The Tragic Legacy of the 1933 Indy 500

[@gapeachnw4786]

The 1973 race that was postponed twice, was truly the darkest year of Indy. 2 drivers killed. I driver seriously injured & burned. One 20 yr old mechanic hit & killed by the fire truck. Fans sprayed with fuel & injuries in the stands. No one went untouched that year. We lived just south of the track. The day Swede Savage blew up my little sister shattered her elbow like shards of glass. The doctors that had work on Swede earlier that day did ground breaking, new kind of closed surgery on my little sister. There was no way to do any kind of normal surgery on her arm. If they opened up her arm, they were scared they would never get the pieces back together & could lose bone pieces. With the help of X-rays they brought the bone pieces back together the best they could & cemented her arm in such away to hold the bone together & grow back together. At 50 she has an arm with a big bow in it. Not straight at all. LoL It seemed that the dark cloud over INDY hit all of the surrounding area that day.

[@darrellmayberry7784]

I am glad your Sister turned out OK and with the accidents weather problems etc the 1973 race may be the worst of all.

[@bradsanders407]

How did she break her arm into glass shard like pieces? I can't believe they have never seen anything like that considering they just seen Savage.

[@MrSander1755]

We had seats on the main straight that year and could see Savage hit that wall. It was awful. The piece that slid out to the outside wall had Savage in it. The emergency folks tried to put out the fire of the other piece that stayed near the inside of the track. All in all that 500 was very sad.

[@gapeachnw4786]

@@bradsanders407 She was a 2ish yr old toddler. The youngest of 4. She had climbed up on the open framing of a small shed my dad was building as he had time. She had gotten up on a framing joint right next to the door frame. She fell off of that, about 4 ft high, into a small round bbq grill sitting in the ground. She went in with her elbow & managed to go right between the grill lines & pushed her bent elbow through & separated those grill lines. Shattered her elbow. Her arm has a big bow of a curve today in her 50’s.

[@gapeachnw4786]

@@bradsanders407 It wasn’t that they had not seen her kind of injury. She was so young. Bones still soft & growing. This is your major connecting bone in your elbow….even bigger deal in a small growing child. Her bones were MUCH smaller than what they usually faced. Babies shattering bones at all is rare. It was just a much higher risk of opening her up. What was newish, was the way they did her “operation.” They use this tech all the time these days. I’ve had dozens of procedures done on my low back, using this technology. But in “73” they were still learning just how you could use X-Ray guided surgeries. Either closed surgeries, or small incision surgeries. They came up with the idea to TRY this method on my sister’s elbow. I would think it would all depend on how good the x-Ray pictures were back then.

[@LesterMoore]

Growing up in the 1950s I recall my Father and other men relatives listening to the Indy 500 on the radio as they grilled and downed some iced Regal Pale, Brew 102, Schlitz, Hamm's and other brand beers. When the radio isolated voice, "Gentlemen ... start your engines!" The full throated roar of the Novis and Offenhausers then fired up. My Father would say to the other grinning men gathered about. "The race is going to start. All sissies get away from the track. This is for men only." I remember hearing the driver names through the years: Bettenhousen, Vukovich, Hanks, Ward, Foyt, Hurtibise, Sachs and others. Racing legends for me to this day. What a spectacle for the city of Indianapolis and America.

[@maxsdad538]

Brew 102... you're showing your LA roots. Are you old enough to remember the building right off the freeway (don't ask me which freeway) that had "BREW 102" painted on it?

[@LesterMoore]

@@maxsdad538 Yes. And don't forget Eastside Old Tap Lager.😎

[@davemoorhead7682]

I read a statement once about one of the late 1950's roadster-era Indy 500s, that half the drivers in that field would go on to die in a race car. It took some extreme guts to get in a race car those days.

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

My dad in the '60's when I was a little kid, drank Hamm's. At our Cabin he cooled some in a metal bucket on a rope, let down beside a ledge in a brook we called "Beer Brook."

[@LesterMoore]

@@carlcushmanhybels8159 O recall some men in our small town bowling alley only drinking Hamm's. Wouldn't drink anything else. 'Course I was still too young to drink but they sure seemed to enjoy the beer. Don't know if it's still available.🤔

[@gregmaggio5217]

I rode motocross for a while and the fun seemed to almost circumvent the danger, but when friends and I started seeing death, loss of limbs, loss of movement, etc, then you remember that this thing isn't a game of dominos..

[@jimwebb9328]

🎉In the 1955 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans a car went into the stands killing more than 80 spectators. Now that's a tragic race.

[@oldbatwit5102]

Europe doesn't count.

[@dannycalley7777]

JW ...........that engine carrening thru the crowd !!!! still cringy

[@bradsanders407]

So this one wasn't because another one had more deaths?

[@georgermilleriv9594]

Pierre Levegh. A show off jerk who tried to run the entire thing by himself the year before.

[@plumedargent4459]

The engine was made of a magnesium alloy which burned white-hot as it tumbled free of the car and through the crowd.

[@johnvandeventer8668]

This is way darker than the 1964 where 2 drivers were killed in that 7 car crash on lap 2 of 200. Eddie Sachs who was a veteran Indy 500 racer and Dave MacDonald who was a rookie. Dave MacDonald lost control of his car and hit the wall and burst into flames. Eddie Sachs hit him and Eddie was killed instantly. Dave MacDonald probably suffered a lot of burns in that crash and that killed him. The rest of the drivers were either injured or had burns or were uninjured. The other drivers involved were Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Ronnie Duman, Chuck Stevenson and Norm Hall

[@CountyLineFilms]

When I was in Indianapolis this past summer, I asked everyone working in the museum what the darkest month of may was, and the responses I got were 1933, 1964, 1973 and 1992.

[@toddjohnson5692]

Yeah I was only 4 when Eddie Sachs died. He was who I was rooting for so I still remember watching it on our b/w TV. The resulting fire was a huge black pillar of smoke that took quite a while to put out.

[@richieosborn2639]

@@CountyLineFilmshow was 1992 dark?

[@MarsJenkar]

@@richieosborn2639 While there wasn't loss of life, there were a _lot_ of crashes, and a lot of well-regarded drivers retired after that year (Rick Mears, A. J. Foyt, Gordon Johncock, and Tom Sneva being the most prominent; also, Al Unser Sr. would only run one more 500 after that, and Mario Andretti retired two years later). It's thought that Rick Mears retired at least in part because of an injury sustained from his crash on this day, cutting his career shorter than it might have been otherwise. I would not put 1992 in the same category as the other years mentioned, however, since 1992 had more of an "end of an era" feel to it, and the others involved far greater tragedy.

[@michaelvoelkl4015]

You forgot the Salt Walther wreck!

[@cjs83172]

1933 would be the beginning of a 3-year period that would see no fewer than 11 lose their lives in race cars at Indy, 7 drivers and 4 riding mechanics. In addition to the lives lost in the year depicted in this video, Peter Kreis and his riding mechanic would be killed in a practice crash prior to qualifying in 1934, though nobody was seriously injured in the '34 race itself, despite five crashes, and then five more people would be killed in 1935, two in qualifying and three more in the race itself. In fact, from 1929-'35, 18 people would be killed as a result of crashes at Indy, 10 drivers, 7 riding mechanics, and 1 bystander that was killed in 1931. It was the bloodiest period in Indy history.

[@CountyLineFilms]

And it doesn't help that during this time the Nation was dealing with the Great Depression

[@cjs83172]

@@CountyLineFilms No it didn't. And neither did the fact that the speedway came up with some hare-brained ideas in the early-30s, such as expanding the field past the recommended 33-car limit (they started 38 in 1930, helping to lead to a huge early crash, 40 in 1931 and '32, and 42 in '33 before going back to the 33-car limit for 1934) or the worst idea of all, which was qualifying runs at 10 laps, or 5% of the total race distance. 1936 would be a turning point, because after the '35 race, they began paving some of the brick track surface with asphalt, removed the inner walls in the turns, and rookies would be required to take a driver's test before being allowed to practice or qualify, beginning in '36.

[@elainepickering3844]

I'm surprised the race went on with all these deaths. There's no way it would continue after something like that today.

[@zacharyadams3422]

​@@elainepickering3844 let's just remember the time,this was around 1930 were talking?so if you were 25 years old then you were a preteen at about 1917,let's remember when ww1 happened and realize that these people were likely incensitive to "5 people dead in one year".

[@philgiglio7922]

​@@cjs83172...and to insure everyone knew that they were rookies was a painted yellow stripe on the rear of the car

[@williamford9564]

The Spangler and Jordan crash and the aftermath was particularly gruesome. Both were thrown from the car after it flipped over. Spangler was apparently cut in two and then one of the pieces of remains was hit by another car a few seconds later.

[@bradsanders407]

You can see both bodies enact after the crash. If he was halved it must have been by being ran over.

[@DustyTail]

@5:14. Spangler looks like younger Robert DeNiro, before goin nutso.

[@AndyFromBeaverton]

Holy crap, I never knew anyone waving the chequered flag had been killed. You would think if it happened, it would have been in F1.

[@CountyLineFilms]

Thankfully, even at Le Mans, that tradition of waving the flag on the racing surface has gone the way of the Dodo Bird

[@altfactor]

It wasn't until 1974 that the man waving the flags was taken off the side of the track and put in an overhead crow's nest. That change was a direct result of the tragic 1973 race.

[@philgiglio7922]

In the 50's & 60s F-1 races were flagged off at the start line. A system of lights was installed later

[@davidschaadt3460]

Real nice program ,with drivers information I never knew🏆🏁🏆🏁

[@es7614]

Nicely produced, well done, thank you.

[@davemoorhead7682]

Great research. I have seen the video clips of those crashes a number of times, but I never knew who it was that was involved until now.

[@erictripton]

OMG I remember Swede Savage crash as a 7 yr old boy. Still makes me sad. Horrific

[@JDSFLA]

With so many drivers and mechanics being thrown from their race cars, you would think that safety belts would have been standard or required equipment.

[@cinezoic]

There was a long-standing feeling amongst the drivers of the olden days that it was better to be thrown clear of a wreck, than to be trapped in it

[@davemoorhead7682]

@@cinezoic Yes, it was a left-over attitude from horse racing. You wanted to be thrown clear from the stampeding hooves. But it doesn't work as well when you aren't on soft dirt and you're going 100+ mph.

[@davethompson6570]

"But at least they were killed doing what they loved." That phrase always makes me roll my eyes. Getting clipped by another car and rolling over at 125 mph, ejecting you and your riding mechanic onto the track and having your head and your torso crushed is not what many people "love" to do. Yeah, yeah, I know. what you're going to say, but that only would count if you lost consciousness before the crash started.

[@RRaquello]

Look at Denver's car at 2:03. Still started with a hand crank. These cars were so much cooler looking than the lawn mowers they drive now, but obviously not as safe.

[@hoggy2much999]

I am not surprised people died a lot back then as I see they had no concept of saftey. No helmets or seat belts. That is just ludicrous. Wouldn't it be great if we could go back in time, bring one of them to the present and show them all the saftey features now used in Indy and F1.

[@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT]

This is darker than 1919, or equally. Idk, but this is just dark

[@CountyLineFilms]

In my time in Indy, basically everyone working in the museum said 1933 was the worst month ever, probably just from a statistics point of view.

[@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT]

@@CountyLineFilms yikes

[@dandtintennessee7675]

Racing in general was a different game back then. I love Indy and have since i was a kid. Probably the only thing even close to the danger of old Indy these days is Sprint car racing. We hear about fatalities all too often in sprint cars. It still doesnt compare to the old days of Indy and F1.

[@ARM317]

Whoa, somehow the horror of this month isn't link to the milk tradition. I won't forget now. This video is well done.

[@CountyLineFilms]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@keithstudly6071]

@@CountyLineFilms It was a hot day and the concessionaires had sold all the cool beverages except buttermilk so that was what Louie drank. I have heard an audio recording of Louie speaking and he was not a fan of buttermilk. The Speedway has tried for decades to sell the "Winners Drink Milk" story but it is mostly a fabrication.

[@Sargebri]

The 1964 race was just as deadly with the Eddie Sachs/Dave MacDonald crash. Even sadder was that a few days later Fireball Roberts had his fiery accident driving in the World 600 and would die a a few days later.

[@spudrain]

He and his family…He and his family….

[@dinhwood]

I’d say the 1973 race is far more bleak than this one.

[@CountyLineFilms]

1973 was pretty bad, mostly because that was televised in its entirety

[@philgiglio7922]

​@@CountyLineFilms for the first time if memory serves. The '69 race was advertised at a local movie theater as being shown live on the big screen. My ass was one of the first in a seat. But it never aired, I don't remember why

[@williamford9564]

1973 was a more high profile year. Indy was Big News in sports that year ( yes, more so than baseball or the NBA) due to the publicity surrounding the fact that the cars were approaching the 200 MPH barrier in speed. All the major media outlets had reporters at the race. The ensuing driver deaths , a crewman killed on pit lane and a massive crash at at the start with fuel spilling into the stands resulting in spectator injuries and of course wall to wall media coverage resulted in a public relations disaster for USAC and the Speedway.

[@williamford9564]

@@CountyLineFilms A live nationwide broadcast did not come until a few years later. I know because I was 14 years old at the time, living in Pennsylvania and had to listen to the race on the radio ( I still remember the radio call when Swede Savage hit the interior wall coming off turn 4). It was shown on tape delay , but edited ( not a full replay)by ABC that night.

[@gapeachnw4786]

YES!!!!! We lived just south of Indy that year. I was 9 remember so well. But my sister was treated for a badly broken arm the Day Swede blew up. The same docs that worked on him, worked on her arm. So it stuck for 2 reason.

[@HairHoFla]

Didn't Eddie Rickenbacker still own the track at the time? My father's old boss at Eastern Airlines

[@highpointdad2006]

Grim brutal stuff, including drinking butter milk

[@jackdonkey22]

I still remember trying to drink buttermilk from my grandmas fridge. I don't remember how old i was but j remember that. Also grandpas garage 7up tastes like gasoline.

[@donbrashsux]

What did a riding mechanic do ..

[@CountyLineFilms]

They pumped oil into the motor and spotted for the driver

[@ikeyschultz4969]

Indy 500 lore is epic.

[@gregmcfadden8505]

The ground shot you see the pace car in pit lane ..going faster then the race cars an passes that cam about 90 miles an hour in pit lane

[@paulbourgeois4491]

Is Bob Hurst any relation to the vehicle equipment manufacturer and supplier of shifters for four speeds?

[@toomanyuserids]

Ah yes, the poverty-spec years, wherein a single-car wreck would kill two...

[@charlesporbes8702]

God rest their souls

[@danohstoolbox]

do you have any info on herbrand tools from what i hear herbrand sponsored the race and winners got a toolbox full of tools

[@misiopuchatek152]

I don’t think they both were crushed. You can clearly see one of them, looks like a driver, is ejected from the car straight into the wall. Second one was in the car for a moment while it rolled.

[@CountyLineFilms]

I think the term crushed was used as a blanket term back then for blunt force trauma.

[@alking4153]

Most USAC driver's drove sprint cars and that's where most died sometimes losing 2 in a night the 500 was tame compared to running 2 or 3 sprint races a week of course there was USAC midgets and dirt champ car's they were racer's then and they raced the night before the 500 also.

[@joe9713]

USAC wasn't around during this time. USAC started in 1956 after AAA pulled out of sanctioning auto racing after the events of Le Mans and Indy in the 1955 season.

[@erictroxell715]

Great job I live in altoona pa and read of the races here.

[@plunkervillerr1529]

Well done.

[@dropway9108]

I have watched and studied a good number of these racing videos and have learned certain things about professional motor racing. A short description of the knowledge gained includes the following: Drivers should strive not to crash into solid objects like walls, trees, fences, the seated live viewing audience and other racing vehicles. Drivers should also endeavor to keep all four tires on the vehicle and avoid having their car burst into flames.

[@kraig7777]

Somebody should tell them.

[@timford3599]

One more thing that the drivers learned: Do NOT DIE while driving your race car!!!

[@NASCARFAME3]

1973🌚

[@victoriaobrien2324]

Dose anyone remember about Scott Brayton died ❤

[@havenhousetoys5241]

Why did they have riding mechanics?

[@brucealmighty9877]

This was partly because the cars lacked the sophisticated onboard diagnostics and communication systems found in modern racing cars

[@GasCityGuy]

1973 wasn't a whole lot better

[@jsmariani4180]

Ah, the days of daring do. No seat belts, roll bars or other sissy safety features. Just good old blood and guts!!

[@stevewiley8409]

Isn't the phrase "derring-do" ?

[@JeffKopis]

Blood and guts all over the track. Ya call that a SPORT?

[@infidel6728]

"Him and his family." I would expect correct grammar at least.

[@CountyLineFilms]

Unfortunately my Give A Damn broke

[@curtislarson1487]

I was lucky enough to have done pit stops at indy in a few brickyard 400s

[@thewatcher5271]

Good Video But I Wouldn't Say, Never. 40 Years Later Was Not A Good Year. I Was Only 15 But Remember It Well.Too Much Rain & Probably Politics But I Wouldn't Have Understood It Then. The Worst Was Swede Savage Dying A Month Later. I Can't Imagine The Heartache To Family, Friends & Fans Alike. Thank You.

[@MrBurney12]

Riding mechanic?? So not only race in a tin can with wheels but stick two guys inside it?

[@watchgoose]

why would you insinuate that God has deaf ears? He just allows things to happen sometimes.

[@alone-xz7dx]

He?

[@bradsanders407]

"Those prayers fell on deaf ears" well yeah

[@DanKoning777]

[0:06] "The Indy 500 has proven itself as the greatest spectacle in race?" Ummm....no.

[@CountyLineFilms]

2006 Called, they wonder if a 0.06 Margin of Victory is exciting enough

[@scottparsons2031]

Click bate don't watch

[@CountyLineFilms]

Click Bait* (which it's not but ok)

[@fastradios]

Boring and off the subject of the title.

[@unclepython5186]

I feel like he described the tragedy of the 1933 Indy 500… maybe he should make a remastered version for you with AC/DC in the background and AR15’s spraying at the drivers!

[@freddieclark]

"greatest spectacle in racing" ??, naa sorry.

[@rdallas81]

Yeah? Then what is?

[@freddieclark]

@@rdallas81 Well, for sheer racing spectacle I would put the Monte Carlo rally, The Le Mans 24 hr, the Isle of Man TT, the Nurburgring 24 hr and the Dakar rally all above the Indy 500. You could certainly have a case to claim it was the 'greatest racing spectacle in America' although I am sure proponents of Daytona and Pikes Peak would disagree.

[@rdallas81]

@@freddieclark Yeah. I agree with the rally racing , Dakar etc.

[@fighterjetsteve]

It's the biggest single day sporting event in the world. That's what makes the Indianapolis 500 the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Get over yourself.

[@rdallas81]

@@fighterjetsteve I figured it to be Operation Barborossa, June 22 1941.

[@Howdy76]

HISH-STORY