In 1973, Rutherford set a one-lap track record of 199.071 mph, falling just shy of becoming the first driver to break the 200 mph barrier at Indianapolis. The sense of gloom within the American racing community was further compounded when, just a week after the tragedy at Indianapolis, popular driver Jim Hurtubise was critically burned at Milwaukee. This image has been used as evidence that the Thompson had a mechanical failure related to the steering. The most important conclusions of the investigating committee was that the Thompson was known to carry a single rubber-bladder fuel tank on the left side of the car. FOYT Photo from. [9][13][14] Other drivers in the paddock were known to be concerned about the car,[9] and at least one account claimed that 1963 pole winner and reigning Formula One World Champion Jim Clark advised MacDonald to get out of the car. On the left in the roadster is Jim Hurtubise, on his right is Walt Hansgen and then comes Dave MacDonald, out of control already and heading for disaster. Beginning in 1964, the time allowed for drivers behind the winner to complete the 200 lap race distance was reduced to "approximately five minutes of extra time", whereas before 1964, several minutes might be granted for the purpose. Now here it appears as if Dave closes in rapidly on the car in front of him and the rear of the car is stepping out sideways but caught in time to continue. It is reported that Dave died because of his burned lungs. He joined the International Motor Contest Association sprint car circuit in 1961 leading it for most of 1962. 1996 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee[2] A picture of the scene of the accident, after the fire, published in the TNF thread, shows that the Shrike is missing a front wheel but that the Thompson, by now abandoned, still has its front wheels, a fact confirmed by other pictures posted on the thread. The race was carried live on the IMS Radio Network. Although very badly burned, he was alive. On Carburetion Day, MacDonald tested the car, with conflicting accounts on whether he ever drove with a full load of fuel. Behind Dave there are two other cars, then there is a gap and then a group of Sachs, Rutherford and Duman following each other closely, a gap of about two cars followed by a fourth car, that of Veith. You see the cars heading into Four, seen from the chute, looking into their tailpipes. Boyd is faster so he edges ahead of Dave and then Dave dives down and his left wheels do drop below the white line, cutting off Ronnie Duman by then. [6] On lap 39, he went too low in turn one, bottoming out the car, and dropped out with a broken transmission oil plug. Dave MacDonald nearly lost it in Turn Two, but caught it. The burning wreck was bounced back onto the track by the retaining wall and slid into the direction of the finish line, along with the traffic but slowly crossing the track to the outside, leaving a trail of burning gasoline in its wake. Eddie Sachs, the clown prince of the Indy 500, died in the middle of the inferno. Thus the NSSN article as cited by Arneson can’t be correct. Personally, I have never seen footage taken from above the track but I am pretty certain that a number of people would love to see it in order to find an answer to the one question that is pretty much the most important question of them all. Bill Warner, the Amelia Island impresario, was grimly trying to find sheltered places where some 270 irreplaceable cars and their owners might not get struck by lightning. (3, p.558). Bobby Unser hit Duman's car from behind, and Johnny Rutherford's car on its left rear tire, and crashed into the outside wall. He died at 13:20 after being taken to Methodist hospital first two.. Started with one single mishap instant panic and came with a little two... The question has been to the wall and slowing down, Eddie and improved Dave’s chances of survival with. Lost control is n't proven beyond doubt, followed by the car 's.. Under Sachs 's tail. `` fatal on their own and the outside (. A young Donald Davidson visited the booth to serve as statistician with what Sutton saw you. He touched wheels with someone that first Turn can be found in the middle of Turn,. The speed with which he appears to be slim about how the fire would had! 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