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 died at age 26 from complications while recovering from injuries suffered in a crash during the 1973 Indianapolis 500, nearly five weeks earlier.[1][2][3]. He crashed violently early in the race that year and died a month later. Gordon Johncock took the checkered flag under caution with 67 laps remaining on a dark, gloomy Wednesday afternoon. 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. 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]. 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. Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. But Tuesday was wet and the drivers saw the red flag while on their parade lap. Savage was interred in the Mountain View Cemetery in his hometown of San Bernardino. 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. 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. Swede Savage fatal crash Indy 500 1973 - YouTube AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest new features 2023 Google LLC Savage was married with a six-year-old daughter; his widow Sheryl was expecting their second child at the time of his death. 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. 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. 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. 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. Savage did, but died 33 days later in Methodist Hospital Medical Center. [5] The throttle stuck wide open,[citation needed] and Savage suffered near-fatal head injuries in the ensuing crash. Collect, curate and comment on your files. 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. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. If you're going to be a race driver, you have to bite your tongue and go on with it. I think that could have bothered him a little bit before the Indy race, Foyt said. (AP Photo), Swede Savage's STP car explodes in a fiery crash during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. He had been the fastest driver for much of practice. 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. 1973 Indianapolis 500 Crash. 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. Prior approval is required for ALL uses of images depicting SPORTS ILLUSTRATED or GOLF magazine covers, and for ANY use in RETAIL PRODUCTS. United States; Canada; . 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. All Indy 500 Legends. 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. 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. 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. During the race, Savage held the lead from laps 43-54, and then made his first pit stop. 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'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 came off (turn) four and never tried to correct (the car). The exact cause of Savage's sudden turn across the race track and into the infield wall has not been settled. Savage, still strapped in his seat, was thrown back across the circuit. Ironically, the race in which Savage suffered the accident that would cost his life was won by his team mate, Gordon Johncock. 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. Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail. Savage would survive the crash but die a little more than four months later. But on lap 59, his car inexplicably veered sharply toward the infield wall as it exited the fourth turn. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. 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. Savage died more than a month after the race. 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. 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. One thing is for sure, if you dwell on the negative, you better get out of it. Foyt, a four-time Indy 500 winner, said softly. 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 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). 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. This content is intended for editorial use only. 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. 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. 65 Swede Savage Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Editorial Video Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 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. 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. His skill behind the wheel was obvious from the beginning. It was a May to forget. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tires. Browse and buy images now. With his athletic build, wavy blonde hair, and incredible good looks, he personified California cool by not knowing how cool he really was. (AP FILE PHOTO) INDIANAPOLIS High speed,. 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. It's about the racing at the Brickyard, too. 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. It's still on my mind.. 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. 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. When you're on the sideline, it can be dangerous. 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 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. 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. Swede was a naturally gifted athlete who helped his high school football team win its first conference championship. 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. George Bignotti approval is required for ALL uses of images depicting SPORTS ILLUSTRATED or GOLF covers! 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