1973 Indianapolis 500

57th running of the Indianapolis 500 February 2025 57th Indianapolis 500 Indy500winningcar1973.JPG USAC 1973 USAC Trail Patrick Racing George Bignotti2011 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 Official Media Guide Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation/IMS Public Relations 2011 Statistics 176 English https://doctorindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2011-Indy-500-Media-Guide.pdf May 28–30, 1973 Gordon Johncock 159.036 mi/h km/h on 2:05:26.59 Johnny Rutherford 198.413 mi/h km/h on Johnny Rutherford Graham McRae Gordon Johncock (64) Purdue Band Jim Nabors Tony Hulman Cadillac Eldorado Jim Rathmann Pat Vidan Harlan FenglerFox Jack C. The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 Carl Hungness Publishing 4th 1994 22 en 0-915088-05-3 300,000 (Mon.)Wet, Wild Infield 'Horde' Waited And Watched https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11433995/ Jeff Devens The Indianapolis Star 6 Newspapers.com May 29, 1973 June 2, 2017200,000 (Tue.)Twice-Postponed Race Ready For 9 A.M. Try If Weatherman Agrees https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11434028/ Ray Marquette The Indianapolis Star 1 Newspapers.com May 30, 1973 June 2, 2017125,000 (Wed.)Shortest '500' Goes 133 Laps https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11434153/ Ray Marquette The Indianapolis Star 1 Newspapers.com May 31, 1973 June 2, 2017 ABC Jim McKay, Jackie Stewart, Chris Economaki 16.5 30 1972 1974 The 57th 500 Mile International Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Wednesday, May 30, 1973. The race was held over three days because of rain and two major accidents.https://www.si.com/vault/1973/06/11/615077/indys-somber-trial-by-fire-and-rain Sports Illustrated Jones Robert F. Robert F. Jones Indy's somber trial by fire and rain June 11, 1973 30https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ouVVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3202%2C7399892 Eugene Register-Guard Associated Press Johncock claims the 'Indy 332½' May 31, 1973 1C Three competitors—two drivers and one pit crew member—died from injuries suffered as a result of accidents that occurred during the month. Another driver was critically injured, and over a dozen spectators suffered injuries and/or burns. After 133 of 200 laps were completed (332+1/2 mi on), rain halted the race, and Gordon Johncock was declared the winner, the first of his two Indy triumphs (1973, 1982). Going into the month, the mood was bright and excitement was high for record speeds. Competitors, media, and fans were eagerly anticipating the possibility of breaking the elusive and daunting 200 mph 1 on barrier during time trials. The month took a tragic turn, however, when driver Art Pollard died in a crash during a practice session on the morning of May 12.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kOVVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2778%2C2931810 Eugene Register-Guard Associated Press Pollard dies in fiery Indy crash May 13, 1973 1C Later that same day, Johnny Rutherford set a new track record during time trials. His best lap of 199.071 mph 1 on fell just short of breaking the highly sought-after speed barrier.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kOVVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6548%2C2955645 Eugene Register-Guard Associated Press Records fall as Rutherford wins the pole May 13, 1973 4C Despite Rutherford's headlines on pole day, the mood meanwhile around the garage area was becoming anxious and uncertain. Fears were growing about rising speeds and safety. Inclement weather was also interfering with the scheduled on-track activity. The race was scheduled for Monday May 28, but was aborted by a red flag because of a major accident collecting multiple cars at the start. Driver David "Salt" Walther was critically injured and numerous spectators in the track boxes and first few rows of the Paddock grandstands suffered burns from a fireball resulting from the accident. Multiple spectators required hospitalization, and some were left in critical condition; with the blast of heat felt as much as 100 yards away. Two vertical stanchions of the outside catchfence were broken, and a lengthy segment of the fence needed to be repaired before any racing could resume. Before the repairs could be completed, rain began to fall, and washed out the rest of the day. Rain also washed out any chance to hold the race on Tuesday May 29.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oOVVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6399%2C6862640 Eugene Register-Guard Associated Press Rain postpones Indy 500 again May 29, 1973 1E Only a fraction of the typical Indy crowd arrived to watch the race by the time it was run on Wednesday May 30; and in fact since schools were closed in Speedway and within a few miles around west Indianapolis due to traffic, many hundreds of schoolkids and parents were bused in to fill the grandstands for free. The race on Wednesday suffered two separate fatal accidents. On lap 59, driver David "Swede" Savage suffered a violent and fiery crash coming out of turn four. Savage died from complications of his injuries on July 2. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-gVIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4IAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6600%2C405008 Death claims Indy driver Savage July 3, 1973 3B Victoria Advocate Associated Presshttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R-VVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1769%2C565909 Eugene Register-Guard Associated Press Swede Savage dies July 2, 1973 1Bhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SOVVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5401%2C724917 Eugene Register-Guard Associated Press Death needless, Granatelli says July 3, 1973 5B The second fatality involved Armando Teran, a pit crew member for Graham McRae (a teammate to Savage). In the aftermath of Savage's crash, Teran stepped out into the pit lane and was struck by a safety truck going in the opposite direction. Owing to the tragic circumstances, relentless weather problems, rain-shortened finish, and overall glum mood during the month, the 1973 race is widely considered the worst year for the running of the Indianapolis 500. In contemporary accounts, the race had been called "jinxed" by Dan Gurney, Chris Economaki, and Jim McKay.Indy 1973 ABC News Report Statistically, it was the track's deadliest month of May since 1937. National media opinions, as well as those from team owners and crew, were highly critical in the aftermath of the race, focusing mainly on inadequate safety measures.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QDU_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=i1EMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3766%2C6359508 Lack of safety devices scored Windsor Star Will Grimsley Associated Press May 30, 1973 10https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=a70yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_ewFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1048%2C442850 Indianapolis 500 race lunacy; savage aberration Ottawa Citizen Associated Press June 2, 1973 20 The circumstances led to sweeping rule changes by USAC, some made effective for the Schaefer 500 at Pocono Raceway four weeks later. Numerous safety improvements were made to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track itself that were completed for 1974. Off the track, the Speedway had completed construction of its first VIP Suites outside of turn two. Following in the footsteps of Ontario Motor Speedway, Indianapolis became the second major racing facility to feature luxury boxes.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CJ4rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L_wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6973%2C2503309 Hulman is force behind Indy 500 Nashua Telegraph Associated Press May 15, 1973 19 Race schedule In 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act took effect, moving Memorial Day from the fixed date of May 30 to the final Monday in May. For 1971 and 1972, the race was held on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The Speedway still maintained a policy of not holding the race on a Sunday, and for 1973, the race was scheduled for the Monday Memorial Day holiday itself (May 28). The change was made after requests from spectators, many complaining that it was inconvenient to the many people who had to work on Saturdays.Popular Non-Winner 'Herk' Eyes Title https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28332901/ The Indianapolis News 40 Newspapers.com May 26, 1972 February 12, 2019 The 500 Festival Committee had a desire to move their annual parade downtown to either Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Since its inception in 1957, in most years the parade was held at night during the week. For 1973, the parade was held Sunday afternoon,Big Show Steps Off At 3 P.M. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-1973-500-festival/159869490/ The Indianapolis Star John H. Bancroft 1 Newspapers.com May 27, 1973 November 27, 2024 shortly after the public driver's meeting, and the race was scheduled for Monday. This schedule would stay in place for only one year. A decision was made that starting in 1974, the race would permanently move to Sunday.This was mentioned during the IMS Radio Network Broadcast; and was not a response to the tragic circumstances of the 1973 race. Race schedule — April/May 1973SunMonTueWedThuFriSat22 23 24 25 26 27 28Practice29Practice30Practice 1Practice 2Practice 3Practice 4Practice 5Practice 6Practice 7Practice 8Practice 9Practice10Practice11Practice12Pole Day13Time Trials14Practice15Practice16Practice17Practice18Practice19Time Trials20Bump Day21 22 23 24Carb Day25 26 27MeetingParade28Indy 50011:00 a.m.29Indy 5009:00 a.m.30Indy 5009:00 a.m.31    Color Notes Green Practice Dark Blue Time trials Silver Race day Red Rained out* Blank No track activity * Includes days where trackactivity was significantlylimited due to rain Practice and time trials Practice Just one year prior, USAC began allowing bolt-on wings. The increased downforce increased lap speeds nearly 30 mph on in just three years. The dramatic rise went from 170 mph 0 on in 1970, to flirting with the 200 mph on barrier for 1973. During Goodyear tire tests in late March, Gordon Johncock set an unofficial track record of 199.4 mph on.1973 Daily Trackside Report - #4, 5/1/73 Experts and officials agree that the safety features in the cars were not prepared for the speeds attained. In addition, engine development with the turbocharged version of the venerable I-4 Offenhauser had resulted in horsepower readings in high-boost qualifying trim in excess of 1100 hp on. According to Mario Andretti, this was sufficient to induce rear wheelspin on the 1/8 mi m on on "short chutes" between turns 1 and 2 and turns 3 and 4—an unnerving sensation for even the bravest, most skilled and experienced of drivers. The track opened on Saturday April 28 with Gary Bettenhausen earning the honor of first driver on the track. Rain and winds plagued practice during the first week, while drivers started creeping up the speed chart. On Monday April 30, chief steward Harlan Fengler lifted the 180 mph on speed limit and speeds climbed quickly. Gordon Johncock set an unofficial lap of over 190 mph on to set the early pace. Johnny Rutherford was another member of the "190 mph club" with several laps in the mid-190 mph range. On May 5, Swede Savage upped the speed chart to 197.802 mph on, inching closer to the elusive 200 mph on mark. On Sunday May 6, three drivers left the grounds to race in the NASCAR Winston 500 at Talladega. A huge crash, described as the worst crash in the history of NASCAR, put Bobby Allison and Gordon Johncock out of that race. Dick Simon, however, escaped the incident, with Simon coming home 7th. All three returned to qualify at Indy. Rain and high winds kept speeds down in the second week of practice. Mario Andretti turned a lap of 192.967 mph on on Thursday May 10. The final day of practice before pole day was Friday May 11. From April 28 – May 11, there were only three accidents reported in practice that involved wall contact, none of which caused serious injuries. By the eve of pole day, no drivers had eclipsed the 200 mph on barrier according to published reports, but conditions were favorable for pole day, and anticipation was high. Pole Day – Saturday May 12 – Death of Art Pollard thumb|right|300px|Johnny Rutherford won the pole position. Pole day dawned sunny with high temperatures in the 70 °F on. Brief showers caused officials to turn on the yellow light a few times during the day, but they did not significantly affect the proceedings. An enormous crowd estimated at 250,000 arrived, anticipating the first ever 200 mph lap at Indy. Practice opened promptly at 9:00 a.m., but was quickly marred by the crash of Art Pollard. At 9:37 a.m., Pollard hit the outside wall in turn 1, spun to the inside, then flipped over, coming to a rest in turn two with flames and heavy damage. Pollard's injuries were reported to include pulmonary damage due to flame inhalation, third degree burns on both hands, face and neck, a fractured right arm, a fractured leg, and a severe spinal injury.Friends and Family Remember May 12 1973 https://artpollardracedriver.info/art-pollard-by-years/friends-and-family-remember-may-12-1973 He was pronounced dead at Methodist Hospital one hour and three minutes after the crash.Art Pollard Racing in 1973, the Tragedy and Reactions https://artpollardracedriver.info/art-pollard-by-years/art-pollard-racing-in-1973-the-tragedy-and-reactions Despite the crash, time trials began on time at 11 a.m. Peter Revson was the first driver in the field, with a fast run of 192.606 mph on. The next car out, Gary Bettenhausen, upped the mark to 195.599 mph on, just short of the existing track record. At 12:29 p.m., Swede Savage took to the track, and was the first to set records. His first lap of 197.152 mph on set a one-lap record, and his four-lap speed of 196.582 mph on was also a record. The result put him tentatively on the pole. At 1:37 p.m., Johnny Rutherford took to the track, and electrified the crowd into a frenzy. His third lap of 199.071 mph on was just 0.21 seconds shy of the elusive 200 mph on barrier. his four-lap average of 198.413 mph on secured the pole position. Lap 1 – 45.30 seconds, 198.676 mph on (new 1-lap track record) Lap 2 – 45.49 seconds, 197.846 mph on Lap 3 – 45.21 seconds, 199.071 mph on (new 1-lap track record) Lap 4 – 45.44 seconds, 198.063 mph on Total – 3:01.44, 198.413 mph on (new 4-lap track record) Defending race winner Mark Donohue squeezed onto the front row with a run of 197.413 mph on. In the final hour, Bobby Unser was the last driver of the day with a shot at history. He came close to Rutherford, but his four-lap average of 198.183 mph on was good enough only for second starting position. At the end of the day, the field was filled to 24 cars. A. J. Foyt (188.927 mph on sqbr) and Sam Posey (187.921 mph on sqbr) were the two slowest. Foyt, who was over 192 mph on during the week, waved off once, and had to settle for a slow run. Second day – Sunday May 13 A fairly busy second day of time trials saw six cars added to the field without incident. John Martin (194.384 mph on sqbr) was the fastest of the day. Posey and Foyt were still the two slowest cars in the field. Third Day – Saturday May 19 Rain kept cars off the track for most of the day. Lightning, hail, and a tornado warning, emptied the grandstands at 3 p.m. In the final ten minutes, two cars (Tom Bigelow and Sammy Sessions) made it out on the track for qualifying attempts, but neither were successful. Bigelow spun on his warm up lap, and Sessions waved off. Bump Day – Sunday May 20 With three spots left open in the field, the final day of time trials was expected to be busy, but saw only moderate action. Sammy Sessions was the first car out, and completed his run, slightly slower than his run a day earlier. After a down period in the mid-afternoon, the field was filled to 33 cars at 5:37 p.m. Tom Bigelow was on the bubble. With 15 minutes left in the day. Jim McElreath bumped out Tom Bigelow. Sam Posey was now on the bubble. Next out was Jim Hurtubise, but he was 4 mph on too slow. With one minute left before the 6 o'clock gun, George Snider got in a Foyt backup car. A fast run of 190.355 mph on bumped Posey, and the field was set. Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside1 7USA Johnny Rutherford 8USA Bobby Unser gold W silver 66USA Mark Donohue gold W silver2 40USA Swede Savage 5USA Gary Bettenhausen 11USA Mario Andretti gold W silver3 24USA Steve Krisiloff 4USA Al Unser gold W silver 21USA Jimmy Caruthers4 15USA Peter Revson 20USA Gordon Johncock 12USA Bobby Allison orange R silver5 60NZL Graham McRae orange R silver 3USA Roger McCluskey 18USA Lloyd Ruby6 2USA Bill Vukovich II 77USA Salt Walther 48USA Jerry Grant7 19USA Mel Kenyon 62USA Wally Dallenbach Sr. 98USA Mike Mosley8 73GBR David Hobbs 14USA A. J. Foyt gold W silver 89USA John Martin9 16USA Lee Kunzman 6USA Mike Hiss 44USA Dick Simon10 30USA Jerry Karl orange R silver 1USA Joe Leonard 84USA George Snider11 28USA Bob Harkey 9USA Sammy Sessions 35USA Jim McElreath Alternates First alternate: Sam Posey (#34) – Bumped (Posey was disqualified and stripped of first alternate status after USAC Technical Director Frank DelRoy caught Posey's team disguising their #34 entry as another car in order to make a second qualifying attempt to avoid being bumped.)Times John S. Radosta Special to The New York May 21, 1973 POSEY CAR BUMPED FROM INDY FIELD en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1973/05/21/archives/posey-car-bumped-from-indy-field-snider-in-last-run-of-day.html June 6, 2022 0362-4331 Second alternate: Tom Bigelow orange R silver (#27) Failed to qualify 28em Lee Brayton orange R silver (#61) Larry Cannon orange R silver (#59) Larry Dickson (#58) Jim Hurtubise (#56) Bruce Jacobi orange R silver (#78) Dee Jones orange R silver (#51) Arnie Knepper (#45, #58) Al Loquasto orange R silver (#86) John Mahler (#35) Larry McCoy orange R silver (#63) Rick Muther (#23, #97) Johnny Parsons orange R silver (#58, #94) Crockey Peterson orange R silver (#38, #96) – Failed rookie test Art Pollard (#64) – Fatal accident on Pole Day during practice Bill Puterbaugh orange R silver (#61) Eldon Rasmussen orange R silver (#52) – Failed rookie test Billy Shuman orange R silver (#52, #53) – Failed rookie test Bill Simpson orange R silver (#17) Jigger Sirois orange R silver (#47) Tom Sneva orange R silver (#39) Bentley Warren (#36, #58, #76) Greg Weld (#75)1973 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes http://www.champcarstats.com/races/197304.htm ChampCarStats.com June 27, 2015 Race running Monday May 28 – Salt Walther crash thumb|René Thomas, winner of the 500 in 1914, taking a ceremonial lap ahead of the 1973 event On race day, a crowd estimated at 350,000 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=22EtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eYgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1619%2C4492242 Johncock Wins Rain-Shortened Indy 500 May 31, 1973 February 23, 2016 Schenectady Gazette Britt Bloys waited as morning rain delayed the proceedings for four hours and four minutes from its original scheduled time of 11:00 a.m. René Thomas, the 1914 race victor, rode for a ceremonial lap in his winning car. Tony Hulman gave the command to start engines just after 3:00 p.m., and the field pulled away for the pace laps. Bob Harkey's car did not fire, and his crew wheeled the car back to the pits. It was discovered earlier that morning that the engine had failed. Rather than withdraw (and forfeit their starting spot to Tom Bigelow, the first alternate), the crew kept the engine issue secret, and gridded the car as normal. They worked on the car briefly to give the impression that the engine failed when the starting command was given. The 3:05 p.m. EST start was the latest until 2024, which occurred 39 minutes later (4:44 p.m. EDT or 3:44 p.m. EST). At the start, an 11-car accident unfolded on the main stretch approximately 200 yards past the start/finish line, which halted the race immediately. As the green flag fell, Steve Krisiloff's car developed ignition problems and slowed on the front straightaway, falling back to parallel with the fifth row by the time he crossed the start/finish line.https://www.nytimes.com/1973/05/29/archives/indy-500-on-today-16-hurt-in-crash-indy-500-to-be-run-today-walther.html Indy 500 on Today; 16 Hurt in Crash Radosta John S. May 29, 1973 The New York Times October 25, 2017 en-US 0362-4331 This caused the rest of the field behind Krisiloff to shuffle towards the outside to avoid the slowing car. Seconds later in the sixth row, just past the start/finish line, Salt Walther tangled wheels with Jerry Grant, climbed over Grant's left-front wheel, overturned in the air and slammed into the catch fence. The car cut a 70 ft on on section out of the fence on impact, breaking two 4-inch steel stanchions before being thrown back onto the track by the reinforcing cables positioned behind the fence. The impact ripped open both of Walther's fuel tanks, sending 75 gallons of flaming methanol in a massive pale blue fireball (not apparent on TV or film footage) and dousing many spectators, with the blast of heat felt at least 100 yards away in the Paddock grandstand and Track Boxes, per eyewitness accounts. Eleven grandstand spectators were injured, https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iRkrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WZ0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1773%2C4445705 The Race That's Difficult to Erase May 26, 1988 February 23, 2016 Times Daily AP and nine required hospitalization. As the front of Walther's car dug into the fence, the nose was also sheared off and Walther's legs were exposed. The car landed back on the racing surface upside-down, and spun wildly down the main stretch, spraying burning fuel in all directions. The spinning car was hit by at least two other cars, and a total of at least ten other cars became involved in the crash, including: Wally Dallenbach, Mike Hiss, Lee Kunzman, John Martin, David Hobbs, Mike Mosley, Jim McElreath and Dick Simon. Several cars were damaged extensively, and debris and burning fuel now littered the track. Kunzman later recalled that he thought his eyes had been blinded by the burning fuel. The intense heat from the fire flash had melted and severely crinkled his helmet visor such that he could not see where he was going. When his car stopped he was able flip up his visor and realized he could see once again.https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/motor/2013/05/21/indianapolis-motor-speedway-may-1973/2344993/ Deadly May of 1973 still resonates at Indianapolis Motor Speedway USA TODAY October 25, 2017 en Walther's car came to rest upside-down near the pit exit. Walther suffered severe burns and injuries to his hands. Meanwhile, Bobby Unser had grabbed the race lead going into turn one, ahead of pole-sitter Johnny Rutherford. The race was immediately red-flagged, and the start was negated. The cars that had avoided the wreck parked at the head of the front stretch, and were eventually wheeled back to the pits. Safety crews attended to the crash scene, aided injured spectators, and also started repairing the catch fence and stanchions. The other drivers involved in the crash suffered only minor injuries (one report listed John Martin, Mike Hiss and Lee Kunzman as being treated for minor injuries at the track field hospital and released); Walther was transported to Methodist Hospital and remained hospitalized for months thereafter. Before all the cleanup and the repairs to the catchfence and two broken stanchions completed, rain began to fall again. The rest of the day was washed out, and officials rescheduled the start for 9:00 a.m. Tuesday. Tuesday May 29 On Tuesday May 29, the scheduled start time of the race was 9:00 a.m. At dawn, the skies were reported as clear, but soon after, rain fell in the morning hours, delaying any attempt to start until 10:15 a.m. Attendance was visibly down from Monday and estimated at 175,000–200,000. Officials announced that the race would restart from scratch, and the single lap driven by some of the cars on Monday would not count in the scoring. Cars were gridded in their original starting positions. Bigelow was not allowed to replace Walther, who was credited with 33rd place. All cars damaged in Monday's crash were allowed to make repairs, and Bob Harkey's team installed a new engine overnight. A heated pre-race meeting was held between the drivers and officials, and the subject of the crash and the speed of the pace car at the start was the focus. Drivers were complaining that the pace of the start (80 mph on) was too slow, and pointed to the ragged start of 1972 as well as reason to increase the pace car speed to 100 mph on. The command to fire engines was given shortly after 10 o'clock, and the field of 32 cars pulled away for the warm-up laps. On the second parade lap, a light rain began to fall, and the track was red-flagged again. The cars were halted on the main stretch to wait out the shower. Rain continued to fall most of the day. Many fans headed for the exits, and eventually crews wheeled the cars back to the garage area yet again. During the delay, a pick-up soccer game broke out on the pit lane. At 1:48 p.m., the race was postponed until Wednesday. Wednesday May 30 On Wednesday, morning rain threatened to wash out the race for an unprecedented third day in a row. The start time was once again slated for 9:00 a.m., but again the participants and spectators had to wait. Estimates put the Wednesday attendance as low as 20,000, 35,000, Indy 500 Officials Opt For Saturday Race Start https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DeswAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vt8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4708,3763520 Kentucky New Era - Google News Archive Search February 23, 2016 May 27, 1986 or 50–60,000, and rain check tickets were no longer asked for at the gate. However, at least one estimate put the total attendance at 125,000 once the race got going. In addition since schools were closed on the west side of Indianapolis and in the town of Speedway due to traffic jams, school busloads of kids and parents were offered free rides to the Speedway to help fill the grandstands. After over two days of rainy revelry, the infield was overwhelmed with mud and garbage. The grandstands and bathrooms were littered with trash, and the walkways and grass parking lots were flooded. The infamous Snake Pit was described as a "bog". The health department overseeing the event even threatened to keep the race from running at all if it was rained out again on Wednesday, due to the deteriorating conditions of the infield. The mood around the garage area was glum. Crews were exhausted, and drivers were apprehensive. It was now the longest rain delay in Indy 500 history to-date (surpassed since by 1986, six days, and 2020, officially a 91-day delay caused by extenuating circumstances). Johnny Rutherford later quipped that if a poll had been taken around the garage area, the consensus would have been to leave and move on to the next race (Milwaukee). Media had already nicknamed the race the "72 Hours of Indianapolis", a play on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The cars had sat mostly idle for the past nine days (except for the traditional Carburetion Day practice), raising separate concerns about potential mechanical and handling problems. The delays at Indianapolis were beginning to have cascade effects on the schedule. Owing to the delay, USAC elected to postpone the next race of the season, the Rex Mays 150 at Milwaukee from June 3 to 10.https://www.newspapers.com/image/15787451/ Rex Mays Classic May Be Postponed May 30, 1973, Page 3 - at Newspapers.com March 12, 2016 Hotels, motels, and restaurants, as well as bus transit companies, airlines, and car rental companies were all jammed and some were overbooked.Race Delay Imposes Burned On Many Facilities Here https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/131146342/ The Indianapolis Star 13 Newspapers.com May 30, 1973 September 3, 2023 Local schools reported high absenteeism, and a handful of schools close to the track closed due to traffic congestion.Again It's 'No School' For Many https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/131146468/ The Indianapolis Star 6 Newspapers.com May 30, 1973 September 3, 2023 Around midday, the sun finally came out for a few hours, and the track surface dried enough for a race start at about 2:10 p.m. Start On the pace lap, the car of David Hobbs began smoking heavily. He pitted, and later rejoined the race. Bobby Unser took the lead at the start, and led the first 39 laps. The first 56 laps were run with only two brief cautions, for only minor incidents. However, there was considerable attrition. Bobby Allison blew his engine at the completion of the first lap, Peter Revson brushed the wall in turn four on lap 3, and Mario Andretti broke a piston on lap 4. The first yellow light came out on lap 17 when Bob Harkey's engine seized. It spilled oil, causing him to spin out and stall on the backstretch. Mark Donohue was the only one of the leaders that chose to pit during the yellow. Bobby Unser continued to lead, with Gordon Johncock running second, and Johnny Rutherford third. A. J. Foyt coasted to a stop in the pits after 37 laps with a broken rod bolt. Bobby Unser made his first pit stop on lap 40, briefly handing the lead to Johncock. Unser's pit stop dragged on for almost 45 seconds, and Swede Savage took over third. Johncock led laps 40–42, then made a pit stop. The lead was assumed by Swede Savage on lap 43, with Al Unser now second. Joe Leonard brought out the yellow for two minutes when he spun on lap 45 in the north chute between turns 3 and 4. Savage and Al Unser battled closely for several laps, with the lapped car of Roger McCluskey also in the mix. Unser was able to get by McCluskey on the backstretch on lap 53. He then made a slingshot pass around Savage for the lead going into turn one on lap 54. On lap 55, Johnny Rutherford was given the black flag and went to the pits to check for leaking fluid. At the same time, Mark Donohue's car slowed and he went to the pits (and later dropped out) with a bad piston in what was his final 500. By lap 57, only 22 cars of the starting field of 33 were on track. Swede Savage crash and death of Armando Teran On the 57th lap, Swede Savage made a pit stop. His car was filled with 70 USgal L on of methanol and fitted with a new right rear tire. On lap 59, Savage was in 2nd place, a few seconds behind race leader Al Unser. As Unser committed to a lap 59 pit stop ahead of him, Savage lost control of his car as he exited turn four. The car twitched back and forth, and then slid across to the inside of the track at nearly top speed. It hit the angled inside wall nearly head-on. The force of the impact, with the car carrying a full load of fuel in both tanks, caused the car to explode in a plume of flame. The force of the fuel exploding was so great that some structural rivets were blown rearward out of the car. The engine and transaxle tumbled end-over-end to the pit lane entrance while Savage, still strapped in his seat, was thrown back across the circuit. Savage came to rest adjacent to the outer retaining wall, fully conscious and completely exposed while he sat in a pool of flaming methanol fuel.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vo_Mz-AXQQ Race Broadcast The other cars on the track quickly stopped in turn four, as the track was completely blocked with debris and fire. A now third red flag was displayed at the flag stand which stopped the race at 3:05 p.m.. Track and safety crews immediately descended onto the crash scene to aid Savage. One fire truck, driven by fire/safety truck driver Jerry Flake, was signaled to head to the scene by Cleon Reynolds, the Chief of the Speedway Fire Department. Flake was stationed at the south end of the pits, and had to traverse the pit lane 'against traffic' to reach the Savage crash as quickly as possible. Driving a safety vehicle against the flow of racing and pit traffic was permissible in the USAC safety rules of 1973, and Reynolds' hand signal to Flake specifically instructed him to do exactly this. Flake reported "laying on the horn" and slow progress through the pit lane as people were in the way. As Flake began speeding toward Savage's crash via the pit lane, numerous pit crew members from several teams moved to cross pit lane, toward the grass infield at trackside. Among those who did was George Bignotti, chief mechanic for Gordon Johncock, and 22-year-old Armando Teran, pit board man for Graham McRae. "I had just crossed the lane", Bignotti begins. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YuEpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bBEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5158%2C3778287 Johncock Wins Shortened 500 May 31, 1973 February 23, 2016 The Milwaukee Sentinel Slocum Jim Flake, driving northbound in pit lane at high speed, describes what he saw: "All of a sudden things cleared up on the pit road and I had a clear shot all the way up to Savage's car which I could see burning. Then out of nowhere, a guy was in front of me..." Flake's truck struck Teran, his body tossed about 50 ft on, an impact violent enough to knock him out of his shoes. As Bignotti relays it, "I heard the car coming, and — whap — it hit him". The incident was easily seen by thousands of spectators, as it occurred on the pit lane at the start/finish line. Teran suffered crushed ribs and a broken skull, and although he lived through the initial impact, he died shortly afterward after being transported to Methodist Hospital. It was erroneously reported by media that Flake was at fault in the Teran collision because of driving against racing traffic; in 1973, safety trucks were permitted by USAC to drive in the opposite direction of the racing cars as Flake had done. The following year, USAC specifically prohibited safety trucks from driving in the opposite direction.Dorson Ron Indy 500 An American Institution Under Fire Bond/Parkhurst Books 1974 200–201 0-87880-025-5 For Teran's part, there was no rule forbidding him from leaving the pit wall, as a team's pit board, or "chalkboard" man, either. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7MddAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dF4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=790%2C857656 Unser Calls New USAC Rule 'Dangerous' June 6, 1973 February 23, 2016 Observer-Reporter AP Finish Savage was taken to the hospital with third degree burns and flame inhalation, but was in stable condition. After a red flag delay of about an hour and eleven minutes, the two crash scenes were cleared; the race resumed at 4:16 pm. After witnessing the Savage crash, a disconsolate George Snider decided to climb out of his car for the day. He turned it over to A. J. Foyt, his car owner.Indianapolis 500: The 70's DVD Foyt himself had already dropped out on lap 37, and was standing by in case he was needed for relief. The race restarted on lap 61 with Al Unser leading, and attrition continued to take a toll on the field. On lap 73, Jimmy Caruthers violently blew his right front tire on the main stretch. The tire had suffered a puncture due to debris from Wally Dallenbach's blown engine.https://www.newspapers.com/article/dayton-daily-news-jimmy-caruthers-1973/147299559/ Drivers Call for Indy Change Bob Phelps Dayton Daily News June 1, 1973 May 13, 2024https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/143229365/ Jimmy Caruthers Steers Car No. 21 IndyStar.com May 31, 1973 May 13, 2024 The suspension was damaged, but he was able to maintain control of the car, and coasted around to the pit area. Al Unser's day ended with a blown engine on lap 75, and Gordon Johncock, another of Savage's Patrick Racing/STP teammates, assumed the lead. In quick succession, seven cars dropped out between laps 91 and 101, including Bobby Unser, A. J. Foyt (in George Snider's car), and Dick Simon. The race finally reached the halfway point, and became official upon the completion of lap 101. By this time, only eleven cars were still running, just two on the lead lap. Gordon Johncock was leading and Bill Vukovich II had climbed all the way up to second position. Track officials began assembling victory lane, as dark skies were looming, evening was soon approaching, and they did not expect the race to go the full distance. There was brief confusion over scoring, and officials were sent to bring Vukovich's wife, Joyce, to victory lane. Vukovich refused to come down until her husband had been confirmed the winner, during which it was discovered that scoring had briefly been interrupted after someone accidentally kicked out a power cable.Diverted flight turns into INDYCAR bonding experience https://www.indycar.com/News/2019/06/06-18-Voices-Query 2025-01-27 IndyCar.com Jerry Karl, after about two hours of repairs in the pits, rejoined the race running over 100 laps down. He was able to move up to 26th place. On the 129th lap a light rain began to fall, and the yellow light came on with Gordon Johncock leading. Only eleven cars were still on the track. After 133 laps, at about 5:30 p.m., the rain started to fall much harder, forcing the fourth and final red flag to come out. Although officials had not yet decided to call the race, it was obvious to everyone that the race was over; when the rain came, it was near-dusk, and the track was soon "lost" to the moisture, necessitating a lengthy drying period, which the remaining daylight would not provide. Johncock's Patrick Racing crew began to celebrate, along with a post-race winner's interview with a mostly despondent co-owner Andy Granatelli. Minutes after Granatelli's interview, officials declared the race complete, with Johncock the winner. Johncock led the most laps with a total of 64. Post-race The 1973 race was the shortest "500" on record at the time (332.5 mi on sqbr), with the exception of the 1916 race, which was actually scheduled for 300 mi on. Three years later, the 1976 race was halted at an even shorter distance of 255 mi on, just past the halfway point when the race became official on lap 101. The traditional victory banquet was canceled earlier in the day,1973 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast, Indycar Radio and the victory lane celebration was fairly brief and muted. Johncock left the track soon after the race to visit Savage at the hospital, along with team owner Pat Patrick. Johncock and Patrick, and a few other crew members ended the day with a "victory dinner" which consisted of fast food hamburgers at the Burger Chef just east of the Speedway on Georgetown Road.Deadly May of 1973 still resonates at Indianapolis Motor Speedway https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/motor/2013/05/21/indianapolis-motor-speedway-may-1973/2344993/ USA TODAY February 23, 2016 BorgWarner gave Johncock a ceremony for his 1973 win in August 2021 at his forestry mill in South Branch, Michigan to celebrate his 85th birthday, with the trophy (riding in a Verizon 200 marked van) visiting landmarks in the city in addition to his forestry mill.https://www.iosconews.com/oscoda_press/sports/article_72fc00f8-f9ec-11eb-8710-53cdf72e26ce.html Indy 500 trophy helps Gordon Johncock celebrate 85th birthday 10 August 2021 The Johncock family—featuring Gordon, his wife Sue, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, along with surviving crew members of both the 1973 and 1982 wins, were given an official victory celebration for the 1973 win on April 24, 2023. The Speedway museum rolled out his 1982 race winner, and the family was given a tour of the oval on a Speedway bus. Following the museum tour, the formal victory banquet for the 1973 win was held at Binkley's Kitchen and Bar on North College Avenue in Indianapolis, where BorgWarner presented Gordon with the Champion Driver's Trophy, awarded to winners since 1988, and in more recent years given to drivers on milestone anniversaries of their race wins, and Sue a bouquet of flowers.Barnes Joey 'Baby Borg' Honor Speaks Volumes about Humble Johncock https://www.indycar.com/news/2023/04/04-25-johncock-babyborg INDYCAR.com IMS 2023-10-18 2023Banquet Aftermath The race and its safety concerns caused immediate uproar among racing owners, crew, and track owners. Two days after the race, team owner Andy Granatelli (whose car, driven by Johncock, won the race), declared that he would withdraw from USAC racing in 1974 unless changes were made. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zxJIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gQANAAAAIBAJ&pg=1140%2C80463 Andy's Quitting Unless USAC Reduces Speed June 1, 1973 February 23, 2016 The Morning Record AP On June 2, Dr. Joseph Mattioli, owner of Pocono International Raceway, was calling for USAC to make changes "(restricting) speeds of the race car so that we can once again have auto races that are competitive, exciting, and relatively safe" for the next 500-mile race on the USAC schedule in early July. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YpQgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7WcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4372%2C301620 Pocono's Prexy Pressures USAC June 2, 1973 February 23, 2016 The Lewiston Daily Sun AP USAC acted quickly. On the evening of June 2, 1973, the weekend after the race, USAC held an unscheduled meeting, https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hkQuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3NkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6133%2C540480 In Wake of Indy Uproar, New USAC Regulations June 4, 1973 February 23, 2016 Beaver County Times UPI revising rules. The large rear wings used in 1972–73 were cut back in size from 64 to 55 in cm on, fuel tank capacity was drastically reduced from 75 to 40 USgal L on with the single tank mandated to be placed in the left sidepod, and the allowable fuel to be consumed in a 500-mile race was reduced from 375 to 340 USgal L on. Those changes were designed to slow the cars down. USAC also created a rule specifically disallowing the pit sign carrier from leaving his post as Teran did, for the duration of a race. (The pit signs have since been replaced by two-way radio communication, and after 2013 were prohibited during the race.) All of these rule changes were effective as of the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway to be held on July 1, 1973. USAC also delayed the Rex Mays 150 race in Milwaukee one week, to June 9–10, because of the lengthy delay in running the Indianapolis 500 race. On July 2, 33 days after his on track injury, Swede Savage died in the hospital from complications arising from his injuries and treatment. The true cause of his death remains a point of dispute. It had been widely reported that Savage's death was caused by kidney failure, while others have said that Savage died from lung failure due to flame inhalation. Dr. Steve Olvey, Savage's attending physician (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.https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/motor/2013/05/21/indianapolis-motor-speedway-may-1973/2344993/ Deadly May of 1973 still resonates at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Phil Richards USA Today May 21, 2013 May 30, 2021 He died of liver failure, attending physician Steve Olvey wrote in his book, 'Rapid Response,' due to a transfusion of contaminated plasma. Olvey claimed that Savage contracted hepatitis B from a transfusion, causing his liver to fail.May 2021 According to Savage's father, the percentage of oxygen they were giving Swede just prior to his death, due to the damage to his lungs from the flames inhaled from the accident, was such that there was no way he could have survived, even if he had not contracted hepatitis B.May 2021 Lung failure was repeated as the cause of death by Savage's daughter Angela in a May 2015 interview. Drivers Talk #781 Angela Savage and the 1973 Indy 500 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AJaJE5RXbo&t=1950 May 22, 2015 February 23, 2016 DriversTalkRadio At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, several safety changes were made for the 1974 race. The angled inside wall at the northwest corner of the track (which had also played a role in the Dave MacDonald/Eddie Sachs double-fatality in 1964) was removed, and the pit entrance was widened. Retaining walls were heightened and catch fences were improved around the track. A flag stand for the race starter and other officials was built over the outside wall of the track directly above the start-finish line (previously the starter was positioned down at the inside wall of the track itself). In addition, some spectator areas were moved back away from the track, and all of the rows of Track Box seats along the front stretch were removed. There was not another on-track fatality at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway until 1982 in which Gordon Smiley died in qualifying. Gordon Johncock also won that race. As of 2023, Savage's death in 1973 is the last driver fatality at the Speedway that occurred as a result of a crash during the Indianapolis 500 itself, but the last fatality at the Speedway as a result of a race crash was a 2010 MotoGP support race where a 13-year old rider was killed on the formation lap. Box score FinishStartNoNameChassisEngineTireQualLapsStatusPoints11120USA Gordon JohncockEagleOffenhauserGoodyear192.555133 159.036 mph10002162USA Bill Vukovich IIEagleOffenhauserGoodyear191.103133 +1:24.918003143USA Roger McCluskeyMcLarenOffenhauserGoodyear191.929131Flagged (-2 laps)70041919USA Mel KenyonEagleFoyt V-8Goodyear190.224131Flagged (-2 laps)600555USA Gary BettenhausenMcLarenOffenhauserGoodyear195.599130Flagged (-3 laps)5006724USA Steve KrisiloffKingfishOffenhauserFirestone194.932129Flagged (-4 laps)40072516USA Lee KunzmanEagleOffenhauserGoodyear193.092127Flagged (-6 laps)30082489USA John MartinMcLarenOffenhauserGoodyear194.385124Flagged (-9 laps)250917USA Johnny RutherfordMcLarenOffenhauserGoodyear198.413124Flagged (-9 laps)200102198USA Mike MosleyEagleOffenhauserFirestone189.753120Rod bolt150112273GBR David HobbsEagleOffenhauserGoodyear189.454107Flagged (-26 laps)123084USA George Snider(A. J. Foyt Laps 59–101)CoyoteFoyt V-8Goodyear190.355101Gearbox1328USA Bobby Unser gold W silverEagleOffenhauserGoodyear198.183100Blown engine142744USA Dick SimonEagleFoyt V-8Goodyear191.276100Piston15366USA Mark Donohue gold W silverEagleOffenhauserGoodyear197.41292Piston161360NZL Graham McRae orange R silverEagleOffenhauserGoodyear192.03091Header17266USA Mike HissEagleOffenhauserGoodyear191.93991Drive train18291USA Joe LeonardParnelliOffenhauserFirestone189.95391Wheel191848USA Jerry GrantEagleOffenhauserGoodyear190.23577Blown engine2084USA Al Unser gold W silverParnelliOffenhauserFirestone194.87975Piston21921USA Jimmy CaruthersEagleOffenhauserFirestone194.21773Suspension22440USA Swede Savage ✝EagleOffenhauserGoodyear196.58257Crash FS233335USA Jim McElreathEagleOffenhauserGoodyear188.64054Blown engine242062USA Wally Dallenbach Sr.EagleOffenhauserGoodyear190.20048Broken rod252314USA A. J. Foyt gold W silverCoyoteFoyt V-8Goodyear188.92737Rod bolt262830USA Jerry Karl orange R silverEagleChevroletGoodyear190.79922Flagged (-111 laps)271518USA Lloyd RubyEagleOffenhauserFirestone191.62221Piston28329USA Sammy SessionsEagleFoyt V-8Goodyear188.98617Out of oil293128USA Bob HarkeyKenyon-EagleFoyt V-8Goodyear189.73412Seized engine30611USA Mario Andretti gold W silverParnelliOffenhauserFirestone195.0594Piston311015USA Peter RevsonMcLarenOffenhauserGoodyear192.6073Crash (turn four)321212USA Bobby Allison orange R silverMcLarenOffenhauserGoodyear192.3081Rod331777USA Salt WaltherMcLarenOffenhauserGoodyear190.7390Crash FS Note: Relief drivers in parenthesesChampCarStats.com https://www.champcarstats.com/races/197304.htm International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1973 gold W silver Former Indianapolis 500 winner orange R silver Indianapolis 500 Rookie Race statistics Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–39 Bobby Unser40–42 Gordon Johncock43–54 Swede Savage55–72 Al Unser Sr.73–133 Gordon Johncock Total laps led Driver LapsGordon Johncock 64Bobby Unser 39Al Unser Sr. 18Swede Savage 12 PACER Yellow Light Periods5 for 17 laps Laps* ReasonMonday May 28 Start Salt Walther crash on frontstretch (red flag)Tuesday May 29 Pace lap Rain (red flag)Wednesday May 30 16–20 Bob Harkey engine seized, spun on back stretch (7 minutes) 45–46 Joe Leonard spun in northchute (2 minutes) 59–60 Swede Savage crash in turn 4 (red flag of 1 hour and 11 minutes) 73–75 Jimmy Caruthers shredded tire on main stretch 129–133 Rain (red flag, end of race)* – Approximate lap counts Tire participation chart500 Row-By-Row https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news-1973-indy-500-line/153039503/ Indianapolis News 32 Newspapers.com May 26, 1973 August 10, 2024Race Scorecard https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-1973-indy-500-scor/153039179/ The Indianapolis Star 1 Newspapers.com May 28, 1973 August 10, 2024SupplierNo. of startersGoodyear 26*Firestone 7 * – Denotes race winner Broadcasting Radio The race was carried live on the IMS Radio Network. Sid Collins served as chief announcer and Fred Agabashian served as "driver expert", replacing Len Sutton. Fred Agabashian returned after a six-year absence. The race was held over three days, and the network covered activities live on all three days. This would be Mike Ahern's final race with the network crew. For 1973, the turn two reporting location was moved to the new VIP Suites, which had just been constructed. Bob Forbes served as wireless roving reporter, concentrating on the garage area. At the conclusion of the race, Lou Palmer reported from victory lane. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network Booth AnnouncersTurn ReportersPit/garage reportersChief Announcer: Sid Collins Driver expert: Fred Agabashian Statistician: John DeCamp Historian: Donald DavidsonTurn 1: Mike Ahern Turn 2: Howdy Bell Backstretch: Doug Zink Turn 3: Ron Carrell Turn 4: Jim SheltonChuck Marlowe (north)Luke Walton (center)Lou Palmer (south)Bob Forbes (garages) Television The race was carried in the United States on ABC Sports on a same-day tape delay basis. The race was scheduled to air on Monday May 28 at 9 p.m. EDT for a two-hour same-day tape delay broadcast. However, the race suffered the crash of Salt Walther and rain prevented it from being restarted. The network showed a brief clip of Walther's crash, then filled the rest of the timeslot with a movie instead. On Tuesday May 29, the race was to be rescheduled for 9 a.m., but it was again rained out as well. On Wednesday May 30, the race was finally held, and ABC planned to air the broadcast in primetime on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. EDT. The broadcast featured a rebroadcast of Monday's aborted attempt at a start, as well as the conclusion on Wednesday. Analyst Jackie Stewart was to be the color commentator, but was only able to be at the grounds on Monday and Tuesday as he left the Speedway Wednesday for Formula One commitments at the 1973 Monaco Grand Prix which he won. Chris Economaki substituted for Stewart in the booth on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Chris Schenkel rode and reported from inside the pace car. Because of the long delay after Swede Savage's accident, some of the later portions of the race were still being edited as the beginning of the race was being broadcast. The race was billed on ABC as "Goodyear Presents the Indianapolis 500 Race". The broadcast re-aired on ESPN Classic for the first time on August 12, 2011. The broadcast was slightly edited from the original airing, as a scene in the immediate aftermath of Armando Teran's fatal accident was omitted (but is still available on YouTube). The broadcast was shown again on ESPN Classic on May 30, 2013 (the 40th anniversary). ABC TelevisionBooth AnnouncersPit/garage reportersHost: Chris Schenkel Announcer: Jim McKay Color: Jackie Stewart (Mon. & Tues.) Color: Chris Economaki (Wed.)Dave DilesDon Hein Documentary films Several documentary films were also produced discussing the 1973 Indianapolis 500. http://www.raresportsfilms.com/1973indilong.html 1973 at Indianapolis "Fire and Rain" www.raresportsfilms.com February 25, 2016 These include: The 200 MPH Barrier, narrated by Ralph Camargo, Dynamic Films (for Ashland Oil) Catastrophe (1977), narrated by William Conrad (the 1973 Indianapolis 500 is one of the film's subjects) Fire and Rain, for the STP-sponsored Patrick Racing teams (Johncock, McRae, Savage), Allend'or Productions The Longest May, narrated by Tom Carnegie, McGraw-Hill productions The Indianapolis 500: The 70s, narrated by Tom Carnegie (1973 was featured including interviews by the drivers who were there) Going to Extremes (for Castrol) Notes References Works cited 1973 Indianapolis 500 Press Information - Daily Trackside Summary Indianapolis 500 History: Race & All-Time Stats - Official Site 1973 Indianapolis 500 at RacingReference.info 1973 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network 1972 Mark Donohue 1973 Gordon Johncock 1974 Johnny Rutherford Category:Indianapolis 500 races Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500 Category:1973 in American motorsport