Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. 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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. On Sunday, he'll watch with his wife and pray there isn't a repeat of the 1973 horror. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. Contact your. In this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. View Cemetery in his hometown of San Bernardino, California. 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. 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 in an acute angle, exploding on fire and disintegrating. Thats the short story. [7] Later in the day, as the winds abated, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser, and Mark Donohue each bettered Savage's time. Like Savage and Pollard, Andretti accepted the dangers. Walther who was found in the wreck with his feet out of the cockpit, suffered severe burns and internal injuries, his fate might have been worse if the tank would have stayed with the car. 2023 Getty Images. (AP Photo/David F. Smith), This is the explosion of Swede Savage's STP car as he crashed during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. [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. He was just 26 years old when he died. (AP Photo/File), Special Instructions: WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1973; 5314. 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 was married with a six-year-old daughter; his widow Sheryl was expecting their second child at the time of his death. Sign. He had been the fastest driver for much of practice. David Earl "Swede" Savage Jr. was an American race car driver. 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. Then again, he won the race that no one could ever forget.. In 1968 and 1969, he also raced in NASCAR events. His skill behind the wheel was obvious from the beginning. I remember the wind blowing real bad. When you're on the sideline, it can be dangerous. The enhanced safety measures have enabled drivers to walk away from other devastating crashes the past two decades. It's what keeps us motivated. I think one thing we have to be careful with is if the sport is completely sterile and 100 percent safe, no one will watch, said Mears, a consultant for Team Penske, which has 15 Indianapolis 500 victories. 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]. However, he died in the hospital 33 days after the accident. 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. During the replays of Savage's crash on the tape-delayed broadcast on ABC Sports, Jim McKay and Chris Economaki also mentioned that Savage's rear wing may have come loose, possibly contributing to the crash, as well. 5/30/1973 7307220348 . Rick Mears, a four-time Indy 500 winner, warned the race could lose its appeal if the element of danger is lost. 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. But on lap 59, his car inexplicably veered sharply toward the infield wall as it exited the fourth turn. 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. 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. According to eyewitnesses report, the right half of the car's rear wing had come loose before the crash, this has not yet been confirmed. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser (number 40) prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. 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. 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. The force of the impact, with the car carrying a full load of fuel, caused the car to explode in a 60-foot-high plume of flame. The 1973 fatalities, coupled with the earlier deaths of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald during the 1964 race at the Brickyard, were numbing truths for a sport in which death had become an acceptable reality. Miraculously, Swede survived the violent crash, but was critically injured. (AP Photo), Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. Angela has never been to Indy. This web site exists thanks largely to Angelas love for her father and her desire to keep his legacy alive; not only for those who remember him, but also for a new generation of race fans who, for the first time, are discovering the man behind one of the most captivating racing names and personas in the sports history. 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. The exact cause of Savage's sudden turn across the race track and into the infield wall has not been settled. 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. 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. He proved to be a winner on two wheels too. It's about the racing at the Brickyard, too. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tires. He never put the brakes on.. The right half of his rear wing had come loose, causing his car to twitch back and forth, then slid across to the inside of the track at nearly top speed, hitting the angled inside wall nearly head-on. He was just 26 years old when he died. Reach him at rpaulk@tribweb.com or via Twitter @RalphPaulk_Trib. 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. Drivers and fans were convinced Savage could not have survived. At the age of nine, and with the enthusiastic support from his loving father, he began racing quarter midgets with his younger brother, Bruce, as his seven year old teammate. Longtime Indy 500 spectators who witnessed the crash called it the most spectacular single-car accident in the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Access the best of Getty Images and iStock with our simple subscription plan. Swede Savage remains one of the sports most excruciating stories of unrealized potential; a superstar in the making who lost his life at a young age in one of auto racings deadliest eras. Savage's wreck was the third explosive crash in Indy's deadliest year that claimed the lives of three men and permanently scarred another. He came to rest adjacent to the outer retaining wall, fully conscious and completely exposed while he lay in a pool of flaming methanol fuel. [9], Savage joked with medical personnel after the wreck, and was expected to live when taken to Methodist Hospital and for some time thereafter. FILE - In this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. (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. During pole qualifying earlier that month, driver Art Pollard was killed in a horrific crash when his car topped 191 mph, then struck the outside wall, burst into flames, spun into the infield and rolled several times. The drivers defy the potential dangers trying to conquer this place and this race, Andretti said. 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. I think there has to be a little drama. [8][9] Savage held the lead from laps 4354, and then made his first pit stop. 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. 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. Among those that were complaining about oil on the track were Jerry Grant, who mentioned so in an interview with Dave Diles of ABC Sports after Savage's crash. I think that could have bothered him a little bit before the Indy race, Foyt said. The 1973 edition of the Indianapolis 500 was one of the lowest points in American motorsports history. Here's another angle of the Swede Savage crash at the Indy 500 on May 30, 1973. He returned to driving in August at the Trans-Am event at Watkins Glen. In January 1967, Savage made a point of showing up at a Ford Motor Company test session at Riverside International Raceway attended by, among others, racing legend Dan Gurney. David Earl "Swede" Savage Jr. (August 26, 1946 - July 2, 1973) was an American race car driver. Swede Savage Horrifying Fatal Crash: Rare Footage Alternate Angels AlvinKarpis007 1.71K subscribers Subscribe 148 86K views 10 years ago This rare footage shows Swede Savages fatal crash from. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. See photos from throughout Swede Savage's career. 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). Savage would survive the crash but die a little more than four months later. 2023 Getty Images. 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. [12] Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. Diles later was filmed wiping oil off the front of Joe Leonard's car to prove the point, though Bobby Unser (who had a strained personal relationship with Savage and often ridiculed the driving ability of the younger driver) disputed that the drivers were running on an unsafe racetrack. Walther, whose once-promising career was derailed that rainy day, died in December at age 65. Savage, still strapped in his seat in a large piece of the car, was thrown back across the circuit. 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. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. There remains a vivid picture in Foyt's mind of Savage's car colliding into the outside wall and exploding as if it had been pierced by a torpedo. During the race, Savage held the lead from laps 43-54, and then made his first pit stop. Swede Savage, circa 1973. Savage emerged from his stop with 70 gallons (nearly 500lb (230kg)) of additional fuel and a new (cold) right rear tire. SWEDE SAVAGE 1973 ~ died in the hospital 33 days after the accident. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tyres. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. For other uses, additional clearances may be required. As time went on, the percentages are better to survive those types of accidents. He remains, to this day, the last driver to have suffered fatal injuries in the Indianapolis 500. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection while still in the hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. 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. Swede Savage 1973 Indy 500 Fatal Crash Original ABC Broadcast Footage. (AP Photo/File), Special Instructions: 5314. It was Swede's choice. 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. The following year, he competed once again for Patrick Racing, one of the top teams in USAC Championship (IndyCar) racing. David Earl "Swede" Savage Jr. (August 26, 1946 July 2, 1973) was an American race car driver. (AP Photo), Track crew tries to extinguish the fire from the crash of Swede Savage's car during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. CREDIT: John Iacono (Photo by John Iacono /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) While other sports have inherited dangers, auto racing by definition is dangerous, considering the blend of fuel, speed and bravado in the one-eighth mile short chutes that seldom accommodate all three. Today, Angela is a mother of two children of her own. She never had the chance to meet her Dad, nor did she ever see any part of the racing world in which he lived. Savage, still strapped in his seat, was thrown back across the circuit. When that green flag goes down, you gotta worry about yourself. But the complete Swede Savage story is so much more. Rain delayed, interrupted and shortened the race which. 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. [4] This would be his sole professional auto racing victory. 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. 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. Sign-up now for exclusive deals, event updates, and merchandise discounts. < back . Access the best of Getty Images and iStock with our simple subscription plan. We won't have a race. These days, at age 78, it's a difficult task for Foyt to navigate his way from Gasoline Alley to the perfectly aligned rows of bricks near the start-finish line at IMS. An exceptional natural athlete, he was honored as an all-state high school football player at San Bernardino's Pacific High School as a junior, but was ruled ineligible for his senior year because he had accepted prize money racing motorcycles and was therefore ruled a professional athlete. All Indy 500 Legends. Anchoring the event live for tape delay broadcast later in the day, ABC Sports broadcaster Jim McKay expressed disbelief upon seeing that Savage was actually moving in the post crash wreckage while he was engulfed in flames. Were it not for the lessons taught by tragedy, the race would be better forgotten. The owner of Johncock's, Savage's and McRae's cars, Pat Patrick refused to talk about this race for years, because he had lost a driver and a crewman. 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. 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. Many believed that Swede would soon be joining the exclusive group of Indy 500 winners as he took the lead of the race. 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. . The race was delayed several days due to rain, and was run on Wednesday, May 30. Swede was a native of San Bernardino, California. Rain hampered practice the first. 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. 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. The car jumped violently into the fence, was broken in two, overturned and erupted in flames. Bill Vukovich, Jr. was second, the only other car on the lead lap when the race was called, Roger McCluskey who set the fastest lap of the race, finished 3rd, two laps down. It's still on my mind.. All our drivers now have a 99 percent chance of retiring on their own terms.. 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 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. His widow Sheryl, who is six months pregnant, is seated at far right. Among pallbearers are Dan Gurney, second from left, and Jim Wright, dark glasses. Television footage seems to show the right half of his rear wing had come loose, which would instantly change the downforce on the wheels and could explain the sudden back and forth twitching of the car.
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