A 10 car pile up on the opening lap eliminated Art and the #40 car. He had a high sense of ethics, Martin said. No one did. My left hand was burned so bad that the tips of all the fingers were amputated. Driver Art Pollard was killed in a horrific pole-day qualifying crash. google_page_url = document.location; It was an unspectacular run. [5] Pollard also served in the United States Navy for a time. 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. Pollard was pronounced dead an hour later. He sliced and diced his way up through the field and took the lead from STP teammate and Indy 500 winner Mario Andretti. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. He hit the inside wall almost head-on at full speed. Plump organized charity basketball games that Pollard helped promote with other drivers, in addition to his own charity work at an Indianapolis hospital. ". . Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. google_color_text = "000000"; Milwaukee-area auto dealer. Here, we celebrate Arts remarkable life. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Survivors were his widow, Patricia; a son Michael; a daughter, Judy Dipple of Speedway; and his mother, Mrs. Artie Pollard of McMinnville. Paul Jackson Pollock was the fifth and youngest son of Stella May McClure and LeRoy Pollock, who were both of Scotch-Irish extraction (LeRoys original surname was McCoy before his adoption about 1890 by a family named Pollock) and born and raised in Iowa. In years since, there has been no final determination on the cause of Arts accident. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. In 1928 they moved to Los Angeles, where Pollock enrolled at Manual Arts High School. I didn't cry 'til I got back to the bed. 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. Car trouble ends his day early on lap 45. 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. So it was being a good father, a good man, and a person of integrity that I admire, Dippell said. Tom Carnegie, you know, the voice of Indy, when he says, after being there 60 years, that dad was the most loved driver among the other drivers, that means more than if he ever won Indianapolis to me. google_ad_client = "pub-8002195670072149"; Main Died after a huge crash in a practice session for the 1973 Indy 500. He went on to become a popular super-modified champion in the Western States in the 1960sand finally, the Indy Racing circuitachieving the pinnacle of racing, the famed BrickyardIndianapolis Motor Speedway in 1967. Pollock was employed by the WPA Federal Art Project in the fall of 1935 as an easel painter. "It was my job," he said. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. car owner in Champ car. Yesterday Art Pollard left us. He served time in jail. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. It did provide money. "I remember the first time I saw what I looked like. Kunzman took over Pollard's car for the remainder of the 1973 season. gravity. Try again later. Auto Racer. Its different to drive, too. ARTHUR POLLARD OBITUARY *ARTHUR POLLARD* Former University of Arizona football star and horse racing legend, Arthur Pollard, died on September 8th, 2008 at age 86. Art won $941.00 for his 14th place finish and Bobby Unser won the race. His first attempt fell short in 1966, but in 1967 he qualified to start 13th and finished 8th. ). 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. After his time in Roseburg, Pollard left for Medford and later became a national figure. A proud family man, a well-respected competitor, a humanitarian, and a friend to all, was gone. one of the corners that was grabable," said Dallenbach, who is now the chief steward It was like a blanket of fire on the track. The pride of Roseburg and Medford, Oregon had driven his last lap. There was a mirror over the sink in the bathroom. I'd lost fifty pounds or so. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Art Pollard (7232111)? Wally Dallenbach stepped into Savage's. Verify and try again. The book was released this year by Bob Kehoe of Hillsboro. Bob Stewart was a member of his first crew at Indianapolis, and a life-long friend. "Seldom have so many things that potentially could go wrong actually gone When it snapped, Art lost a wheel, spun around and slammed into the third turn concrete." Article, "Hospital Room Looks Like a Greenhouse," Robin Miller, The Indianapolis Star, 1972 This brought back many memories for Fletcher, who owned the car that Art Pollard died in during the 1973 race. A. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Make a life-giving gesture Please enter your email and password to sign in. 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. And I set to work to build myself up. The death drew notice, but the loss of one more driver wasn't all that unexpected. Actually, it isnt the turbine, but the four-wheel drive and the engineering and the chassis. The first part of May, 1968, Granatelli signed Art Pollard to replace Jackie Stewart. I think I cried for about two minutes. "It's a sad thing to say, but it is.". 1965: 3 races;0 wins; 0 Podiums; 0 Pole Positions, 1966: 7 races;0 wins; 0 Podiums; 0 Pole Positions, 1967: 10 races; 0 wins; 0 Podiums; 1 Pole Position, 1968: 20 races; 0 wins; 0 Podiums; 1 Pole Position, 1969: 18 races; 2 wins; 3 Podiums; 0 Pole Positions, 1970: 10 races; 0 wins; 1 Podium;0 Pole Positions, 1971: 10 races; 0 wins; 1 Podium;0 Pole Positions, 1972: 4 races;0 wins; 0 Podiums; 0 Pole Positions, 1967: Car #16; Thermo-King; Laps completed: 195; Start 13; Finished 8, 1968: Car #20; STP; Laps completed: 188; fuel shaft failure; Start 11; Finished 13, 1969: Car #40; STP; Laps completed: 7; driveline failure; Start 12; Finished 31, 1970: Car #10; Car Wash Systems; Laps completed: 28; Piston failure; Start 6; Finished 30, 1971: Car #64; Gilmore; Laps completed: 45; Valve failure; Start 31; Finished 26. He was a good dad. Coming out of Turn 4 on the next lap, the rear of his 1,500-pound Eagle, heavy with 500 pounds of methanol, twitched. Jim Nabors, an emergency fill-in the year before, sang "Back Home in Indiana" again. He died in Indianapolis, Indiana in a practice run during the first day of time trials for the 1973 Indianapolis 500. He hit it head-on with enough force to rip the machine in two Carnegie, who will call his 53rd Indy 500 today. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. You have to anticipate the throttletheres a lag there. The car was demolished. He is our most famous son, and whether you were privileged to know him or not you can take pride in the fact that Art was one of us., Our promise to Mike and Judy, and all who all knew him best, is as long as there is a Pacific Racing Association, Art Pollard will never be forgotten, both for the kind of guy he was and for his contributions to the sport we all love so much., (In early 1960s) I felt more comfortable running wheel-to-wheel with Art than anyone in history. The flames melted it and crinkled it all up.". Mike couldnt believe what he was hearing. google_ad_channel ="0983136519"; with crashes that killed drivers Art Pollard and Swede Savage and crewman Armando Teran 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 had to relearn to walk but he was back at Indy, back in the field for the 1974 Indianapolis 500. position he would hold until pitting. google_ad_height = 90; George Snider had. Ken Glass, a long-time Roseburg resident, sponsored Arts car until Indianapolis came calling and the rates simply got too expensive. To use this feature, use a newer browser. "He told me, 'Don't go up there,'" Johncock recalled. "They had everybody stopped there in Turn 4," Johncock said. This isn't going to do any good either. "It really tries on a driver hard. Unser led early, then Savage went to the front. because the 200 mph barrier was within the sights of drivers and on the minds of trackside It was a quick input on the wheel to the right, and it came right backit only happened that one time. Art Pollard (born 05 May 1927 Dragon, Utah; died 12 May 1973 Indianapolis, Indiana). catching its nose and twirling like a propeller a half-dozen times while also overturning. limits were instituted and the rear wings were clipped from 64 inches in width to 55. But he never forgot about his old friends. Approximately one hour after the accident, Art Pollard was pronounced dead. The race started four hours late under threatening skies. Pole Day - Saturday May 12 - Death of Art Pollard. But I didn't have enough muscles to do anything. A TV news report, that included interviews with friends and daughter, Judy Dippell. |, Copyright 1999-2006 Johncock, who would win again when he beat Rick Mears by .16 seconds in 1982, didn't look or sound happy. It erupted in flames with the green flag still waving. Just didn't go that way.". Try again later. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. I was in the Michigan Burn Center for two and a half months. as good of friends as you can be when you race against each other," He explored themes including surrealist navigation of the unconscious and Jungian symbolism. I think he was probably the first driver that we had who helped local people. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. remember very vividly And you dont always get that from, not just race drivers, but also other stars so-to-speak. "I had the gloves on, so I grabbed the hottest thing, the turbocharger, which was And I think it was a tribute to him and the fact that he cared. He was 88. His best finish was tenth in 1960, and he finished 13th in three other races. Each year it got a little faster and a better car, and then we he started going to out-of-town races, said Green, who was a body shop mechanic for more than 40 years. Born in Dragon, Utah, and raised in the Portland, Oregon area, Pollard drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1965-1973 seasons, with 84 career starts, including the 1967-1971 Indianapolis 500 races. The traditional post-race banquet was It just makes driving at Indianapolis easier. Savage lost control. "I pulled up right at the end of pit road and remember telling the radio Your Scrapbook is currently empty. "Everyone's friend," Unser called him. His car rolled over and was engulfed in a fireball. Bobby Unser took the pole at 195.940 mph, 17 mph faster than the year before. He was found unconscious, and was rushed to Methodist Hospital in the new Cardiac ambulance. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Foyt approached and put a hand on Johncock's arm. They shared hamburgers at the Burger Chef restaurant on West 16th Street, just east of the track. Time trials began on time, at 11 a.m. Rutherford qualified at 198.413 to set a track record and take the pole. People in the pits recall the searing intensity of the heat. At Milwaukee, on August 22, 1965 - Art Pollard made his USAC Champ Car debut, driving a rear-engine Rolla Vollstedt designed car owned by Jim Robbins. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Failed to remove flower. Racing families never think it will be their loved-one. Learn more about merges. observers. He was a real nice guy and we got along very well, Green said. 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. google_color_border = "DDAAAA"; But after the wreck, I looked like I was fifteen years old again. overturned, flaming car came to rest right in front of Dallenbach, who helped firefighters "It was just a race that everybody wanted to get over with and go home and forget "He said, 'You don't want to see it.". The grandstand was showered in debris and burning fuel. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. His fathers Studebaker dealership sponsored his midget race car. I got up early and went to visit him. Richards writes for The Indianapolis Star, a Gannett property. that much more safe.". Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. As their communities grappled with an invisible enemy, artists have often tried to make sense of the random . This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. . Pollard's was an uncommon touch. 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. On Friday Art qualified fastest with a new track record. His family lived there for 11 months after his birth, and Pollock never returned to the town. It was as if a message were being sent with the relentless rain that delayed, 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. You slow down the film and there's no other conclusion you can come to. Other cars were losing parts. (HTTP response code 503). "That's all you can say.". 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. He was an engaging speaker and frequent spokesman. The total distance covered was 1,450 feet (440 m). google_color_url = "0033FF"; "Friends and Family Remember May 12 1973", "Art Pollard Racing in 1973, the Tragedy and Reactions", "Art Pollard: Early Years and Personal Facts", https://web.archive.org/web/20071205052904/http://artpollard.tripod.com/1972-73.html, https://web.archive.org/web/20110810203442/http://www.judydippel.com/cmsj/, https://artpollardracedriver.info/art-pollard-by-years/art-pollard-racing-in-1973-the-tragedy-and-reactions/, https://oilpressure.com/2012/02/27/art-pollard-somehow-always-overshadowed/, https://www.historicracing.com/driverDetail.cfm?driverID=5062, http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20160430/SPORTS/160439978, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Art_Pollard&oldid=1091444970, Pages using small with an empty input parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 4 June 2022, at 11:04. friends . GREAT NEWS! 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. A crew. He visited children at La Rue Carter Hospital in Indianapolis, where a playground there was named after him. Steve Krisiloff, who started the 1973 race seventh and finished sixth, recalled coming around to take the green flag on his pole day qualifying attempt. He really put his foot into it and topped teammate Hills speed with an incredible 171.559 mph average. He would share an apartment in Greenwich Village with Sanford and his wife until 1942. The 1973 Indianapolis 500 remains one of the lowest points in American motor sports I was a helluva mess at the time but still conscious. placed in ambulances, driving rain hit again. Over the next 16 years his family lived in California and Arizona, eventually moving nine times. 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