He finished fifth at Riverside in his one appearance in the car. 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. Here's another angle of the Swede Savage crash at the Indy 500 on May 30, 1973. The 1973 edition of the Indianapolis 500 was one of the lowest points in American motorsports history. It's still on my mind.. 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. However, it was harder to accept when his son Michael Andretti and grandson Marco Andretti began racing at the Brickyard. But the pain of an inescapable memory is still there in his voice and on his face. SWEDE SAVAGE 1973 ~ died in the hospital 33 days after the accident. 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 Among pallbearers are Dan Gurney, second from left, and Jim Wright, dark glasses. 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. 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 196.582mph (316.368km/h). 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. FILE - In this May 30, 1973, file photo, Swede Savage's car is in flames after a crash during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. In the 1973 Indianapolis 500, Savage was entered in an STP-sponsored Eagle-Offenhauser prepared by master mechanic George Bignotti. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Tragically, one of his. 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. David Earl "Swede" Savage Jr. was an American race car driver. Sadly, though, Savage succumbed to a kidney infection whilst still in hospital thirty-three days later, on Monday, 02 July 1973. Access the best of Getty Images and iStock with our simple subscription plan. When I watch my son and grandson, I appreciate all my wife went through all those years, said Andretti, 73. 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. Winning the Brickyard's coveted Borg-Warner Trophy remains the aspiration of nearly every open-wheel driver. You never forget it, A.J. 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. Swede raced car #42 and Dan raced an identical car #48. He was interred in the Mt. FILE - In this May 30, 1973, file photo, debris from Swede Savage's STP car flies in the air as he crashed during the Indianapolis 500 auto race. (Set Number: X17734 TK1 R17 F19 ). Swede was a naturally gifted athlete who helped his high school football team win its first conference championship. 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. 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. Many believed that Swede would soon be joining the exclusive group of Indy 500 winners as he took the lead of the race. Savage also had a son, John, who lives in Highland, California. (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. 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. The 1973 race was a terrible race, Foyt recalled. 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. He came off (turn) four and never tried to correct (the car). 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. 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 1968 and 1969, he also raced in NASCAR events. I don't have a death wish, but I had a goal and felt I had to proceed. He was as unassuming as he was good looking. Reach him at rpaulk@tribweb.com or via Twitter @RalphPaulk_Trib. Savage emerged from his stop with 70 gallons (nearly 500 lb.) 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. 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. He proved to be a winner on two wheels too. 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. It's about the racing at the Brickyard, too. Today, Angela is a mother of two children of her own. He ultimately started 4th in the race mixed in among racing legends Bobby Unser, Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue and Johnny Rutherford; drivers who would go on to accumulate a total of eight Indy 500 victories between them. Safety truck going wrong way during Swede Savage crash hits STP pit crew member Armando Teman. 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. Were it not for the lessons taught by tragedy, the race would be better forgotten. Sign. 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. 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. 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. He rejoined in second place, closely behind Al Unser and just ahead of Bobby Unser. 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. 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. 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 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. Possibly it happened due to a malfunctioning right rear joint, or by running on an incorrect driving line with cold tyres. In March 1971, Savage entered the Questor Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway, driving an Eagle-Plymouth Formula 5000 car. 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. 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. 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. Auto Racing: Indianapolis 500: Aerial view of Swede Savage with medical staff after sustaining injury during crash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 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. In 1970, Savage and Gurney drove identical factory-sponsored Plymouth Barracudas in the Trans-Am Series. See photos from throughout Swede Savage's career. The elder of Savage's two daughters passed away from leukemia several years ago; the younger of the two still resides in Southern California. It was a May to forget. 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. Your input will affect cover photo selection, along with input from other users. On Sunday May 6, three drivers left the grounds to race in the NASCAR Winston 500 at Talladega. 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). He rejoined in second place, closely behind Al Unser and just ahead of Bobby Unser. (AP Photo), Swede Savage is taken to an ambulance on a stretcher after he crashed his car during the Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1973. 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. He crashed violently early in the race that year and died a month later. It's what keeps us motivated. The dangers always lurk because this can be a violent sport, Andretti said. Drivers Art Pollard and Savage and crew member Armando Teran were. 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. I hated to see someone get killed because so many times I knew (him), Foyt said. 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). Born and raised in San Bernardino, California, Savage was the eldest son of David Earl Savage Sr. and Joetta Taylor Savage. It's the life of a race car driver, especially at the Indianapolis 500.. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. 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. She never had the chance to meet her Dad, nor did she ever see any part of the racing world in which he lived. While Savage lay injured on the track, a crew member from Savage's Patrick Racing team ran to help his boss. All our drivers now have a 99 percent chance of retiring on their own terms.. The following year, he competed once again for Patrick Racing, one of the top teams in USAC Championship (IndyCar) racing. Swede Savage Trans Am style #autoracing #auto #racing #trans #am. 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. Contact your local office to see if we can clear this image for you. 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