I saw this as a boy and it scared the hell out of me. The whole race did with it's many horrific crashes. Still to this day one of the worst crashes ever.
I don't know, Al Unser had just passed Savage for the lead five laps earlier. But Unser was about to pit and give the lead back to Savage when Savage crashed. The accident involving Swede Savage had an emotional impact on Bobby Allison and his wife Judy, as Bobby had gotten to know Savage when he drove for Holman-Moody when Savage was thinking about a NASCAR career. And until Trevor Bayne, Savage was the youngest man ever to drive for the Wood Brothers in the 1969 Daytona 500.
I know that USAC and now IRl have the best emergency crews in open wheel racing, But, It seems that a lot of precious time was lost not getting to Savage in time and putting out the fire from this video's perspective.
I look at the way these tracks are built and I really gotta wonder what they are thinking. You see Swede come around the turn and loose control (for whatever reason - I don't know the precise cause) and then he rams into a barrier in the infield which is essentially perpendicular to the general flow of the track. I've been watching many Indi/GP/F1/NASCAR crashes. In so many the same thing. I know you cannot make this sport 100% safe, but please design the tracks better. Leaves me wondering?
I was watching that day. My main memory is the tire flying high into the air and McKay screaming "Oh my God, it's Savage!" after he hit. I was 11 and was so shaken by what I had seen that I couldn't watch any more of it.
In fact, I'm uploading the '73 Indy race in segments,.but haven't gotten to this part yet when Savage had his crash, which was immediately followed by the tragic accident in the pits when Armando Teran, a crewman for Graham McRae, one of Savage's teammates, was struck and killed by a fire truck going the wrong way through the pits, trying to get to Savage's car, which was one reason why safety crews seemed slow in responding to the fire with Savage's car.
It wasn't shown live, but rather on same-day tape delay. Live coverage wouldn't come to the Indianapolis 500 until 1986, another bad year where rain is concerned, as that race was postponed twice and delayed a week due to rain.
When my uncle won in 1935 kelly Petillo They had some fatales and well they did not have 1/4 of the saftey stuff these guys had, go rest there souls Amen
I don't know if I've ever seen an impact like that. Beilive it or not Savage and was expected to live, he died 33 days later of contaminated plasma. Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, which later caused his liver to fail.
Swede got his only victory at Phoenix the year before when he passed Al Unser and Roger McCluskey on the final lap. I was there in Phoenix and he became my favorite driver. Cool name, cool guy. I was a freshman in HS and was listening to the race on the radio as it was not on live TV at the time. He had led this race and I was going crazy that he was doing so well. It broke my heart when he crashed and died. RIP Swede.
I was 12.I was rooting for Swede.I remember asking what that thing was that was stuck to the front of the flipping part.I wanted to be an Indy car driver when I younger.After watching this,I wasn't so sure anymore.
When I was 8 years old, was watching this race on tv with my father. If I remember correctly, Swede survived for a few days after the accident. I remember asking my father if he had heard anything on his condition daily. Viewing the event at 8 years old, and finding out it killed him really messed with me.
I didn't see this one personally, thank goodness. I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that this was my first Indy. Isn't this the one that was rained out for 3 days? It started on Memorial Day when Salt Walther's car crashed on the first turn right after the green flag dropped. Then it rained and the race didn't go again until Wednesday.
We lived in Chicago, so we had to go home on Sunday. I'm glad I didn't see this one close up, being a first-timer and only 11 years old.
Yeah, you've got the right year. It was my first race also and I did see this wreck live as a nine-year old. My dad's boss couldn't go on the 3rd day and we got his front-row penthouse tickets at the start-finish line. I remember telling my mom that it looked like a "big orange tree over there". The pit crew guy who got hit and killed was right across from us also. Sad day.
Swede had just come in the pits and had a full load of fuel, I was outside turn 4 that day. Was the last day my mom went to the 500, all in all, 73 was a month to forget. RIP swede
I was at this race. First time I got a ticket and stayed out of the hippy scene infield. Remember the start? 6-7 seconds in the crash, fire, spectators were killed. Tragic day. I was in what they call the paddock. Scary to this day. I can still smell that alcohol fuel.
At least one died from her injuries later that weeek. i recall it well. i was a local then. Anyway, bad deal. Bad burn victims. I don't know what was the worst there? The goofy car dealer who crashed the grandstand or this?
I saw this as a boy and it scared the hell out of me. The whole race did with it's many horrific crashes. Still to this day one of the worst crashes ever.
zenmachinefilms 4 weeks ago
At that horrible moment of the race. Swede along with G.Johncock had the two strongest running cars going.
1957thack 5 months ago
@1957thack
I don't know, Al Unser had just passed Savage for the lead five laps earlier. But Unser was about to pit and give the lead back to Savage when Savage crashed. The accident involving Swede Savage had an emotional impact on Bobby Allison and his wife Judy, as Bobby had gotten to know Savage when he drove for Holman-Moody when Savage was thinking about a NASCAR career. And until Trevor Bayne, Savage was the youngest man ever to drive for the Wood Brothers in the 1969 Daytona 500.
cjs3872 3 months ago
I know that USAC and now IRl have the best emergency crews in open wheel racing, But, It seems that a lot of precious time was lost not getting to Savage in time and putting out the fire from this video's perspective.
1957thack 5 months ago
I look at the way these tracks are built and I really gotta wonder what they are thinking. You see Swede come around the turn and loose control (for whatever reason - I don't know the precise cause) and then he rams into a barrier in the infield which is essentially perpendicular to the general flow of the track. I've been watching many Indi/GP/F1/NASCAR crashes. In so many the same thing. I know you cannot make this sport 100% safe, but please design the tracks better. Leaves me wondering?
xrisku 10 months ago
That 1973 race must've been jinxed. What with the opening lap disaster, and Swede's horrific crash. RIP Swede.
ftsjr 1 year ago
@ftsjr Art Pollard died in practice.
Racecarwrecks 6 months ago
I was watching that day. My main memory is the tire flying high into the air and McKay screaming "Oh my God, it's Savage!" after he hit. I was 11 and was so shaken by what I had seen that I couldn't watch any more of it.
soylentteal 1 year ago
@soylentteal
In fact, I'm uploading the '73 Indy race in segments,.but haven't gotten to this part yet when Savage had his crash, which was immediately followed by the tragic accident in the pits when Armando Teran, a crewman for Graham McRae, one of Savage's teammates, was struck and killed by a fire truck going the wrong way through the pits, trying to get to Savage's car, which was one reason why safety crews seemed slow in responding to the fire with Savage's car.
cjs3872 3 months ago
It was one of the worst days in 500 history. The weather was awful, the crashes were tragic. That was one day I wished the race would not run.
megjonaslove333 2 years ago
Watched this happen live on television when I was eleven. I've never really shaken it off completely and I think about it on occasion ever since.
macdisciple 3 years ago
@macdisciple
It wasn't shown live, but rather on same-day tape delay. Live coverage wouldn't come to the Indianapolis 500 until 1986, another bad year where rain is concerned, as that race was postponed twice and delayed a week due to rain.
cjs3872 3 months ago
When my uncle won in 1935 kelly Petillo They had some fatales and well they did not have 1/4 of the saftey stuff these guys had, go rest there souls Amen
Lightningfastfords 3 years ago
When I was a kid I saw this live and hope he would have made and was sadend to here of him passing 33 days later God Rest This Mans soul
Lightningfastfords 3 years ago
I don't know if I've ever seen an impact like that. Beilive it or not Savage and was expected to live, he died 33 days later of contaminated plasma. Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, which later caused his liver to fail.
NolanBowlin 4 years ago 4
If there wasnt this contaminated plasma, Savage would still live.
KillerDreck89 2 years ago
Swede got his only victory at Phoenix the year before when he passed Al Unser and Roger McCluskey on the final lap. I was there in Phoenix and he became my favorite driver. Cool name, cool guy. I was a freshman in HS and was listening to the race on the radio as it was not on live TV at the time. He had led this race and I was going crazy that he was doing so well. It broke my heart when he crashed and died. RIP Swede.
rikw 4 years ago 3
I am glad we share favoites. Actually Swede won the race in Phoenix on 11/21/1970. This was 2 1/2 years later. Gos Speed Swede.
beyondnascar 4 years ago
It's amazing to hear all the comments on those days from all who were there, thank you. That was one Indy to forget.
Fastball2000 4 years ago
I was 12.I was rooting for Swede.I remember asking what that thing was that was stuck to the front of the flipping part.I wanted to be an Indy car driver when I younger.After watching this,I wasn't so sure anymore.
Taranau 5 years ago
When I was 8 years old, was watching this race on tv with my father. If I remember correctly, Swede survived for a few days after the accident. I remember asking my father if he had heard anything on his condition daily. Viewing the event at 8 years old, and finding out it killed him really messed with me.
diemidimonsterdie 5 years ago
I didn't see this one personally, thank goodness. I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that this was my first Indy. Isn't this the one that was rained out for 3 days? It started on Memorial Day when Salt Walther's car crashed on the first turn right after the green flag dropped. Then it rained and the race didn't go again until Wednesday.
We lived in Chicago, so we had to go home on Sunday. I'm glad I didn't see this one close up, being a first-timer and only 11 years old.
vickilaw 5 years ago
Yeah, you've got the right year. It was my first race also and I did see this wreck live as a nine-year old. My dad's boss couldn't go on the 3rd day and we got his front-row penthouse tickets at the start-finish line. I remember telling my mom that it looked like a "big orange tree over there". The pit crew guy who got hit and killed was right across from us also. Sad day.
brtaylor20 5 years ago
Swede had just come in the pits and had a full load of fuel, I was outside turn 4 that day. Was the last day my mom went to the 500, all in all, 73 was a month to forget. RIP swede
indyjim1969 5 years ago
I was at this race. First time I got a ticket and stayed out of the hippy scene infield. Remember the start? 6-7 seconds in the crash, fire, spectators were killed. Tragic day. I was in what they call the paddock. Scary to this day. I can still smell that alcohol fuel.
hamwinkie 5 years ago
no spectators were killed...just burned badly by Salt Walther car.
Slmjm884 5 years ago
At least one died from her injuries later that weeek. i recall it well. i was a local then. Anyway, bad deal. Bad burn victims. I don't know what was the worst there? The goofy car dealer who crashed the grandstand or this?
hamwinkie 5 years ago
no spectators died from the Walther incident, not even after the fact from injuries
RTBaLLa 5 years ago
Ouch!
SweGuy 5 years ago