art pollard death

google_page_url = document.location; People came to see the storied track's first 200-mph laps. It just makes driving at Indianapolis easier. Death 12 May 1973 (aged 46) Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA. google_color_link = "0033FF"; I was in the Michigan Burn Center for two and a half months. while injuring a dozen spectators. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. In 1937 Pollock began psychiatric treatment for alcoholism, and he suffered a nervous breakdown in 1938, which caused him to be institutionalized for about four months. He went on to qualify for six races, but broke his leg in a qualifying accident in 1972 and had to sit out that race. Second, where was I? He sliced and diced his way up through the field and took the lead from STP teammate and Indy 500 winner Mario Andretti. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. | Green, who lives in Eugene, was once Pollards body and paint man. Rutherford was among the first on the scene of the crash. Driver Salt Walther suffered disfiguring burns in a fiery first-lap crash that injured 13 spectators. But I didn't have enough muscles to do anything. He had suffered internal lung lesion due to flame inhalation, a broken leg, a fractured right arm, third-degree burns and a severe spinal injury. It was pole day for the Indianapolis 500, a sunny Saturday bright with the promise of speed. That same year, 1968, he won the pole position at the Milwaukee 200 and led the race for the first 135 miles, when his brakes failed. Dallenbach said. In 1928 they moved to Los Angeles, where Pollock enrolled at Manual Arts High School. Pollard, 46, was pronounced dead an hour later from pulmonary damage due to flame inhalation. 'George, he was a great lover of . gravity. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. At Indy, the closest grandstand seats were moved back from the fence, and the wall The total distance covered was 1,450 feet (440 m). google_ad_channel ="0983136519"; And so that helped. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. because the 200 mph barrier was within the sights of drivers and on the minds of trackside Jim Nabors, an emergency fill-in the year before, sang "Back Home in Indiana" again. He and Pollard were close friends. He died after driving drunk and crashing into a tree in New York in 1956, at age 44. Were it not for the lessons taught by tragedy, the race would be better forgotten. He told him he was going to hit 200 mph, or die trying. Smiley's funeral was held on May 20, 1982 and he was buried in his birth location in Nebraska. In 1973, that figure was in excess of 1,000. and reduce the possibility of fire. ), "If you really stop and think about it and you follow racing, it seems like before I told 'em I was at the Indy 500. Pollard raced a wide variety of both cars and other machinery; this included hydroplanes, micro midgets and super modified stock cars. They were going to cut off the left hand at first, but the doctor felt he could save it. When a race driver is killed on the track the first thing everybody says is,"That's too bad, he was a hell of a guy." In the obituary the next day, his past performances are listed and any other worthy achievements are mentioned. His lover, artist Ruth Kligman, was the only survivor of the accident. The organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500, which Pollard raced in five times. Main "I've seen the movies of that start hundreds of times since. He hit it head-on with enough force to rip the machine in two a driver's body of accidents, some of which have a force of 70 or 100 times that of In time trials, with a car with the new air wing design, and running in high winds, the car went out of control and flipped several times at speeds over 190 miles an hour. The two day event was held at the Kearney Bowl in Fresno California. His best finish was tenth in 1960, and he finished 13th in three other races. "This is what everybody feared," ABC's Jim McKay told the worldwide television audience. Art Pollard (born 05 May 1927 Dragon, Utah; died 12 May 1973 Indianapolis, Indiana). Arts wife, Pat Pollard, was unable to get to a phone before the general media reported Arts accident and subsequent death. People in the pits recall the searing intensity of the heat. For the next two years Pollock lived in poverty, first with Charles and, by the fall of 1934, with his brother Sanford. Johncock, who led 64 laps, was declared the winner while sitting in the pits. ". Thirty-two cars returned to their original positions. He has held positions as Media Coordinator for an SCCA Pro Series, and Public Relations Coordinator for a producer of major hot rod shows. We have set your language to Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Swede Savage, driver of another Patrick Racing, STP-sponsored car, and Armando Teran, mechanic on a third Patrick/STP car, also died. They said it was my fault. Granatelli had always watched the race from the pits but that year for the first time was in a penthouse suite overlooking pit lane from across the track. Art Pollard's story deserves to be told, from his humble beginnings in Dragon, Utah to his untimely death on Pole Day at Indianapolis in 1973. He really was an extraordinary individual blessed with many rare qualities and talents., Art Pollard was a credit to the sport of auto racing. He qualified in 31st spot in 1971. Fast forward 36 years. Somewhere in my possessions I have an autographed photo of Art and the Indy car. recalled pole-sitter Johnny Rutherford. ", "To me, it was a horrible year," recalled Andy Granatelli. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Updates? Smiley died instantly from massive trauma inflicted by the severe impact. The car careened off the wall, burst into flames and spun into the infield, where it rolled several times. The message was stressed in the costliest of terms Art shook down a pushrod Plymouth V8 in one of last year's wedge-shaped Loutus cars that wears new aero features. Forty years later, children cavort on the hospital's "Art Pollard Playground" and the picnic survives in his honor, financed by his fund, the original $25,000 still untouched. Pollard died in Indianapolis, Indiana, as a result of injuries sustained in a crash during practice on the first day of time trials for the 1973 Indianapolis 500. Over the next 16 years his family lived in California and Arizona, eventually moving nine times. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. My left hand was burned so bad that the tips of all the fingers were amputated. A month later, after Savage's kidneys had failed, he died of pneumonia. GREAT NEWS! Bob and his wife Karen reside in Hillsboro, Oregon. A native of Portland, Oregon, Bob Kehoe is a freelance automotive journalist and photographer who wrote his first car column for his high school newspaper. The traditional victory banquet was canceled. Current IndyCars generate 670 horsepower. "I was astounded. [1][2][3] He was pronounced dead approximately one hour and three minutes after the accident. canceled and he and many others on the team went instead to Methodist Hospital to check on Magazine and eBay Motors. 1961 Art Pollard won the 1961 Western States Race of Champions with the 34 Willys racer with a longer chassis and some added body work and a new fuel tank which increased the weight to 2050 pounds. The car was running smoothly. We got treated terrible until we qualified. "Back then, about the only way to get a better ride, move up the ladder, was when somebody got hurt or killed," Kunzman said. 1970 Indianapolis 500 [ESPN Classic Telecast Version] (Full Race), 5. Art was born May 5, 1927 in Dragon, Utah. garbage, and half the 350,000 fans went home. Your access to this service has been limited. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. (Jackson dropped his first name, Paul, about the time he went to New York in 1930.) interrupted and shortened the race. As they were being It was too late for too many. Racing Accident Of Art Pollard Matthew Cipolla 3.25K subscribers Subscribe 7.6K views 1 year ago INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY He died in Indianapolis, Indiana as a result of injuries sustained in. Art Pollard's story deserves to be told, from his birth to his untimely death. Here, we celebrate Arts remarkable life. nationality American born May 5, 1927 hometown Dragon, Utah died May 12, 1973 place of death Indianapolis. He unstrapped and pronounced the day "the happiest of my life.". google_color_url = "0033FF"; None of the men ever forgot about May 12, nor did they let their glowing recollections of the man they called friendly, loving and one of a kind fade. | Pollard frequently visited Larue Carter Memorial Hospital, a facility for mentally ill youth, and each May arranged for a busload or two of its children to come to the track for a picnic. He died in Indianapolis, Indiana as a result of injuries sustained in practice during the first day of time trials for the 1973 Indianapolis 500. On the west coast, daughter Judy (then 23-years-old) and son Mike (25-years-old) heard this shocking and unwelcome news on radio and television in the early morning hours. Learn more about merges. Robin Miller, the long-time Indianapolis Star racing writer who now works as an IndyCar reporter for NBC Sports Network and the Speed network, recalled sitting with Pollard on the pit wall early pole day morning. Its just like driving a passenger car. The neighborhood kids (and dogs) were thrilled! A system error has occurred. Among his contemporaries, he was respected for his deeply personal and totally uncompromising commitment to the art of painting. To use this feature, use a newer browser. (Pollard Family Collection), Innovative Turbines of 1968: Art drove #20, Art commented on what it was like to drive the turbine car for the first time. It was really impressive, he said. "I think Who Painted the Most Expensive Paintings in the World? Add to your scrapbook. Time trials began on time, at 11 a.m. Rutherford qualified at 198.413 to set a track record and take the pole. Racing families never think it will be their loved-one. builder who was credited with discovering Savage. Its a shame she had to hear about Art over the radio, but thats the way things happen when a sporting event is being broadcast., As Harvel Pollard (Arts cousin) remembers, One of the fellows I coached with for a number of years wasnt feeling well that day. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Art Lee Pollard Jr. wrong," said Dan Gurney, himself a driver until 1970 and later an owner and car Please reset your password. google_ad_client = "pub-8002195670072149"; Pre Race Events 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 2016, Marc Evans, 3. He was very popular, very quiet, but on the race track, very successful, Carnegie said. Art was buried in McMinnville Oregon. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. what should have been the sixth row. In Fresno California the promise of speed name, Paul, about the time he went to York! X27 ; s funeral was held at the Kearney Bowl in Fresno California are a real person eventually moving times. 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