Too many things went wrong in the 1973 Indy500.
- Three people lost their lives in different accidents.
- Rain interfered with the running of the race. The race was run over three days, and still it ended up well undersized.
- Swede Savage survived one of the worst crashes in motorsport history, but died five weeks later in hospital under unclear circumstances.
Expectations were higher than usual 50 years ago, when Indianapolis was preparing for the biggest race in the motorsports world.
Before the competition, the public and the media speculated that the magic limit would be broken. Big leaps in aerodynamics had brought the competitors close to an average speed of 200 miles or 321.869 kilometers per hour in one lap.
The leap was significant. In the previous year, the fastest lap had been driven “only” at an average speed of 191.408 miles per hour.
After the unfortunate race, no one cared about the 200 mile mark.
The first victim
Art Pollard didn’t get to properly try to break the line. He became the first victim of the infamous race on May 12.
Just over half an hour after qualifying started, Pollard crashed violently into the wall. The car, completely destroyed on its side, slid hundreds of meters and spun around once before stopping.
Pollard, who suffered severe burns and head injuries, was pronounced dead an hour after the accident.
After Pollard and the wreckage of his car were cleaned up, the races continued. At that time, death was such a familiar sight in car racing that no other option was even considered.
Big start crash
After Pollard’s accident, the event progressed without drama until the race.
On May 28, 350,000 fans at the venue and millions at the television receivers were impatiently waiting for the start of the race that was run on Monday (yes!).
Sadekuoro had already extended the swing of the departure flag by several hours. You don’t race on an oval for even a meter if there’s rain from the sky.
Perhaps the long drawn-out day made the dispatcher nervous about his important task. He gave 33 cars the order to go too early.
In chaos Salt Walther hit another competitor. Walther’s car took off and crashed violently into the mesh fence of the main grandstand. After that, it spun violently upside down, injecting fuel all around.
Dozens of spectators were injured by pieces of Walther’s car thrown into the stands, but miraculously no one was killed. Neither the spectators nor Walther suffered serious burns, nor did the ten other drivers involved in the start crash.
A crash at the start cut the races short on the first day. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS
However, that’s where the runs ended for Monday. It took time to renew the safety fence, and to be sure, the rain front returned over the track.
The rain was annoying the next day as well. People in the pits and in the stands cheered from morning to night, hoping that the driving adventures would continue, but Esteri in the sky had a different opinion.
Wednesday dawned promisingly cloudy.
It no longer interested the tens of thousands of fans who had already left Indianapolis. As motorsport lovers as they were, everyday life was already calling back. Getting two extra days off was impossible for many working people.
A miraculous rescue
The race, which finally started, proceeded as usual until round 59.
Then it creaked. And properly.
Swede Savage, who was fighting for the race win, lost control of his car in the last corner of the track just a moment after his pit stop.
The car accelerated almost without slowing down, nose leading into the wall on the inside of the track. The hit happened at the worst possible angle.
The car that had just been refueled had more than 250 liters of fuel. Savage’s car literally exploded when it hit the wall.
The car was torn in two, with Savage spinning along with the torn monocoque to the outside wall of the track. The seat belts held him in the wreckage, which was soon engulfed in flames.
To everyone’s great astonishment, movement was visible in the middle of the sea of fire. Savage had not only survived the horrific crash, but also remained conscious.
However, he himself could not get out of the flames. Fortunately, the track officials quickly brought the fire under control, allowing rescuers to concentrate on getting Savage to safety.
The iron-fisted Savage even joked with the rescue personnel about his miraculous rescue.
Another victim in the pit
After a while, the audience shuddered again.
Savage’s major accident had not only affected the rescuers, but also the mechanics. Moni quickly rushed towards the accident site to help the driver.
The fire truck on duty at the other end of the pit straight was also dispatched. The excessively high situational speed of the car that ran into the pit road in the wrong direction, combined with the mass of people running in front, ended tragically. 22 years old Armando Teran fell under the fire truck and died immediately.
Fate’s Ivana Teran was Savage’s teammate’s mechanic.
The winner was not interested
After the debris had been cleaned away, it was decided to continue the unfortunate race once more.
Now we reached round 133, until the sky tore again. The competition was flagged as suspended. Although the jury was still trying to find a way to continue the competition, everyone started to have enough. When the rain just stopped, the competition was officially declared over.
In 63 laps, the winner of the undersized competition was crowned Gordon Johncock. The victory celebrations were small and restrained. The team celebrated the victory of the big race by going to a local fast food restaurant for hamburgers.
After the official formalities, Johncock left for the hospital to see Savage.
What happened at the hospital?
Swede Savage died 33 days after his accident. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS
The 1973 Indy500 offered yet another tragic twist five weeks later. Savage, who was still in the hospital, died 33 days after his accident.
Speculations about the cause of death have been rampant to this day.
Officially, Savage passed away as a result of kidney and lung complications. They were damaged by the exhaust fumes he inhaled in the crash.
One theory is that Savage’s condition collapsed after receiving a blood transfusion. Doctor of the series Steve Olvey said in the biography that Savage contracted hepatitis B from impure blood, which caused his death.
However, Savage’s father and daughter later said that the driver, who seriously damaged his lungs in the accident, had no real hope of ever recovering from the accident.
Something good too
It’s hard to find anything positive about the rough competition. However, the competition produced something good.
With the pressure from the teams and drivers, USAC (the series to which the Indy500 belonged) was forced to make changes to improve safety. The cars’ fuel tanks were reduced by half and the wings were changed. The purpose was to curb car speeds, but this remained just a dream.
Numerous safety-enhancing changes were made to the Indianapolis track. The dispatcher’s observation point was moved up and the pit crew was restricted.
As a result of the safety measures, the next eight Indy500 events were run without a fatality. Since Savage, three drivers and two spectators have lost their lives during the Indy500.