[40043mo]

My bad, Checking Dr. Steve Olvey's book, Rapid Response, he says Savage got tainted plasma, not tainted blood.
The plasma had live Hepititus B virus particles in it.
Dr Olvey confirms in his book the tainted plasma was distributed throughout the US.

[fortythree]

I find it very hard to believe Swede didn't die of his injuries alone and suspect the tainted plasma thing was an easy out for the IMS who were hoping for a survival story. They were under massive pressure in the aftermath of '73. Here's the Autoweek editorial.

[The Dark]

What a pile of bullshit that editorial is, 73 was a clusterfuck all month, for sure USAC needed a slap because several things were wrong that they held responsibility for but to threaten to mobilize industry to stop the race forever is just pathetic. Maybe they did the same after 58 and 64, but I doubt it.

As with many advances in Motor Sport safety over the years, we reach a point where enough circumstances occur in rapid succession for the powers that be to be obligated to put in place measures to see improvement.

If it was me handing out IMS credentials, Autoweek would have been right at the bottom of the pile for many years to come ;-)

[Buford61]

My brother was in college and wrote an article for his school newspaper after the 1973 race. It got no circulation other than at the school. But he submitted it to the American Race Writers and Broadcasters Association, all the top people in the business. It won their annual writers award for best article of the year. It was called "The Watergate of Auto Racing."

[Buford61]

The Autoweek editorial has to be understood in the spirit of the times. There was a lot of anger at the time at the direction racing was going, as well as foreboding if it could even continue long term. Wings and aerodymanics had raised speeds 30 MPH in a couple years, unprescedented in history, and without any increase in crashworthyness of the cars. The ancient USAC officials, mostly former board track racers from 50 years before were hopless authoritian assholes totally out of touch with the modern era and new generation of racers who they actually had outright distain for. Fire safety, despite gains after 1964 was still not adequate. There was a general outcry for change and nobody thought IMS and USAC was adequate to lead or make those changes. The future of the sport was actually at stake and Autoweek there was speaking for many at the time.

[fortythree]

Kenny Logan has a horrible accident in his top fuel drag in 1972.

"Logan’s car hit a slick spot at the Orange County International Raceway, sending it hurtling at speed into the Armco guardrail barrier. The ensuing crash cost Logan his legs and right hand. He was dead at the scene, but the OCIR emergency crew had a new respirator and used it to bring Kenny back to life, and he recovered. The crash …resulted in the Armco being replaced with concrete barriers. Kenny is still around and attends the annual Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield, California"

[FunkPumpkin]

Originally Posted by fortythree ↗

Kenny Logan has a horrible accident in his top fuel drag in 1972.

"Logan’s car hit a slick spot at the Orange County International Raceway, sending it hurtling at speed into the Armco guardrail barrier. The ensuing crash cost Logan his legs and right hand. He was dead at the scene, but the OCIR emergency crew had a new respirator and used it to bring Kenny back to life, and he recovered. The crash …resulted in the Armco being replaced with concrete barriers. Kenny is still around and attends the annual Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield, California"

That picture is AMAZING. Thank you.

[jeremycrpntr]

Originally Posted by Buford61 ↗

Three time winner Helio Castroneves at Indy today.

I saw this firsthand, right in front of me. I just so happened to be walking back to my truck from the garages, which was parked in front of the museum. I hustled back in the garages to get a few photos.

[Buford61]

Logan - holy crap.

[windowlicker]

'The line between maximum speed and crashing is so thin' - Wolfgang von Trips.

Italian GP at Monza 1961 and the battle or the World Championship is between Ferrari teammates Wolfgang von Trips and Phil Hill.

Jim Clark - 'I was on Taffy's (von Trip's) tail, slipstreaming around the Vialone to keep up as we came down at full speed to the braking point for the North Curve. I was preparing to overtake him and my front wheel was almost level with his back wheel as he started to brake. Suddenly he began to pull over towards me and he ran right into the side of me. I honestly don't think Taffy realised I was there, I am sure that when he passed me earlier, he had decided his was the faster car and I would be left behind. Everything happened at lighting speed. We touched wheels and I had a split-second to think about the accident before it actually happened. I thought: 'God, he can't do this.' I remember mentally trying to shout at him to look in his mirror and see me.'

Jack Brabham - 'I think it was just one of those unfortunate things that can happen on a slipstreaming circuit. I don't think either Jimmy Clark or Taffy von Trips were carving each other up as was suggested at the time. Jimmy was always a driver you could drive really hard against and be confident that he wasn't going to do something stupid. I'm not even sure that theirs were the only two cars involved - it could have been a third one which touched one or the other two and caused the Lotus to veer enough to touch the Ferrari.'

Phil Hill - 'By the way, there was another party involved in the von Trips accident. Trips didn't just arbitrarily move over on Clark, you know. He moved over because he had to, to avoid someone on the other side.'

The Ferrari and the Lotus touched, the Ferrari launched into spectators killing fourteen and leaving von Trips dead on the tarmac.

Phil Hill - 'Von Trips died doing something he loved and was willing to accept the risks. Just as I am willing.'