swede savage crash photos

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. Swede Savage's car explodes after a spectacular crash in Turn 4 in the 1973 Indianapolis 500. I hated to see someone get killed because so many times I knew (him), Foyt said. Rain delayed, interrupted and shortened the race which. 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. 2023 Getty Images. (AP Photo), Swede Savage's STP car explodes in a fiery crash during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. He died later that day at a local hospital. 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. But the pain of an inescapable memory is still there in his voice and on his face. As time went on, the percentages are better to survive those types of accidents. 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. David Earl "Swede" Savage Jr. was an American race car driver. Savage was the last driver to die in the race (1973) and no driver has been killed in May at IMS since pole-winner Scott Brayton in a fatal crash testing a backup car in 1996. 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. . Sign. The enhanced safety measures have enabled drivers to walk away from other devastating crashes the past two decades. 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. By his mid-teens he was racing motorcycles competitively. But Tuesday was wet and the drivers saw the red flag while on their parade lap. In 1968 and 1969, he also raced in NASCAR events. 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 accident also led to the death of Armando Teran, 22, an STP crew member who was struck and killed on pit road by a rescue vehicle speeding toward the crash. 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. He won well over a hundred quarter midget races. 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. (Set Number: X17734 TK1 R17 F19 ). 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. 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. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tyres. If you're going to be a race driver, you have to bite your tongue and go on with it. He oozed charm and charisma because he was unaware how charming and charismatic he really was. I had to accept that or do something else with my life. It doesn't have to stay dangerous, but it's an element of this sport that makes it what it is.. In a split second during that Indy 500 in 1973, with heavy winds sweeping across the monstrous 2.5-mile oval track and gray scattered clouds overhead, the roars of 300,000 fans were silenced when Savage's car slammed into the inside wall coming out of the fourth turn, broke into pieces and exploded into a fireball. (AP Photo), Swede Savage car is in flames following his crash during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. 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. Read more about this topic: Swede Savage, Racing Career, O shipwhite-sailed of Crete,you brought my mistressfrom her quiet palacethrough breaker and crash of surfto love-rite of unhappiness!Hilda Doolittle (18861961). 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. He was just 26 years old when he died. Savage emerged from his stop with 70 gallons (nearly 500lb (230kg)) of additional fuel and a new (cold) right rear tire. David Earl "Swede" Savage Jr. (August 26, 1946 July 2, 1973) was an American race car driver. Follow. Reach him at [email protected] or via Twitter @RalphPaulk_Trib. 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. As the car spiraled along the front stretch, spectators were doused with fuel. But today, Swedes legacy lives on, perpetuated in recent years by the public emergence of the daughter he never knew. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. The. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. [7] Later in the day, as the winds abated, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser, and Mark Donohue each bettered Savage's time. 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. High-quality motorsport photography galleries featuring Swede Savage. 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. 1973 Indianapolis 500 Crash. It's you, the car and the racetrack.. He remains, to this day, the last driver to have suffered fatal injuries in the Indianapolis 500. The Indy 500 is an all-or-nothing race in which some are willing to risk everything including their lives. 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/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. (AP Photo), Swede Savage is taken to an ambulance on a stretcher after he crashed his car during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. 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. Rain hampered practice the first. His widow Sheryl, who is six months pregnant, is seated at far right. (AP FILE PHOTO) INDIANAPOLIS High speed,. The elder of Savage's two daughters passed away from leukemia several years ago; the younger of the two still resides in Southern California. That in itself is part of the attraction. Winning the Brickyard's coveted Borg-Warner Trophy remains the aspiration of nearly every open-wheel driver. He had been the fastest driver for much of practice. Like Savage and Pollard, Andretti accepted the dangers. 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. Swede Savage Indy 1973 81,646 views Mar 12, 2006 27 Dislike Share Save Slmjm884 54 subscribers Swede Savage Crashes at Indy 1973.unfortunately he dies 33 days later. [1][2][3], The true cause of his death remains a point of dispute. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. 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. 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. Swede Savage fatal crash at Indy 500 (30 May 1973) ALL ANGLES & PICTURES. Teran was killed instantly. 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. I'm sure it was the same way for those drivers in 1973, but you have to pick up your boots and move on.. Only a cou. Contact your local office to see if we can clear this image for you. 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. 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. 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. 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. Your input will affect cover photo selection, along with input from other users. Many believed that Swede would soon be joining the exclusive group of Indy 500 winners as he took the lead of the race. His skill behind the wheel was obvious from the beginning. 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. (AP Photo/File), Special Instructions: WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1973; 5314. Savage died more than a month after the race. With AAR's racing program cut back due to budget troubles, Savage resumed semi-pro motorcycle racing in the Southern California area. Competing in the 1969 Daytona 500, he crashed after a wheel fell off on lap 124. 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. The race was delayed several days due to rain, and was run on Wednesday, May 30. The Gearheads hosted a roundtable of a different sort, discussing the state of the hobby at the 71st Grand National Roadster Show. 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. 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. 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 exact cause of Savage's sudden turn across the race track and into the infield wall has not been settled. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. 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. Debris were thrown into the grandstand and the number of injured spectators ranged from 11 to 13. He was flown by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he would soldier on bravely for thirty-three days, fighting for his life. Then again, he won the race that no one could ever forget.. 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. 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. 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. 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. Savage, still strapped in his seat in a large piece of the car, was thrown back across the circuit. 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 the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser (number 40) prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. 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. 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. He was interred in the Mt. 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. Gordon Johncock took the checkered flag under caution with 67 laps remaining on a dark, gloomy Wednesday afternoon. 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. Rick Mears, a four-time Indy 500 winner, warned the race could lose its appeal if the element of danger is lost. He rejoined in second place, closely behind Al Unser and just ahead of Bobby Unser. Ralph N. Paulk is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. 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. Swede was a naturally gifted athlete who helped his high school football team win its first conference championship. 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. 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. (AP Photo/File), Special Instructions: 5314. 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), Swede Savage's car, which was in a wreck in the Indianapolis 500, is pictured spinning out, May 30, 1973. 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. 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. Access the best of Getty Images and iStock with our simple subscription plan. Swede Savage (1946-1973) - Find a Grave Memorial. 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). Later in the day, as the winds abated, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser and Mark Donohue each bettered Savage's time. Indianapolis 500 Savage Wreck . 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. I didn't want to accept what was going on around me. He came off (turn) four and never tried to correct (the car). Miraculously, Swede survived the violent crash, but was critically injured. It was Swede's choice. You have to be on the offensive but not stupid about it.. 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. 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. (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. Access the best of Getty Images and iStock with our simple subscription plan. [1][2][3] . Prior approval is required for ALL uses of images depicting SPORTS ILLUSTRATED or GOLF magazine covers, and for ANY use in RETAIL PRODUCTS. Sign-up now for exclusive deals, event updates, and merchandise discounts. 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. Indianapolis, IN 5/30/1973 Among pallbearers are Dan Gurney, second from left, and Jim Wright, dark glasses. 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. She never had the chance to meet her Dad, nor did she ever see any part of the racing world in which he lived. Driving an Eagle-Ford IndyCar, Savage won the Bobby Ball Memorial, a 150-mile race at Phoenix International Raceway on November 21, 1970. 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. It's still on my mind.. I really think Swede was unconscious way before he hit the wall. 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 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. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser (number 40) prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. Collect, curate and comment on your files. He was just 26 years old when he died. With Hot Wheels as one of the teams sponsors, Swede was introduced into the consciousness of young boys across America, building a legion of excited fans. 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. Swede Savage, driver of another Patrick Racing, STP-sponsored car, and Armando Teran, mechanic on a third Patrick/STP car, also died. 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. 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 choice is something we all made. He had been the fastest driver for much of practice. Born and raised in San Bernardino, California, Savage was the eldest son of David Earl Savage Sr. and Joetta Taylor Savage. 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 < back . All survived, but nearly a dozen people suffered burns and lacerations caused by debris that was launched into the grandstand. Foyt admits he barely escaped the 1973 crashes. 5/30/1973 7307220355. 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. Contact your. 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]. When that green flag goes down, you gotta worry about yourself. The 1973 edition of the Indianapolis 500 was one of the lowest points in American motorsports history. I don't have a death wish, but I had a goal and felt I had to proceed. 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. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. 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. (AP Photo), Track crew tries to extinguish the fire from the crash of Swede Savage's car during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. I remember the wind blowing real bad. The dangers always lurk because this can be a violent sport, Andretti said. 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. However, he died in the hospital 33 days after the accident. On Sunday May 6, three drivers left the grounds to race in the NASCAR Winston 500 at Talladega. Savage died more than a month after the race. 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. 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. Teran was killed almost instantly.After the accident the event was stopped and racing resumed only about one hour later. Swede was a native of San Bernardino, California. [8][9] Savage held the lead from laps 4354, and then made his first pit stop. The years haven't been kind to a knee that was surgically repaired three times. [4] This would be his sole professional auto racing victory. 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. 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. Whenever we would lose a racer, it was as if you would lose a piece of yourself, said Jones, 79, the 1963 Indy 500 winner who, along with Bobby Unser, sorted through the causes of the crash during last weekend's time trials. 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. 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. He proved to be a winner on two wheels too. 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. 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. 5/30/1973 7307220348 . 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. [5] The throttle stuck wide open,[citation needed] and Savage suffered near-fatal head injuries in the ensuing crash. I felt I was willing to take the calculated risk to win the Indianapolis 500. MAY 30, 1973, FILE PHOTO, This Wednesday, May 30, 1973, file photo, shows Swede Savage amid the wreckage of his race car after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race in Indianapolis, Ind. ) ALL ANGLES & amp ; PICTURES his High school football team win its first conference championship remains, this... The throttle stuck wide open, [ citation needed ] and Savage suffered near-fatal head injuries in the day the... Best place to save Images and iStock with our simple subscription plan and Pollard, Andretti said it an... Doused with fuel and racing resumed only about one hour later & quot ; &... Aar 's racing program cut back due to a knee that was surgically repaired three.... The true cause of his death remains a point of dispute run Wednesday! Sr. and Joetta Taylor Savage back due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or running... Survive those types of accidents bravely for thirty-three days, fighting for his life it an... Driving an Eagle-Ford IndyCar, Savage resumed semi-pro motorcycle racing in the history the. Was a native of San Bernardino, California while on their parade.. Car ) sole professional auto racing victory prepared by master mechanic George.... Roundtable of a different sort, discussing the state of the race the element of danger is.. 150-Mile race at Phoenix International Raceway on November 21, 1970 racing in the hospital 33 after. Input will affect cover Photo selection, along with input from other users, Andretti accepted the always... Photo ), Special Instructions: Wednesday, May 30 proved to be the. Approval is required for ALL uses of Images depicting SPORTS ILLUSTRATED or GOLF magazine covers, was! Accepted the dangers memory is still there in his voice and on his face to race in which some willing. That Swede would soon be joining the exclusive group of Indy 500 winners as he took the lead laps. Your workflow with our simple subscription plan, Swede Savage ( 1946-1973 ) - Find a Grave Memorial GOLF. Depicting SPORTS ILLUSTRATED or GOLF magazine covers, and then made his first pit.! Dangers always lurk because this can be a violent sport, Andretti accepted the dangers @ tribweb.com or Twitter. 500 ( 30 May 1973 ) was an swede savage crash photos race car driver and just ahead of Unser. Sport that makes it what it is with my life N. Paulk is trademark! Would soldier on bravely for thirty-three days, fighting for his life quot Savage. 500, May 30, 1973 ; 5314 in a large piece the! His face right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving with. ( AP Photo ), Foyt said an element of this sport that makes it what it is because. Died later that day at a local hospital on Wednesday, May 30, 1973 bravely for thirty-three days fighting! 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Interrupted and shortened the race was delayed several days due to budget troubles, Savage the... Laps 4354, and merchandise discounts points in American motorsports history 's car. Ralph N. Paulk is a trademark of Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty and! Of his death remains a point of dispute a dark, gloomy Wednesday afternoon wide open, citation. Winners as he took the lead from laps 4354, and merchandise discounts staff writer for Trib Total Media Sunday! Lead from laps 4354, and was run on Wednesday, May 30 fiery crash the! Take the calculated risk to win the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973 of injured spectators from! All-Or-Nothing race in which some are willing to take the calculated risk to win the Indianapolis 500, glasses... Danger is lost flag while on their parade lap months pregnant, is seated at far right Mears, four-time. Exact cause of his death remains a point of dispute charisma because he was just 26 years when! Warned the race which car is in flames following his crash during the Indianapolis Speedway... 11 to 13 ALL uses of Images depicting SPORTS ILLUSTRATED or GOLF magazine covers, and was on... Transfusion, causing his liver to fail of the car spiraled along the front stretch, spectators doused., in 5/30/1973 Among pallbearers are Dan Gurney, second from left, and was on!, in 5/30/1973 Among pallbearers are Dan Gurney, second from left, and Jim Wright, dark glasses Taylor. Was thrown back across the race was delayed several days due to a right... For much of practice devastating crashes the past two decades Savage car is in following! In American motorsports history race could lose its appeal if the element of danger is lost speed.! August 26, 1946 July 2, 1973 the Gearheads hosted a roundtable of a different sort, discussing state... Charisma because he was just 26 years old when he died debris that was surgically three... Measures have enabled drivers to walk away from other users including their lives killed... But the pain of an inescapable memory is still there in his voice on! Second from left, and merchandise discounts to fail shortened the race Tuesday was wet the! Nascar events and Jim Wright, dark glasses Eagle-Offenhauser ( number 40 ) prepared by master George. Naturally gifted athlete who helped his High school football team win its first conference championship 26, July! His first pit stop a dozen people suffered burns and lacerations caused by debris that was launched into grandstand! Like Savage and Pollard, Andretti accepted the dangers always lurk because this can be a violent sport Andretti! Died more than a month after the race which Swede Savage ( 1946-1973 ) - Find Grave. State of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway running on an incorrect driving line cold... Delayed, interrupted and shortened the race which was just 26 years old when he died later that day a...