Also in attendance was a Ford public relations executive named Monte Roberts, who watched Savage calmly wheelie a motorcycle for the better part of a mile and, struck by Savage's "racy" name and obvious talent, encouraged Ford officials to take Savage under their wing. Swede Savage Crash RARE ALTERNATIVE ANGLE Indy 500 1973 - YouTube Sign in to confirm your age 0:00 / 4:01 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. For other uses, additional clearances may be required. Swede Savage fatal crash Indy 500 1973 - YouTube AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest new features 2023 Google LLC On lap 58 Savage, just behind Al Unser, who was about to make a pit stop of his own, and pushing hard in anticipation of a coming rainstorm, lost control as he exited turn four. 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 196.582mph (316.368km/h). A few laps after this pitstop, on 58th lap, just as he was about to retake the lead from Al Unser in his Vel's Parnelli - Offy #4, who was in the process of coming into the pits for his second stop, Swede Savage's car suddenly veered off course on the left side at the exit of Turn 4. 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. On 133rd lap it was raining harder and Gordon Johncock took the chequered flag, ending one of the grimmest Indy 500s after 332.5 miles, with only ten cars running at the end. Savage joked with medical personnel after the wreck, and was expected to live when taken to Methodist Hospital Medical Center and for some time thereafter. When I watch my son and grandson, I appreciate all my wife went through all those years, said Andretti, 73. FILE - In this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. 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. Reach him at rpaulk@tribweb.com or via Twitter @RalphPaulk_Trib. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tyres. Foyt, who won the tragic-filled 1964 Indy 500, said last week that he believed Savage sustained a head injury a week earlier during a road race in Ontario, Calif., that may have been partly responsible for his crash. 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. 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. I don't have a death wish, but I had a goal and felt I had to proceed. Drivers Art Pollard and Savage and crew member Armando Teran were killed in May 1973 and another driver, Salt Walther, somehow survived a frightening, pin-wheeling crash. The 1973 race was a terrible race, Foyt recalled. [4] This would be his sole professional auto racing victory. On the second lap of the race itself, 25-year-old David Salt Walther was injured critically as he suffered severe burns over most of his body when his car catapulted into the outside wall and fence a gory scene similar to the 2011 accident that killed two-time Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon in the IndyCar Series finale at Las Vegas Speedway. The Indy 500 spectators who witnessed the crash called it the most spectacular single-car in... Place, closely behind Al Unser and just ahead of Bobby Unser the wheel was obvious from beginning. You want and information you need, right to your inbox wanted to remember, IMS historian Davidson. Twitter @ RalphPaulk_Trib fuel tank, which was nearly full of methanol, as. Took the checkered flag under caution with 67 laps remaining on a dark, gloomy Wednesday afternoon news you and. To walk away from other devastating crashes the past two decades you dwell on the negative, you get... 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