17 replies to this topic

[Buford]

I was surprised to see this article in the paper August 14, 2008.

http://www.lasvegass...t-swede-savage/

[Barry Boor]

Thanks for that link, Bufe!

A very moving and poignant piece.

[Hoofhearted]

Thank you for that link. I never really knew Swede Savage. I was a gopher at K&N Motorcycles when he rode 1/2 mile for them at Ascot. I saw him ride and spoke to him a few times. I remember he crashed at Ascot a number of times without injury. One of the crashes was in the main event while he was lying third. Kenny and Norm and the rest were going nuts at the possibility of a high finish. But it was not to be. He was a very brave racer. R.I.P.

[Jack-the-Lad]

Thanks for posting this. I had no idea about his daughter. What a shame. What has become of Swede's widow?

Jack

[Dennis Currington]

Thanks for the link. I forwarded it on to Swede's stepson, Gary.

[Buford]

Originally posted by Dennis Currington
Thanks for the link. I forwarded it on to Swede's stepson, Gary.

Cool!

[Dennis Currington]

Originally posted by Jack-the-Lad
Thanks for posting this. I had no idea about his daughter. What a shame. What has become of Swede's widow?

Jack

I just got an email that will answer that question:



Dennis, thanks for passing that along. Just growing up in San Berdoo and reading his description brought back memories........and we got our car washed at that very car wash!

My mom, sister & brother all live on Vegas, too. I don't think the author knew that. My sister got married last year and had a baby boy 2 years ago.

Gary Savage
www.Savage42.com

[Jack-the-Lad]

Thanks, Dennis.

Jack

[JacnGille]

[MPea3]

"And when we drove back by the carwash, I couldn’t decide whether the reason I don’t have heroes anymore is because I got old or because sometimes it hurts."

I couldn't agree more.

[RA Historian]

Originally posted by Barry Boor
A very moving and poignant piece.

I'll admit that my eyes were moist after I read the marker inscription.
Tom

[Russ Snyder]

Thanks Buford.

Angela Savage lives in Las Vegas according to the Swede Savage website...and she welcomes people to stop where she works to say hello.

I signed the guestbook...bringing back memories of a 10 yr old boy dealing with death that summer.

I have watched the 3 different films of that tragic race recently and wonder...
why did Swede's pit only change the right side tires on that pit stop 2 laps before his crash? I thought they changed all 4, but on closer examination of the films, he only gets a right side change and full fuel load.

Zooom has a personal picture from turn 4 that is included in the "mickey thompson" thread of an instant after the impact with the inside wall. Incredible he lived after impact!

I will note that the North chute and turn 4 were giving many drivers troubles that afternoon...Joe Leonard does a few 360's in controlling his Yellow #1 in the chute... Peter Revson simply spins in the same place Swede spun,albeit about 50 laps earlier in the race, Revson just does not hit the wall with such force.

[Jim Thurman]

A nice article. Thanks Buford

So much better than the piece in for the San Bernardino Sun a few years back - which was negative toward racing and had glaring factual errors. But, that's the difference in having a racing writer and a "general" sportswriter tackle the same subject. Like so many other "general sportswriters" the Sun writer had a penchant for sneering attacks on racing. A shame that Swede's hometown paper couldn't have done something more fitting.

Even the Vegas writer didn't seem that aware of Savage's career beyond "a cool name" (I was younger than him at the time and I knew!). Some things that are worth mentioning. First, he was a true prodigy a "whiz kid" in an era where it was almost unheard of in top level racing. This was back when talent made the difference, not connections with a television network or having a conning stepfather. Savage and Mark Martin are the only examples I can cite from my time who were elevated so quickly to big time racing.

He raced motorcycles, including Speedway bikes at places like Trojan Speedway in South Gate, catching Dan Gurney's eye. A fellow Inland Empire resident, Gurney took on Savage as his protege as Gurney began winding his driving down. Swede raced in NASCAR, Trans-Am and Indy Cars. After winning the 1970 season closing USAC race at Phoenix International Raceway, he and Gurney parted ways. After the serious crash in the Questor Grand Prix at Ontario, he was portrayed as "never being the same" and his results kind of indicate that.

And what of the stories that it wasn't the burns, but tainted blood that eventually claimed Swede?

[Lec CRP1]

Dr. Steve Olvey, Savage's resident physician after his accident, wrote in Rapid Response that Savage died of liver failure resulting from a Hepatitis B-infected transfusion of blood plasma.

[wildman]

Originally posted by Jim Thurman
Even the Vegas writer didn't seem that aware of Savage's career beyond "a cool name" (I was younger than him at the time and I knew!).

I'd give the writer a bit more credit than that. Ron Kantowski is apparently something of a student of motorsports history, at least moreso than one might expect of a sportswriter for a major-market daily. A few years ago, he wrote this retrospective on the long-forgotten Stardust International Raceway:
http://www.lasvegass...rdust-memories/

[B Squared]

I recently found out that Swede's (and later, Scott Brayton's) chief mechanic - Jim Wright - passed away in April of this year. Jim had a excellent reputation as an engine builder & was well known at Indy for his efforts with the Buick engine, among many other successes over the years in many racing disciplines. He was with Swede as early as the Gurney years. The family has www.jimwrightmemorial.com where much more than I can say is available on his racing career. I do know that when I was at the Brayton Engineering facilities, there was a few photos on the wall with Jim & Swede together. He cared alot about Swede, I sure am going to miss Jim. He & his wife, Lynn, always welcomed us with open arms. I'm ashamed that I only found out about his passing a few weeks ago. A fine man to me & all of my family.

Brian

[ReWind]

A moving story about Angela Savage's first visit to the Indy 500 (Link)

Author: Linda Mansfield; source: NSSN

 

There are a lot of “what ifs?” in the story of Indy car driver Swede Savage and the daughter he never knew, Angela Savage.

The most obvious “what if” question is what if he hadn’t died from complications from the injuries he sustained in a fiery crash during the 1973 Indianapolis 500. At the time he was widely regarded as a future superstar. He was Dan Gurney’s protégé, and he had the attention of the Ford Motor Company. He was one of the fastest drivers during practice at the Brickyard that May, he broke the track record during qualifying, and he led the race before his accident.

His widow, Sheryl, was six-months pregnant with Angela at the time. The couple also had an 8-year-old daughter, Shelly. (Swede also left a son, John, from an earlier relationship.)

People handle grief differently. Heartbroken over the loss and with a young girl and a baby to raise, Sheryl Savage turned her back on the sport that had taken her husband far too young. Swede Savage was only 26 when he died.

Sheryl remarried a year later. As Angela and Shelly grew up, Angela said her mother wanted nothing to do with motorsports and she didn’t want to talk about her late husband with her daughters. Instead, she concentrated on rebuilding her life with her new husband.

All of her life, Angela has struggled to come to terms with never knowing her father.

“It was pretty confusing,” Angela said. “I suffered from anxiety and depression, and I was into alcohol and drugs by the time I was 10.”

The life insurance money was quickly spent. Tragedy struck the family again when Shelly died of leukemia at 28.

Today Angela lives modestly in Boulder City, Nev. She is married and has two sons of her own, Chance, 8, and Cruz, 2. Her husband, Scott Jackson, owns a Mr. Fix-It business, providing plumbing, electrical and handyman services.

As she got older and had her own children, Angela started to take it upon herself to learn more about her father’s career and his passion for motorsports. She had no desire to attend a race, however, and never watched racing on television.

Last May a chance encounter on Facebook brought her in touch with Paul Powell, a devoted race fan and photographer from Brownsburg, Ind. A customer service representative for Racer Parts Wholesale, an Indianapolis-based company that sells auto racing parts, safety equipment and motorcycle supplies, he has been instrumental in helping to preserve the memory of another famous racer, Mark Donohue.

Powell met Swede Savage only once, when Donohue introduced them at a drivers’ meeting. Powell was aware that Jim Wright, Swede Savage’s crew chief, had spearheaded a fund-raising campaign when Shelly became ill, so he knew about the family’s struggles.

As their Facebook chats progressed, Powell learned of Angela’s emotional wounds.

“All my life I’ve felt like an empty, broken girl without my father,” she said.

Powell gently suggested that she might find peace and closure if she attended an Indianapolis 500 and saw first-hand the sport that her father loved, and talked to some people who knew him.

At first the idea seemed impossible both emotionally and financially, but Powell told her he’d do everything he could to help her get to Indianapolis if she wanted to come.

Powell wasn’t sure if he could raise enough funds to pay for the transportation costs so Angela could attend the 2014 Indianapolis 500 or not, but he was determined to try.

“These days when there is a tragedy, people can help by contributing to a fund through social media, but it wasn’t as easy 40 years ago,” he said. “I thought it might help her a lot if she was able to learn more about her father, talk to some people who knew him, and see for herself why her father loved racing and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

Powell began by telling other racing friends about the situation and creating a Facebook page called “Let’s Get Angela Savage to Indy 2014.” Donations were solicited in a non-pushy manner, and news of the effort spread. At press time 1,243 people have “friended” the page.

Later he organized an actual Web site at AngelaToIndy.com to take donations to help defray the costs of the trip. After the expenses of the trip are paid, any excess funds are going into a trust fund to help pay for college educations for Angela’s sons, who are Swede’s only grandchildren.

“For the most part the travel expenses are paid,” Powell said on Thursday. “It’s not going to be a lot, but right now we have about $1,500 for the education fund.”

One of the people who learned of the project was Ted Woerner of Miles Ahead, a driving school based at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He became Powell’s right-hand man in the effort.

“Swede was one of my favorite drivers, and like everyone I was very sad when he crashed,” Woerner said. “About a month later there was a small article in the newspaper saying that he had died, and that was it. There was no way for fans to connect like they can now through social media.”

Through Woerner, Miles Ahead agreed to provide Angela with one of its new, 2014 Mini Cooper S hardtops to drive while she was in Indianapolis. It carried Swede’s number, 42, and both Angela and Swede’s names were on the car as if the two of them were co-drivers.

Powell approached J. Doug Boles, the president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for help with the project too. The speedway stepped up royally, and covered the major expenses of airfare, hotel and VIP credentials for Angela, her husband, and also her uncle, Bruce Savage, Swede’s only sibling. He lives in Hawaii, where he owns a wine and cheese shop. He had traveled to Indianapolis to be with Swede when he was hospitalized after the accident, but like Angela and Scott he had never been to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Angela’s mother agreed to take care of her boys while the couple was away. Angela and her husband arrived on Wednesday, Community Day. Bruce arrived on Thursday.

Like many people, Angela got her first look at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the air, preparing to land at the Indianapolis International Airport.

“I started crying when I saw the track when I was on the plane,” she said, “but now they’re happy tears.”

She met Powell and Woerner in person at the airport on Wednesday too. “They’re part of my family now,” she said firmly.

“I feel like she’s my sister or my daughter or something,” Powell said. “Through all this Ted and I got to be close friends too, and that would have never happened if we hadn’t gotten involved in this effort.”

In addition to the people and companies already mentioned, Powell said Jim Bork, Bob Gates, Andy Hartwell and “Pam N Indy” on Facebook were among other people who were instrumental in the effort to “Get Angela to Indy.”

Angela stepped on the grounds of Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time on Thursday morning, and she visited track historian Donald Davidson that afternoon to learn more about her father. She was in attendance to see the cars during their final practice session before the race on Friday, Carb Day.

Later that night she was the guest of honor at a reception held at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. That event was co-sponsored by Miles Ahead and The Momentum Group. The latter is an Indianapolis-based branding, multimedia and creative services agency.

The reception, which was attended by about 70 people, included a talk show-style session to give Swede’s fans the opportunity to hear Angela’s story and ask her questions. The night kicked off with a group photo in front of the museum’s famous contemporary “Love” statue by Robert Indiana.

Bruce Savage told the audience some things they would never have known about Swede growing up. Dr. Tom Lucas, an Indianapolis-based dentist who was a go-fer on Swede’s pit crew in 1973, shared his memories too. Kyle Kietzmann of Bell Helmets presented Angela with a replica of her father’s helmet. Paul and Gail Pawl of West Bloomfield Hills, Mich., were on hand with their 1973 Cadillac Ed Dorado convertible, which was one of the official track vehicles at the Speedway in 1973. They already had autographs from about half of the 1973 Indy 500 field on the underside of the car’s trunk, and Angela signed it too.

At the track, Powell and Woerner introduced their guests to all sorts of racing celebrities and fans. Bruce Savage is an amateur drummer, and through their connections he donned a kilt as an honorary member of the Gordon Pipers on race day morning. Angela was interviewed on the local Fox affiliate on Sunday morning too.

The group watched the race from a suite, and Angela said she loved it.

“I had no anxiety at all; I loved it,” she said. “I already want to come back.”

It will take awhile for her to process all her thoughts, impressions and emotions after the trip. But she said the experience has helped her to heal and come to terms with what happened at Indianapolis 41 years ago. She also has a renewed desire to instill in her sons a sense of pride for their grandfather’s accomplishments and legacy.

“I want the love that my new friends have shown me here to over-shine his crash,” she said. “I want to remember this happiness, not the depression.”

Which brings us to three more “what if” questions. What if Angela didn’t have the courage to trust some complete strangers, get on that plane, and be brave enough to try to come to terms with a tragedy that has haunted her all her life?

What if Powell and his friends hadn’t taken it upon themselves to help the daughter of one of the sports’ fallen heroes in an effort that may help his only grandchildren too?

And perhaps the biggest “what if” question of all: What if everyone followed their example, and helped other people who are struggling through their own personal journeys?

 

From left to right: Scott Jackson, Angela Savage’s husband; Angela Savage; Paul Powell and Bruce Savage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Carb Day. (Linda Mansfield Photo)

Angela Savage and Jim Nabors share a moment before Sunday’s Indy 500. Nabors sang “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” at IMS for the first time in 1972, Swede Savage’s rookie year at Indy. Nabors is retiring from that duty after Sunday’s race, which was Angela Savage’s first Indy 500 ever. (Paul Powell Photo)

IMS historian Donald Davidson (right) told Angela Savage (left) some things about her late father’s racing career during her visit. (Linda Mansfield Photo)

[No brain no pain]

Angela Savage is easy to find on FB. She uses her own name, and is a very nice person.