Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. I didn't want to accept what was going on around me. 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). I think there has to be a little drama. 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. [1][2][3] . 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. 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. Savage died more than a month after the race. 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. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Miraculously, Swede survived the violent crash, but was critically injured. By his mid-teens he was racing motorcycles competitively. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. FILE - In this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. Only a cou. 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. He proved to be a winner on two wheels too. Savage was interred in the Mountain View Cemetery in his hometown of San Bernardino. 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. 5/30/1973 7307220355. On Sunday May 6, three drivers left the grounds to race in the NASCAR Winston 500 at Talladega. 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. Swede Savage 1973 Indy 500 Fatal Crash Original ABC Broadcast Footage. Indianapolis 550 Savage Crash . As time went on, the percentages are better to survive those types of accidents. [citation needed] Lung failure was repeated as the cause of death by Savage's daughter Angela in a May 2015 interview.[13]. 2023 Getty Images. He finished fifth at Riverside in his one appearance in the car. Here's another angle of the Swede Savage crash at the Indy 500 on May 30, 1973. It was a May to forget. Check out the vast collections of swede savage pictures from AP Images. He won well over a hundred quarter midget races. (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. 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. He oozed charm and charisma because he was unaware how charming and charismatic he really was. Among pallbearers are Dan Gurney, second from left, and Jim Wright, dark glasses. He died at age 26 from complications while recovering from injuries suffered in a crash during the 1973 Indianapolis 500, nearly five weeks earlier. His skill behind the wheel was obvious from the beginning. 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. Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. 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. High-quality motorsport photography galleries featuring Swede Savage. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tires. We won't have a race. 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. When you're on the sideline, it can be dangerous. 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. 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. Your input will affect cover photo selection, along with input from other users. Finally at 14h00 on Wednesday, 30 May 1973 the green flag started the race.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 55th lap. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. I don't have a death wish, but I had a goal and felt I had to proceed. In March 1971, Savage entered the Questor Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway, driving an Eagle-Plymouth Formula 5000 car. As the car spiraled along the front stretch, spectators were doused with fuel. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tyres. 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. Ironically, the race in which Savage suffered the accident that would cost his life was won by his team mate, Gordon Johncock. He never put the brakes on.. He crashed violently early in the race that year and died a month later. 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. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. (AP Photo), Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. Competing in the 1969 Daytona 500, he crashed after a wheel fell off on lap 124. David Earl "Swede" Savage Jr. (August 26, 1946 - July 2, 1973) was an American race car driver. 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. Special Hot Stove Edition Angela Savage Pit Lane Radio 1/4 LIVE 12N EST JANUARY 3, 2014 BY JOHN G LEAVE A COMMENT (EDIT) Not long after Swede Savages death from an accident at the Indianapolis 500, in 1973, his wife gave birth to their second daughter, Angela Savage. Savage died more than a month after the race. 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. Foyt, a four-time Indy 500 winner, said softly. He was interred in the Mt. The big ones like that you can't accept. 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. (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. CREDIT: John Iacono (Photo by John Iacono /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) 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. [4] This would be his sole professional auto racing victory. 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. 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. Gordon Johncock took the checkered flag under caution with 67 laps remaining on a dark, gloomy Wednesday afternoon. He rejoined in second place, closely behind Al Unser and just ahead of Bobby Unser. The enhanced safety measures have enabled drivers to walk away from other devastating crashes the past two decades. All survived, but nearly a dozen people suffered burns and lacerations caused by debris that was launched into the grandstand. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tires. 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. 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 500 Savage Wreck . Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Then again, he won the race that no one could ever forget.. 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. (AP Photo), Swede Savage is taken to an ambulance on a stretcher after he crashed his car during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection while still in the hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. But Tuesday was wet and the drivers saw the red flag while on their parade lap. It was Swede's choice. Driving an Eagle-Ford IndyCar, Savage won the Bobby Ball Memorial, a 150-mile race at Phoenix International Raceway on November 21, 1970. 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. Rain delayed, interrupted and shortened the race which. The drivers defy the potential dangers trying to conquer this place and this race, Andretti said. 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. Walther, whose once-promising career was derailed that rainy day, died in December at age 65. 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. The Gearheads hosted a roundtable of a different sort, discussing the state of the hobby at the 71st Grand National Roadster Show. 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. 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. That day you become tentative is when you become very dangerous. View Cemetery in his hometown of San Bernardino, California. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. 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. The explosion and disintegration of Savage's car still is difficult to watch on video and even more painful to talk about for drivers who need no video to remind them of what happened that day. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Ralph N. Paulk is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. (AP Photo). Swede Laid To Rest . Longtime Indy 500 spectators who witnessed the crash called it the most spectacular single-car accident in the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. [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. United States. More than eleven cars were involved in the accident and the red flag halted the race on 1st lap.Rain returned again and the start was postponed until Tuesday morning. On May 12, 1973, Swede broke the track record in Indianapolis 500 qualifying in front of a Pole Day crowd estimated at 250,000 people. When I watch my son and grandson, I appreciate all my wife went through all those years, said Andretti, 73. I hated to see someone get killed because so many times I knew (him), Foyt said. He was flown by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he would soldier on bravely for thirty-three days, fighting for his life. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. But today, Swedes legacy lives on, perpetuated in recent years by the public emergence of the daughter he never knew. But the complete Swede Savage story is so much more. On lap 58, just behind Al Unser (who was about to make a pit stop of his own), Savage, pushing hard in anticipation of a coming rainstorm, lost control as he exited turn four. 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 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. [12] Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. The years haven't been kind to a knee that was surgically repaired three times. 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 Savage lay injured on the track, a crew member from Savage's Patrick Racing team ran to help his boss. He had been the fastest driver for much of practice. 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. 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. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. 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. Foyt admits he barely escaped the 1973 crashes. 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. 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). In 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. See photos from throughout Swede Savage's career. Swede was a native of San Bernardino, California. He began Soap Box Derby racing at the age of five, moved up to racing quarter midget cars, then at age twelve to Go-Kart racing. 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. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser (number 40) prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. He returned to driving in August at the Trans-Am event at Watkins Glen. But at a race that has too often ended in tragedy for drivers, crew members and fans, the most spectacular crashes are often the most unforgettable. 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. Auto Racing: Indianapolis 500: Aerial view of Swede Savage with medical staff after sustaining injury during crash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 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. 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. 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. Contact your local office to see if we can clear this image for you. All Indy 500 Legends. [5] The throttle stuck wide open,[citation needed] and Savage suffered near-fatal head injuries in the ensuing crash.