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. 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. 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. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. 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. 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. For other uses, additional clearances may be required. 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. It was Swede's choice. Savage emerged from his stop with 70 gallons (nearly 500 lb.) I really think Swede was unconscious way before he hit the wall. 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. Thats the short story. 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. He never put the brakes on.. 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. [9], Savage joked with medical personnel after the wreck, and was expected to live when taken to Methodist Hospital and for some time thereafter. However, he died in the hospital 33 days after the accident. Drivers and fans were convinced Savage could not have survived. Indianapolis 550 Savage Crash . 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. Swede Savage fatal crash Indy 500 1973 - YouTube AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest new features 2023 Google LLC He was just 26 years old when he died. In March 1971, Savage entered the Questor Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway, driving an Eagle-Plymouth Formula 5000 car. That reality is reinforced by this year's theme for Sunday's 97th Indianapolis 500: Indy 500 or Bust. No commercial uses without permission. 1973 Indianapolis 500 Crash. 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. Angela has never been to Indy. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. He oozed charm and charisma because he was unaware how charming and charismatic he really was. 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. It's the life of a race car driver, especially at the Indianapolis 500.. 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. Like Savage and Pollard, Andretti accepted the dangers. 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. David Earl "Swede" Savage Jr. (August 26, 1946 July 2, 1973) was an American race car driver. CREDIT: John Iacono (Photo by John Iacono /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) Drivers Art Pollard and Savage and crew member Armando Teran were. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. Swede Savage Rare Disturbing Alternate View Indy 500 1973 18+ Motorsport Events 30 subscribers Subscribe 14 Share 3.3K views 1 year ago RARE ALTERNATIVE ANGLE of Savage's crash and aftermath. (AP Photo), Swede Savage's car, which was in a wreck in the Indianapolis 500, is pictured spinning out, May 30, 1973. Savage, still strapped in his seat, was thrown back across the circuit. Angela Rene Savage was born to Swedes young and beautiful widow, Sheryl, just three months after 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. Sign. I would tell people for years that Johncock won the race that no one wanted to remember, IMS historian Donald Davidson recalled. 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. of additional fuel and a new (cold) right rear tire. 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. In this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. Usage Notes: Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. 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. He died later that day at a local hospital. Swede Savage, driver of another Patrick Racing, STP-sponsored car, and Armando Teran, mechanic on a third Patrick/STP car, also died. 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. I had to accept that or do something else with my life. (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. Your input will affect cover photo selection, along with input from other users. Sadly, one of the most promising talents and most fascinating personalities in the sport of auto racing in a generation, died on July 2, 1973. If you're going to be a race driver, you have to bite your tongue and go on with it. FILE - In this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. I think that could have bothered him a little bit before the Indy race, Foyt said. I felt I wouldn't make a mistake that would kill me, but I knew I could pay for someone else's mistake. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. 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. He returned to driving in August at the Trans-Am event at Watkins Glen. 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. (AP Photo/File), Special Instructions: 5314. 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. United States; Canada; . With AAR's racing program cut back due to budget troubles, Savage resumed semi-pro motorcycle racing in the Southern California area. [citation needed] Lung failure was repeated as the cause of death by Savage's daughter Angela in a May 2015 interview.[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. 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. But today, Swedes legacy lives on, perpetuated in recent years by the public emergence of the daughter he never knew. 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. 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. . 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. 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. Swede Savage (1946-1973) - Find a Grave Memorial. On Sunday May 6, three drivers left the grounds to race in the NASCAR Winston 500 at Talladega. (AP Photo), Track crew tries to extinguish the fire from the crash of Swede Savage's car during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. He had been the fastest driver for much of practice. 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. Ralph N. Paulk is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. < back . He was flown by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he would soldier on bravely for thirty-three days, fighting for his life. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser (number 40) prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. 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). The big ones like that you can't accept. 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 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. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tires. (AP Photo), Swede Savage's STP car explodes in a fiery crash during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. I'm sure it was the same way for those drivers in 1973, but you have to pick up your boots and move on.. 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. Longtime Indy 500 spectators who witnessed the crash called it the most spectacular single-car accident in the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. RARE ALTERNATIVE ANGLE of Savage's crash and aftermath happened during Indy 500 1973***DESCRIPTION***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 refuelling and new tyres on the 55th lap. Indianapolis, IN 5/30/1973 It's you, the car and the racetrack.. But the complete Swede Savage story is so much more. Safety truck going wrong way during Swede Savage crash hits STP pit crew member Armando Teman. 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. It is widely reported that Savage died of kidney failure from infection, but Dr. 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. [1] [2] [3] Contents 1 Early life 2 Racing career 2.1 1973 Indianapolis 500 crash and subsequent death 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. 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. [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. 7/6/1973 779743884872. Savage was married with a six-year-old daughter; his widow Sheryl was expecting their second child at the time of his death. 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. 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. 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. I didn't want to accept what was going on around me. It's what keeps us motivated. Savage, still strapped in his seat in a large piece of the car, was thrown back across the circuit. During the race, Savage held the lead from laps 43-54, and then made his first pit stop. Swede Laid To Rest . 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. 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. (AP Photo). I don't have a death wish, but I had a goal and felt I had to proceed. 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 would pilot the legendary day glow red, #40 STP Oil Treatment Special. 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. It was a May to forget. 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. Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. (AP Photo), Swede Savage is taken to an ambulance on a stretcher after he crashed his car during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 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. But on lap 59, his car inexplicably veered sharply toward the infield wall as it exited the fourth turn. Savage did, but died 33 days later in Methodist Hospital Medical Center. Debris were thrown into the grandstand and the number of injured spectators ranged from 11 to 13. 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. Savage was interred in the Mountain View Cemetery in his hometown of San Bernardino. 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