In this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. 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. Swede Savage's car explodes after a spectacular crash in Turn 4 in the 1973 Indianapolis 500. The. Contact your. Only a cou. Driving an Eagle-Ford IndyCar, Savage won the Bobby Ball Memorial, a 150-mile race at Phoenix International Raceway on November 21, 1970. Rain hampered practice the first. He was flown by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he would soldier on bravely for thirty-three days, fighting for his life. 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. 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 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. 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. The choice is something we all made. The following year, he competed once again for Patrick Racing, one of the top teams in USAC Championship (IndyCar) racing. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. SWEDE SAVAGE 1973 ~ died in the hospital 33 days after the accident. of additional fuel and a new (cold) right rear tire. All survived, but nearly a dozen people suffered burns and lacerations caused by debris that was launched into the grandstand. 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. 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. Savage also had a son, John, who lives in Highland, 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. 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. 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. Access the best of Getty Images and iStock with our simple subscription plan. Browse and buy images now. By his mid-teens he was racing motorcycles competitively. But the pain of an inescapable memory is still there in his voice and on his face. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. 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. 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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. His skill behind the wheel was obvious from the beginning. The 57th running of the greatest spectacle in racing took three days to complete, mostly because of an unrelenting rain. 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. Contact your local office to see if we can clear this image for you. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. Swede Savage 1973 Indy 500 Fatal Crash Original ABC Broadcast Footage. The years haven't been kind to a knee that was surgically repaired three times. 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. 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. A few laps after this pit stop, 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 wreck was the third explosive crash in Indy's deadliest year that claimed the lives of three men and permanently scarred another. But the complete Swede Savage story is so much more. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. He died at age 26 from complications while recovering from injuries suffered in a crash during the 1973 Indianapolis 500, nearly five weeks earlier. 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. 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 196.582mph (316.368km/h). 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. [10] The force of the impact, with the car carrying a full load of fuel, caused the car to explode in a massive 60-foot (18m)-high plume of flame.[8][9][11]. We won't have a race. I really think Swede was unconscious way before he hit the wall. 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. 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. < back . 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. Access the best of Getty Images and iStock with our simple subscription plan. He was just 26 years old when he died. Swede Savage, driver of another Patrick Racing, STP-sponsored car, and Armando Teran, mechanic on a third Patrick/STP car, also died. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. 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. Savage emerged from his stop with 70 gallons (nearly 500 lb.) But on lap 59, his car inexplicably veered sharply toward the infield wall as it exited the fourth turn. (AP Photo/File), Special Instructions: 5314. Swede Savage fatal crash Indy 500 1973 - YouTube AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest new features 2023 Google LLC 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. Winning the Brickyard's coveted Borg-Warner Trophy remains the aspiration of nearly every open-wheel driver. 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. Check out the vast collections of swede savage pictures from AP Images. Angela Rene Savage was born to Swedes young and beautiful widow, Sheryl, just three months after his death. Ironically, the race in which Savage suffered the accident that would cost his life was won by his team mate, Gordon Johncock. Like Savage and Pollard, Andretti accepted the dangers. 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. Many believed that Swede would soon be joining the exclusive group of Indy 500 winners as he took the lead of the race. 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. 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. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tyres. It's you, the car and the racetrack.. Savage did, but died 33 days later in Methodist Hospital Medical Center. Indianapolis 500 Savage Wreck . 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. 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. Walther's 75-gallon fuel tank, which was nearly full of methanol, shattered as his car slammed back onto the racetrack. Among pallbearers are Dan Gurney, second from left, and Jim Wright, dark glasses. David Earl "Swede" Savage Jr. (August 26, 1946 July 2, 1973) was an American race car driver. Teran was killed instantly. [9], Savage joked with medical personnel after the wreck, and was expected to live when taken to Methodist Hospital and for some time thereafter. Angela has never been to Indy. 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. 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. Thats the short story. (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. Savage, still strapped in his seat in a large piece of the car, was thrown back across the circuit. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. [1][2][3] . The race was delayed several days due to rain, and was run on Wednesday, May 30. It was Swede's choice. 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. 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. It's what keeps us motivated. 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. 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. Savage was married with a six-year-old daughter; his widow Sheryl was expecting their second child at the time of his death. 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. 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. (AP Photo/File), Special Instructions: WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1973; 5314. 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. Follow. Rick Mears, a four-time Indy 500 winner, warned the race could lose its appeal if the element of danger is lost. However, it was harder to accept when his son Michael Andretti and grandson Marco Andretti began racing at the Brickyard. 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. It had been widely reported that Savage's death was caused by lung and kidney complications,[1] but 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. Were it not for the lessons taught by tragedy, the race would be better forgotten. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. He was as unassuming as he was good looking. 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 died at age 26 from complications while recovering from injuries suffered in a crash during the 1973 Indianapolis 500, nearly five weeks earlier. [8][9] Savage held the lead from laps 4354, and then made his first pit stop. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tires. The Gearheads hosted a roundtable of a different sort, discussing the state of the hobby at the 71st Grand National Roadster Show. I felt I was willing to take the calculated risk to win the Indianapolis 500. FILE - In this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. Collect, curate and comment on your files. 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. 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's car, which was in a wreck in the Indianapolis 500, is pictured spinning out, May 30, 1973. 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. His widow Sheryl, who is six months pregnant, is seated at far right. 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.While safety crews and fire fighters were rushing to the scene of Swede Savage's crash, a firetruck tried to shortcut its way and drove up the pitlane against the normal flow of race traffic at about 60 mi/h, striking in his back the unaware Armando Teran, a crewman for Graham McRae's car, causing him fatal injuries. 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. 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. One of his motorcycle riding buddies, the internationally famous race car driver, Dan Gurney, became quite impressed with Swedes riding and racing skills. 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. You have to be on the offensive but not stupid about it.. She never had the chance to meet her Dad, nor did she ever see any part of the racing world in which he lived. (AP Photo). 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. Ralph N. Paulk is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. 2023 Getty Images. Today, Angela is a mother of two children of her own. 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