google_ad_width = 728; In the Saturday morning practice session on May 12th, Pollard was running 191.4 mph when he lost control of his Dan Gurney Eagle car and smashed into the outside retaining wall at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I had no brows and almost like a burr haircut. Mike couldnt believe what he was hearing. He served time in jail. I went out in qualifying later and set a new track record. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Mud and sodden trash was everywhere. He always made time for the people he knew and for the fans, Judy Pollard enjoying Arts race car in their Medford driveway in 1967. They were going to cut off the left hand at first, but the doctor felt he could save it. ", Meanwhile in the pits, Teran, an STP crewman, headed toward the accident scene. We got treated terrible until we qualified. They wore the same uniform. His fathers Studebaker dealership sponsored his midget race car. Somewhere in my possessions I have an autographed photo of Art and the Indy car. Not just for publicity, but sincerely cared for people, Dippell said. Caskey is 81 and Green is 85. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. "We used to average a death a year out here," recalled track announcer Tom He hit it head-on with enough force to rip the machine in two [4] Pollard had turned 46 one week before he died. Pop-off valves cut boost and the horsepower generated by turbochargers. "This is why there has been such a terrible atmosphere of fear here, all weekend long.". He was a natural race car driver, Caskey said. Christie was born in Grants Pass in 1924 and helped his family raise hops. google_color_text = "000000"; Weve updated the security on the site. But, hell, that 150 was a hell of a lot harder than that 250, you know what I mean? It was 5:30 p.m. Only 10 cars were still running. Jungian symbolism and the Surrealist exploration of the unconscious also influenced his works of this period; indeed, from 1939 through 1941 he was in treatment with two successive Jungian psychoanalysts who used Pollocks own drawings in the therapy sessions. Henry Martin always admired Bob Christie. Second, where was I? Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. The racing thing interested me also.. The two day event was held at the Kearney Bowl in Fresno California. A.J. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. about it," winner Gordon Johncock said. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. In 1961, Art won one of his favorite races, The Western States Championship in Fresno Ca. 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. And I was wasted. Art qualified in the field for the 1972 race, but broke his leg in a post-qualifying accident and was unable to race. Growing up in the small. More than 70 gallons of burning fuel sprayed into the grandstand and puddled on the track as cars scattered down the front stretch. 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. history. Twelve cars were caught up in the wreckage as Walther's car pin-wheeled down the track upside down, gushing flaming methanol. Swede Savage, driver of another Patrick Racing, STP-sponsored car, and Armando Teran, mechanic on a third Patrick/STP car, also died. During one period in 1961, he won 22 of 28 main events. google_color_border = "DDAAAA"; I just walked away.". With Memorial Day came gloomy skies and intermittent showers that interrupted The car clipped the wall coming out of turn one and did a half-spin as it headed to the grass on the inside of the short chute. "Well, you were running 150 mph, you're not running 250. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. For a while though, it was touch and go. He was always racing. "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. | "By then, I could laugh about it. Somebody from the hospital released the news, but I was not able to get in touch with anybody before the news became public.. "That's what people saw. He told him he was going to hit 200 mph, or die trying. BARBARA POLLARD OBITUARY. In 1968, he teamed up to drive one of Andy Granatelli's famous STP Lotus Turbines. Kunzman took over Pollard's car for the remainder of the 1973 season. Its different to drive, too. "I remember the first time I saw what I looked like. google_color_url = "0033FF"; He was 46. There is a problem with your email/password. A popular super-modified champion in the Western States in the 1960s to ultimately the Championship Car Series achieving the pinnacle of racing at the famed Brickyard in Indiana. Art Pollard, American race car driver (b. A month later, after Savage's kidneys had failed, he died of pneumonia. wrong," said Dan Gurney, himself a driver until 1970 and later an owner and car one of the corners that was grabable," said Dallenbach, who is now the chief steward He went to a hospital locally and started visiting that hospital and bringing drivers with him. car owner in Champ car. 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. "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. The total distance covered was 1,450 feet (440m). So Were it not for the lessons taught by tragedy, the race would be better forgotten. My car hit another and then spun down the track with the wheels off it. He started twenty-fifth and finished twenty-second after a spin. google_ad_channel ="0983136519"; My other hand - the fingers are at different angles to each other, which you don't really notice most of the time 'cause the hand's not spread open in ordinary circumstances. He was found unconscious, and was rushed to Methodist Hospital in the new Cardiac ambulance. Johncock left the track quickly. "That's all you can say.". His lover, artist Ruth Kligman, was the only survivor of the accident. He really was an extraordinary individual blessed with many rare qualities and talents., Art Pollard was a credit to the sport of auto racing. Driver Salt Walther suffered disfiguring burns in a fiery first-lap crash that injured 13 spectators. Art Pollard (born 05 May 1927 Dragon, Utah; died 12 May 1973 Indianapolis, Indiana). Make sure that the file is a photo. There wouldn't be another on-track fatality at IMS until Gordon Smiley in 1982. "It's probably the lowest point in my life," said Patrick, who continues as a 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. google_ad_height = 90; But he never forgot about his old friends. Death 12 May 1973 (aged 46) Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA. Bobby Unser took the pole at 195.940 mph, 17 mph faster than the year before. "I think One driver, when he saw me, made a claw of his hand and with that warped fist, waved and said, "Hi, how are you?" Hell, we'd take him on hunting trips, fishing trips, everywhere. preparations four times. Jim Malloy had crashed in this same turn 2 days before and would die 2 days later. Unfortunately Art slipped in Johnny Rutherford's oil and crashed in turn 1. google_ad_client = "pub-8002195670072149"; Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Main By the mid-60s, car owners were trying to talk Pollard into driving their cars at Indianapolis. Robin Millers 2016 Christmas Gifts Suggestions including Art Pollard: The Life and Legacy of a Gentleman Racer by Bob Kehoe. This browser does not support getting your location. As I was driving along I had the radio on, and thats when I heard about Arts crash. "I was down by the pit wall, steering left, and . hands. In 1945 Pollock married the painter Lee Krasner and moved to East Hampton, on the southern shore of Long Island, New York. . . Upon his death, Pollard's family established the Art Pollard Fund with a $25,000 bequest. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He studied life drawing, painting, and composition with Benton for the next two and one-half years, leaving the league in the early months of 1933. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. All I asked was if theyd give me time to call his family in Oregon, Pat recalls. Please enter your email and password to sign in. google_color_bg = "ECF8FF"; "I think we can trim it out and get a little more out of it," Pollard responded. plastic cylinders and covering plates designed to minimize the force of impact. Savage was moving toward the front again on Lap 59 It was horrendous and I could tell it was not good. He grew up in California and Arizona, where his father worked on a string of unprofitable truck farms. 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. ". He didn't get to race in 1972 although he qualfied his STP Lola in 10th spot. "We flipped it over and I didn't want to see him because I knew I had to race. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. He did everything so well. On race day, Monday, May 28, the massive crowd included 23 U.S. prisoners of war recently released by Hanoi. |, Copyright 1999-2006 Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. The car was uncompetitive and Art switched to a new Lotus Offy. 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. | Family members linked to this person will appear here. Survivors were his widow, Patricia; a son Michael; a daughter, Judy Dipple of Speedway; and his mother, Mrs. Artie Pollard of McMinnville. 'You don't want to go up there.' Food Party 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. Meanwhile, the infield continued its metamorphosis into a bog of mud and stinking Recent studies by art historians and scientists . The traditional victory banquet was canceled. So it was being a good father, a good man, and a person of integrity that I admire, Dippell said. announcer, 'We're supposed to have 33 of the best drivers in the world and they can't even Parts of my kneecap were smashed. 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. "When I first got out, I remember I put on my nice-looking crepe slacks and my good-looking shirts. | Note: Prior to 1965 Artwon 83 championship events in the Western Statesand Canada and became one ofSouthern Oregons biggest stars. I actually had an opportunity to meet him once in Lexington. 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. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Safety was the watchword for the 1974 Indianapolis 500. I found on Findagrave.com. But it was his love of adventure that got him into racing stock cars and midgets in the 40s and 50s. Pre Race Events 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 2016, Marc Evans, 3. Art was buried in McMinnville Oregon. 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. google_color_url = "0033FF"; He made every race from then on until 1979 with a best finish of 9th in 1976. He is believed to be the first driver from Southern Oregon to race at Indy. Make a life-giving gesture His best finish was tenth in 1960, and he finished 13th in three other races. Pollard, 46, was pronounced dead an hour later from pulmonary damage due to flame inhalation. Don Caskey was on his tractor when his wife Shirley called him inside on May 12, 1973. Pollocks evolution from this point throughout the 1940s shows a struggle to find a process by which he could translate his entire personality into painting. The rain came while workers were still cleaning the track. He died Dec. 27, 2012. There was a mirror over the sink in the bathroom. Corrections? Swede Savage - driver (died later), He beat me every time by about six-inches, but we had standing ovations from the crowd, Dick Simon, retired driver and owner, Championship and Indy Racing League, NASCAR, Race driver, Dick Simon: Art was phenomenal, and probably one of the best individuals Ive met in my entire life. Clouds threatened again but sun broke through and the track dried. Auto Racer. [1][2][3] He was pronounced dead approximately one hour and three minutes after the accident. In years since, there has been no final determination on the cause of Arts accident. We have set your language to The red flag flew as the rain intensified on Lap 133. 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. Jackson Pollock is best known for his action paintings and Abstract Expressionist works. "I've seen the movies of that start hundreds of times since. Drivers who survived an earlier era now openly wonder how they did. A crowd estimated at 250,000 swarmed Indianapolis Motor Speedway's grandstands, suites and infield on May 12, 1973. He finished in the top ten 30 times, with two victories, both in 1969, at Milwaukee and Dover. It consisted mostly of small landscapes and figurative scenes such as Going West (193435), in which Pollock utilized motifs derived from photographs of his birthplace at Cody. By Wednesday, tension and exhaustion infected the track. cemeteries found in McMinnville, Yamhill County, Oregon, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. He had just turned 46 one week before he died. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Art was born November 13, 1957, in Denver, CO, to Arthur L. and Philomena "Minnie" (Schenfeld) Pollard. In the fifties he soon built a reputation as a tough competitor. Foyt approached and put a hand on Johncock's arm. The car slammed into the outside wall coming out of turn one, burst into flames, and spun as it headed to the grass on the inside of the short chute. Pollard, a 1945 graduate of Roseburg High School, began his racing career in Roseburg. Johncock's celebration wasn't much of a party. Yesterday Art Pollard left us. You will then receive an email that helps you regain access. The following year, while driving one of the celebrated STP-Turbo cars, he qualified 11th and was running fourth with just a few laps to go when a fuel pump drive shaft broke and forced him from the competition. His car rolled over and was engulfed in a fireball. Empty.". ), "If you really stop and think about it and you follow racing, it seems like before Thanks for your help! . google_ad_type = "text_image"; First got out, I could tell it was touch and go have the opportunity to him... 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Week before he died gushing flaming methanol Granatelli 's famous STP Lotus Turbines one of his favorite races, massive... I knew I had the radio on, and he finished in the wreckage Walther! Sincerely cared for people, Dippell said you 're not running 250 'd take him on hunting,.