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Encyclopedia > 1964 Indianapolis 500

Results of the 1964 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Saturday, May 30, 1964. Indy 500 redirects here. ... Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana (a separate town completely surrounded by Indianapolis) in the United States, is the second-oldest surviving automobile racing track in the world (after the Milwaukee Mile), having existed since 1909, and the original Speedway, the first racing facility historically to incorporate the word. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ...


It is best known for a fiery second-lap accident that resulted in the deaths of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald, involving a total of seven cars. Eddie Sachs (May 28, 1927 in Allentown, Pennsylvania - May 30, 1964) was a United States Auto Club driver who was known as the Caped Crusader of Auto Racing and Clown Prince of Auto Racing for his personality at the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...


MacDonald was driving a car owned and designed by Mickey Thompson, the #83 "Sears-Allstate Special".[1] It was a rear-engined car that first raced in 1963, updated with a streamlined body for 1964. The car was designed to start with enough fuel to run the full race, housed within a rubber bladder in an enclosed tank that ran between the tires on the left side. The car also featured Sears tires.[2] It was far ahead of its time, but was badly designed, poorly built and difficult to drive. [3] It handled badly, a condition made worse when the body was modified to accommodate the USAC-mandated 15 inch tires. Graham Hill tested the vehicle before Indy, but refused to drive it in 1963. Masten Gregory crashed earlier in the month due to aerodynamic lift. Other drivers took the advice of Gregory, and stayed away from the Thompson cars. Jim Clark told MacDonald on Carb Day, "Get out of that car mate, just walk away." The ride also offered to Mario Andretti, who turned it down due Andretti's concerns over his lack of experience and the fact that the ride was only for Indy. According to long-time motor sports journalist Chris Economaki, MacDonald never practiced with a full load of fuel due to Thompson's focus on high speeds.[4] Mickey Thompson, born December 7, 1928 - died March 16, 1988, was an American racing legend. ... The United States Automobile Club (USAC) was the primary sanctioning body for open-wheel motor racing in the United States from the mid-1950s until the late 1970s. ... Norman Graham Hill, known as Graham Hill (February 15, 1929 - November 29, 1975) was an English racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. ... Masten Gregory was a Formula One driver from the United States. ... Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940 in Montona dIstria, Italy, now Motovun, Croatia) is an Italian American racing driver, and one of the most successful Americans in the history of auto racing. ... Christopher Chris Constantine Economaki (born October 15, 1920) is a legendary American motorsports commentator, pit road reporter, and journalist. ...


In the first lap of his first Indy 500 race in 1964, MacDonald passed at least 5 other cars. As MacDonald passed Johnny Rutherford and Sachs, Rutherford noticed that MacDonald's car was very loose, even throwing grass and dirt up from the edge of the track. Rutherford later said that, watching the behavior of MacDonald's car, he thought, "Whoa, he's either gonna win this thing or crash."[5] Johnny Rutherford (born March 12, 1938 in Coffeyville, Kansas) was a U.S. automobile racer. ...


On the second lap, MacDonald lost control coming off the fourth turn. As the car began to slide, he came across the track and hit the inside wall, igniting the gasoline in his fuel tanks (approximately 70-100 gallons) which caused a massive fire. His car then slid back across the track, causing seven more cars to be involved. Ronnie Duman crashed, spun in flames and hit the pit lane wall, and was burned. Bobby Unser hit another car, and Johnny Rutherford's car on its left rear tire, and crashed into the outside wall. Chuck Stevenson and Norm Hall also crashed. The gallon (abbreviation: gal) is a unit of volume. ... Ronnie Duman (February 12, 1929 - June 9, 1968), was an American racecar driver. ... Robert William Bobby Unser (born February 20, 1934 in Colorado Springs, Colorado) was a U.S. automobile racer. ... Chuck Stevenson was a Formula One driver (Indy 500 only) from the United States. ... Norm Hall (May 14, 1926 - March 11, 1992), was an American racecar driver. ...


Sachs, blinded by the smoke, hit MacDonald's burning car, and died in the fire before he could be freed. According to eye-witnesses, he was burned alive. His car, including his body, was covered by a tarp before being towed away during the cleanup. A lemon that had been on a string around Sachs' neck was found inside of Rutherford's car after the crash.[6]


MacDonald was pulled from the wreck and taken into the infield hospital, burned beyond recognition. His lungs were seared from flame inhalation, causing acute pulmonary oedema. He died at at 1:20 in the afternoon.[7]


The crash was well-documented in film and still images, and shown world-wide. For the first time in its history, a red flag stopped the Indy 500. Partially in response to media pressure, USAC mandated that cars carry less fuel, a change that also led every team to switch from gasoline to methanol prior to the next year's Indy 500.[8]

Finish Start No Name Qual Rank Laps Led Status
1 5 1 Flag of the United States A.J. Foyt 154.672 6 200 146 Running
2 3 2 Flag of the United States Rodger Ward 156.406 3 200 0 Running
3 7 18 Flag of the United States Lloyd Ruby 153.932 8 200 0 Running
4 21 99 Flag of the United States Johnny White 150.893 28 200 0 Running
5 13 88 Flag of the United States Johnny Boyd 151.835 18 200 0 Running
6 19 15 Flag of the United States Bud Tingelstad 151.210 26 198 0 Flagged
7 12 23 Flag of the United States Dick Rathmann 151.860 17 197 0 Flagged
8 27 4 Flag of the United States Bob Harkey 151.573 19 197 0 Flagged
9 32 68 Flag of the United States Bob Wente 149.869 31 197 0 Flagged
10 20 16 Flag of the United States Bobby Grim 151.038 27 196 0 Flagged
11 30 3 Flag of the United States Art Malone 151.222 25 194 0 Flagged
12 9 5 Flag of the United States Don Branson 152.672 12 187 0 Clutch
13 10 53 Flag of the United States Walt Hansgen 152.581 13 176 0 Flagged
14 11 56 Flag of the United States Jim Hurtubise 152.542 14 141 0 Oil Pressure
15 8 66 Flag of the United States Len Sutton 153.813 9 140 0 Magneto
16 33 62 Flag of the United States Bill Cheesbourg 148.711 33 131 0 Engine
17 6 12 Flag of the United States Dan Gurney 154.487 7 110 0 Tire wear
18 18 14 Flag of the United States Troy Ruttman 151.292 24 99 0 Spun T3
19 23 54 Flag of the United States Bob Veith 153.381 10 88 0 Piston
20 25 52 Flag of Australia Jack Brabham 152.504 15 77 0 Fuel Tank
21 26 28 Flag of the United States Jim McElreath 152.381 16 77 0 Filter system
22 28 77 Flag of the United States Bob Mathouser 151.451 21 77 0 Brakes
23 4 98 Flag of the United States Parnelli Jones 155.099 4 55 7 Pit fire
24 1 6 Flag of the United Kingdom Jim Clark 158.828 1 47 14 Suspension
25 2 51 Flag of the United States Bobby Marshman 157.857 2 39 33 Oil Plug
26 24 84 Flag of the United States Eddie Johnson 152.905 11 6 0 Fuel Pump
27 15 86 Flag of the United States Johnny Rutherford 151.400 23 2 0 Crash FS
28 29 95 Flag of the United States Chuck Stevenson 150.830 29 2 0 Crash FS
29 14 83 Flag of the United States Dave MacDonald 151.464 20 1 0 Crash FS (fatal)
30 17 25 Flag of the United States Eddie Sachs 151.439 22 1 0 Crash FS (fatal)
31 16 64 Flag of the United States Ronnie Duman 149.744 32 1 0 Crash FS
32 22 9 Flag of the United States Bobby Unser 154.865 5 1 0 Crash FS
33 31 26 Flag of the United States Norm Hall 150.094 30 1 0 Crash T4
1963 Indianapolis 500
Parnelli Jones		 1964 Indianapolis 500
A.J. Foyt		 1965 Indianapolis 500
Jim Clark

References

  1. ^ Mickey Thompson @ 1963 Indy 500
  2. ^ The Foyt Files :: IndyCar Series
  3. ^ American Driver, Lone Star JR Johnny Rutherford - Columns - Automobile Magazine
  4. ^ Autosport.com
  5. ^ Motorsport Memorial
  6. ^ Motorsport Memorial
  7. ^ American Driver, Lone Star JR Johnny Rutherford - Columns - Automobile Magazine
  8. ^ IndyStar.com: Indy 500

 

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