swede savage crash photos

Swede Savage Trans Am style #autoracing #auto #racing #trans #am. He was just 26 years old when he died. 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. 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. Much to the dismay of his football coach, Swede promptly quit the football team, cranked the throttle on his racing career, and never looked back. 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. Savage also had a son, John, who lives in Highland, California. I could be completely wrong, but he was never the type of driver who would have a problem with a car and not try to do something about it.. View Cemetery in his hometown of San Bernardino, California. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. [8][9] Savage held the lead from laps 4354, and then made his first pit stop. (AP Photo), Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. Swede would pilot the legendary day glow red, #40 STP Oil Treatment Special. 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. 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. (AP Photo). 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. He remains, to this day, the last driver to have suffered fatal injuries in the Indianapolis 500. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser (number 40) prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. I felt I was willing to take the calculated risk to win the Indianapolis 500. 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. Contact your. Debris were thrown into the grandstand and the number of injured spectators ranged from 11 to 13. (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. of additional fuel and a new (cold) right rear tire. Among pallbearers are Dan Gurney, second from left, and Jim Wright, dark glasses. (AP Photo), Swede Savage's STP car explodes in a fiery crash during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. 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. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. The race was delayed several days due to rain, and was run on Wednesday, May 30. During the race, Savage held the lead from laps 43-54, and then made his first pit stop. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. (AP Photo), Track crew tries to extinguish the fire from the crash of Swede Savage's car during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. The message was stressed in the costliest of terms with crashes that killed drivers Art Pollard and Swede Savage and crewman Armando Teran while injuring a dozen spectators. The years haven't been kind to a knee that was surgically repaired three times. 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. 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. 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. Prior approval is required for ALL uses of images depicting SPORTS ILLUSTRATED or GOLF magazine covers, and for ANY use in RETAIL PRODUCTS. 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. Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. [1][2][3] . 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. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser (number 40) prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. 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. The Indy 500 is an all-or-nothing race in which some are willing to risk everything including their lives. Swede Savage (1946 - 1973) Race car driver, died from injuries sustained in a crash at the Indianapolis 500 Gp Do Brasil Nascar Crash Indianapolis Motor Speedway Old Race Cars Pro Sports Indy Cars Race Day Swede Savage's car explodes after a spectacular crash in Turn 4 in the 1973 Indianapolis 500. He rejoined in second place, closely behind Al Unser and just ahead of Bobby Unser. He won well over a hundred quarter midget races. (AP Photo/File), Special Instructions: 5314. 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. 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. 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. (AP Photo), Swede Savage car is in flames following his crash during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. He crashed violently early in the race that year and died a month later. 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 died at age 26 from complications while recovering from injuries suffered in a crash during the 1973 Indianapolis 500, nearly five weeks earlier. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tires. 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. Foyt, a four-time Indy 500 winner, said softly. In 1968 and 1969, he also raced in NASCAR events. 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. According to eyewitness reports, the right half of the car's rear wing had come loose before the crash, this has not yet been confirmed. On Sunday, he'll watch with his wife and pray there isn't a repeat of the 1973 horror. 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. The scattered remains spewed near the exit in Turn 4. I think that could have bothered him a little bit before the Indy race, Foyt said. [1] [2] [3] Contents 1 Early life 2 Racing career 2.1 1973 Indianapolis 500 crash and subsequent death 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. 1973 Indianapolis 500 Crash. Drivers and fans were convinced Savage could not have survived. Your input will affect cover photo selection, along with input from other users. It's about the racing at the Brickyard, too. 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. He rejoined in second place, closely behind Al Unser and just ahead of Bobby Unser. He finished fifth at Riverside in his one appearance in the car. 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 emerged from his stop with 70 gallons (nearly 500 lb.) I don't have a death wish, but I had a goal and felt I had to proceed. Rick Mears, a four-time Indy 500 winner, warned the race could lose its appeal if the element of danger is lost. 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. 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.Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swede_Savage 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. 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. 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