"I had the gloves on, so I grabbed the hottest thing, the turbocharger, which was Try again. Its probably more psychological because of the instant response with a gas engine. Unser led early, then Savage went to the front. If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site, please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send". With Memorial Day came gloomy skies and intermittent showers that interrupted Johncock said. At this time Pollock, who had been raised an agnostic, also attended the camp meetings of the former messiah of the theosophists, Jiddu Krishnamurti, a personal friend of Schwankovsky. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Art Pollard (7232111)? home.". another driver," Johncock said. He served time in jail. Please try again later. He was an engaging speaker and frequent spokesman. For my hands I got a box of sand. Judy is an author, speaker and publishing consultant. "Seldom have so many things that potentially could go wrong actually gone safety truck, speeding up pit road in the opposite direction of normal traffic, hit Teran Colin Chapman had returned to Indianapolis and Parnelli Jones was lending his expertise to the Granatelli team. "When I finally got out, I was still weak. rescue Walther. We were listening to the radio broadcast of the activity at Indy when they announced that Art had crashed and later passed away in the hospital. His first attempt fell short in 1966, but in 1967 he qualified to start 13th and finished 8th. Death 12 May 1973 (aged 46) Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA. observers. google_color_bg = "ECF8FF"; Car trouble ends his day early on lap 45. A fire truck traveling at an estimate 60 mph in the wrong direction hit Teran, who suffered crushed ribs and a fractured skull. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. have been incinerated. We just dont!, It was hard, and I still miss having him in my life, adds Judy. For a while though, it was touch and go. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. This browser does not support getting your location. You slow down the film and there's no other conclusion you can come to. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. He told him he was going to hit 200 mph, or die trying. Failed to delete memorial. Make sure that the file is a photo. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Photo courtesy of Mike Pollard. Search above to list available cemeteries. By Lap 42, Savage, the 26-year-old charger from California, had taken the lead, a Art Pollard. He was a good dad. They shared hamburgers at the Burger Chef restaurant on West 16th Street, just east of the track. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. crash, ended up on the pole at 198.413 mph, including one lap in the 199s. In 1968, all three of Andy Granatelli/Colin Chapman designed turbines made the field on the first day of qualifications. The rear of the car slipped out in Turn 4, and when Savage caught the car it was Walther's "When somebody's hurt, he goes through a helluva rehabilitation process. "I think it was because of things like that that I really never got that close to And third, what happened? Born in Dragon, Utah, Pollard died in Indianapolis, Indiana, as a result of injuries sustained in practice for the 1973 Indianapolis 500. builder who was credited with discovering Savage. | Christie was born in Grants Pass in 1924 and helped his family raise hops. Again on Wednesday, after another rain delay, the teams tried again. Minutes later, Pollard's car smacked the outside wall in Turn 1, spun, flipped and slid to a stop in Turn 2, engulfed in flames. Pollard had clipped a wall, an impact that sent his car skidding into the infield grass . It was horrendous and I could tell it was not good. That point was clearly emphasized in Art Pollard: The Life and Legacy of a Gentleman Racer. He hit the inside wall almost head-on at full speed. ToDo My left hand was burned so bad that the tips of all the fingers were amputated. Here, we celebrate Arts remarkable life. He first qualified for the Indianapolis 500 in 1967. Verify and try again. In 1943, after the liquidation of the Federal Art Project, Pollock was given a contract by Peggy Guggenheim at her Art of This Century gallery in New York, and his first one-man show was held there in November. Richards writes for The Indianapolis Star, a Gannett property. [5] Pollard also served in the United States Navy for a time. | Meanwhile, the infield continued its metamorphosis into a bog of mud and stinking "He came off the wall and almost landed on the front of my car," said Lee Kunzman, whose first Indy start carried him only a few hundred yards. Mike lives in Reno, Nev., and works at a jewelry shop. The message was stressed in the costliest of terms He started twenty-fifth and finished twenty-second after a spin. In 1956, Time magazine gave Pollock the name "Jack the Dripper," referencing his unique style of action painting. It was an unspectacular run. If you think you have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance. Unfortunately, Indianapolis Motor Speedway was where Pollard lost his life in an accident on May 12, 1973, during a practice run for the Indy 500. ", "To me, it was a horrible year," recalled Andy Granatelli. Pole Day - Saturday May 12 - Death of Art Pollard. On race day, Monday, May 28, the massive crowd included 23 U.S. prisoners of war recently released by Hanoi. "I pulled up right at the end of pit road and remember telling the radio google_color_link = "0033FF"; All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. I'd lost fifty pounds or so. "I thought it was my son who had been hit.". As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. The neighborhood kids (and dogs) were thrilled! And I looked like a skeleton walking in them because they didn't come close to fitting. "Back then, it was like me sitting on this stool with a seat belt," Foyt said. 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. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. I'd splash on the alcohol and take a handful of sand and squeeze and squeese it. He died Dec. 27, 2012. Fast forward 36 years. 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. Johncock left the track quickly. "That's all you can say.". Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. On Friday Art qualified fastest with a new track record. with crashes that killed drivers Art Pollard and Swede Savage and crewman Armando Teran At the Brickyard, back in Indianapolis, they always knew him as the kinda guy that looked out for the other drivers. They carried a full fuel load of 75 gallons. "I think we can trim it out and get a little more out of it," Pollard responded. about it," winner Gordon Johncock said. The traditional post-race banquet was And he always made time for both kids and adults!. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Note: Prior to 1965 Artwon 83 championship events in the Western Statesand Canada and became one ofSouthern Oregons biggest stars. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. A crowd estimated at 250,000 swarmed Indianapolis Motor Speedway's grandstands, suites and infield on May 12, 1973. For the third turbine, Granatelli lost the services of Jackie Stewart; he was suffering from a hairline fracture in his wrist and was forced into a cast, making him unavailable as a driver. Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 4 million WordPress sites. This was after I'd begun to walk on my own. Failed to report flower. google_color_border = "DDAAAA"; By the mid-60s, car owners were trying to talk Pollard into driving their cars at Indianapolis. It began on this day in 1973 when American race car driver Art Lee Pollard, Jr., died in an accident while running practice laps for the Indianapolis 500. Its different to drive, too. Arts son, Mike, turned away from the flatbed truck he was working on when the radio newsman uttered his fathers name. So Retaining walls were raised, catch fences improved and some "trackside seating" was removed. Maybe not to dad, because I think he took the relationships he had for granted, because he was that way though his whole life. Pollard moved in next door to Caskey in 1944. The organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500, which Pollard raced in five times. "I've seen the movies of that start hundreds of times since. Make a life-giving gesture "My whole family was in tears. Hell, we'd take him on hunting trips, fishing trips, everywhere. Schedule He was always racing. The chassis dug into the grass and flipped upside-down, slid a short distance and then flipped back over as it reached the pavement again in turn two, finally coming to a stop in the middle of the track. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. He made speeches at schools and churches and visited the troops in Vietnam, but his pet project was the LaRueCarter Memorial Hospital for retarded children in Indianapolis. Bobby Unser took the pole at 195.940 mph, 17 mph faster than the year before. Art qualified in 6th spot in 1970. He died of natural causes last year, at the age of 85. I was lucky to have him for a dad, even if I had him less time than I wanted. Martin says Bob Christie was a class act in the racing community. The original comment we heard on the radio was Veteran driver Art Pollard was killed at the Speedway this morning. Our mom, Bobbie Pollard, called after the announcement, asking if what she heard was true. Try again later. The front of Walther's car was torn off. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Salt miraculously made it back the next year, qualifying in 14th position for the 1974 Indy 500. June 8, 1969 The STP team showed up at Milwaukee with Greg Weld in the #57 STP Gerhardt Offy and it was a good thing. Miller was surprised when Pollard said he would take the car out during pre-qualifying practice. In the fifties he soon built a reputation as a tough competitor. from behind at 60 mph and killed him. During pole qualifying earlier that month, driver Art Pollard was killed in a horrific crash when his car topped 191 mph, then struck the outside wall, burst into flames, spun into the infield. He had burns, broken bones, and a severe spinal cord injury. "I thought, my goodness, we're never going to recover from this," said the speedway's Carnegie. The two went to high school together, played football together and even ended up at the same Navy base in San Diego. Learn more about managing a memorial . Art drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1965 through 1973 seasons, with 84 career starts, including the 1967 through 1971 Indianapolis 500 races. I do not immediately recall the year, but one of our local motorcycle shops hosted him and his Indy car for a promotion. From a small hydroplane on Oregons Umpqua River to micro-midgets and modified stock cars on a half-mile oval in Roseburg, Oregon. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Milwaukee-area auto dealer. "It was amazing to come back the next year and it was as if people had not forgotten about it, but cleansed it from their minds and were ready for another 500-mile race.". announcer, 'We're supposed to have 33 of the best drivers in the world and they can't even The impact tore off two wheels immediately, and the wings were also torn off during the slide. Pre Race Events 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 2016, Marc Evans, 3. During a subsequent practice lap, a wheel came off in the NE corner and he crashed, breaking his leg. You have to get on the turbine much sooner. I got up early and went to visit him. In years since, there has been no final determination on the cause of Arts accident. He was a real nice guy and we got along very well, Green said. George Snider had. cemeteries found in McMinnville, Yamhill County, Oregon, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. google_color_link = "0033FF"; Then Johncock recorded an unofficial lap of 199.4 mph during tire testing in March 1973. And I saw myself and , honest to God, didn't believe it was me. 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. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Arts wife, Pat Pollard, was unable to get to a phone before the general media reported Arts accident and subsequent death. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. It was a quick input on the wheel to the right, and it came right backit only happened that one time. Ken Glass, a long-time Roseburg resident, sponsored Arts car until Indianapolis came calling and the rates simply got too expensive. After four years in the Navy, he went to work at Hansen Chevrolet, where Art was a mechanic. The fingertips on his charred left hand were amputated. 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. With Pollards legacy in mind, the Douglas County Speedway and ASA/Northwest Sprint car Racing Association hosts an annual Art Pollard Memorial race each year in July on a Saturday night. driving through a river of flaming methanol," recalled David Hobbs, now a I just walked away.". The first part of May, 1968, Granatelli signed Art Pollard to replace Jackie Stewart. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. I found on Findagrave.com. Sunday marks the 99th year of what many call the greatest spectacle in racing, the Indianapolis 500. His death hit my family very hard, and to this day we miss him. MEDFORD, Ore. Among those starting their engines in the 1950s, 60s and early 70s were two Southern Oregon natives, Bob Christie of Grants Pass and Art Pollard of Medford. Generated by Wordfence at Wed, 1 Mar 2023 22:21:11 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString());. The rain came while workers were still cleaning the track. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Art Lee Pollard Jr. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. "Back then, about the only way to get a better ride, move up the ladder, was when somebody got hurt or killed," Kunzman said. Pollard, 46, was pronounced dead an hour later from pulmonary damage due to flame inhalation. Walther's fate might have been worse; had the tank stayed with the car he surely would He had just turned 46-years-old one week earlier. Grandfather on the Pollard Side - Andrew Jackson Pollard . English It was one of the most miserable weekends of his life. There was a mirror over the sink in the bathroom. Then all of a sudden we broke through that, and Bruce bought us white pants, we had Levis and t-shirtsand then about that time, we gained the respect of the rest of the people, Stewart said. But for a while I was very depressed. "We flipped it over and I didn't want to see him because I knew I had to race. IndySpeedway.com Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Mike couldnt believe what he was hearing. Caskey is 81 and Green is 85. Pollard's lap prior to the crash was timed at a speed above 192 miles per hour (309km/h). The two day event was held at the Kearney Bowl in Fresno California. (Just last week, the wall was fitted with an innovative series of | He was a true sportsman, a very strong competitor, and wouldnt hurt a fly. He hit it head-on with enough force to rip the machine in two The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site. 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. One of the top athletes probably in the country. People came to see the storied track's first 200-mph laps. Find the obituary of Art Pollard (1957 - 2019) from Commerce City, CO. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. 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. Art won $941.00 for his 14th place finish and Bobby Unser won the race. "I remember the first time I saw what I looked like. Art was buried in McMinnville Oregon. His tires were warmed, his four-speed gear box in high. 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. It was as if a message were being sent with the relentless rain that delayed, The race started four hours late under threatening skies. "People don't realize how the driver gets himself geared up for battle," said Bobby Unser, who would lead 39 laps before retiring with a blown engine. google_page_url = document.location; But after the wreck, I looked like I was fifteen years old again. The death drew notice, but the loss of one more driver wasn't all that unexpected. His racing career started in Roseburg racing hydroplanes on the Umpqua River, and micro-midgets at the fairgrounds. Who Painted the Most Expensive Paintings in the World? Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. If you wait too long, you bog down.. Drivers who survived an earlier era now openly wonder how they did. admitted that seeing an old friend's accident kept him on the safe side of 200. A little after 2 p.m., for the second time in three days, gentlemen started their engines. May 1973 arrived at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with even more hype than usual, I had no brows and almost like a burr haircut. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Over the left hand I wear a glove, a black glove. "That's what people saw. Were it not for the lessons taught by tragedy, the race would be better forgotten. 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. A popular super-modified champion in the Western States in the 1960s - to . He and Pollard were close friends. March 18, 1972 - At Phoenix Art qualified 21st in the #11 Quality Racing Scorpion now with a turbocharged Foyt powerplant. The pride of Roseburg and Medford, Oregon had driven his last lap. [4] Pollard had turned 46 one week before he died. //-->,