Edward Julius Sachs, Jr, born May 28, 1927 in
Allentown, PennsylvaniaAllentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
, died May 30, 1964 in
Speedway, IndianaSpeedway is a town in Wayne Township, Marion County, Indiana, United States. The population was 12,881 at the 2000 census. Speedway is the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, from which the town derives its name, and is a complete enclave of Indianapolis....
was a United States Auto Club driver who was known as the "Clown Prince of Auto Racing." He coined the phrase "If you can't win, be spectacular."
His career included eight USAC Championship Trail wins, 25 top-five finishes in 65 career AAA and USAC starts, including the 1958 USAC Midwest Sprint Car Championship. He was an eight time starter of the Indianapolis 500, 1957–64, winning the pole position in 1960 and 1961, with his best finish being second in 1961. Leading the race with only three laps to go, he saw his right rear tire begin to delaminate and pitted, handing victory to A.J. Foyt. Sachs never regretted his decision not to gamble on the tire, saying, "I'd sooner finish second than be dead."
Death at Indianapolis
Sachs and sports car driver
Dave MacDonaldDavid George MacDonald was an American road racing champion noted for his successes driving Corvettes and Shelby Cobras in the early 1960s. His promising career ended abruptly after a crash in the 1964 Indianapolis 500 in which he was one of two drivers killed in a fiery inferno that directly led...
, a 500 rookie, were killed in a fiery crash involving seven cars
on the second lap of the
1964 Indianapolis 500The 1964 Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1964. It was won by A.J. Foyt, but is best known for a fiery seven-car, second-lap accident that resulted in the deaths of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald...
. MacDonald was driving a car owned and designed by
Mickey ThompsonMarion Lee "Mickey" Thompson was an American off-road racing legend. He won many championships as a racer, and later formed sanctioning bodies SCORE International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group . He also raced in dragsters and land speed record automobiles.Thompson was born in Alhambra,...
, the #83 "Sears-Allstate Special". It was badly designed, poorly built and difficult to drive. In all fairness to Mickey Thompson, he requested USAC officials to visit his shop in California to inspect the car while it was under construction. Thompson had decided to have USAC inspect the car early so he would not invest money in the car if there was a chance that it would be disqualified at the Speedway. USAC accepted the request and passed the car with its ground effects package. By the time the car reached the Speedway in May USAC had changed their mind and failed it. Working in the cramped spaces of the garage area Thompson and crew practically rebuilt the car to meet the new USAC specs. These changes, removal of the fenders, changing to larger tires and increasing the height from two inches to four made the cars very unstable.
Graham HillNorman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to...
tested the vehicle before Indy, but refused to drive it in 1963.
Masten GregoryMasten Gregory was a racing driver from the United States. He raced in Formula One between and , participating in 43 World Championship races, and numerous non-Championship races....
crashed earlier in the month due to aerodynamic lift. Other drivers took the advice of Gregory, and stayed away from the Thompson cars.
Jim ClarkJames "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
told MacDonald on Carb Day, "Get out of that car mate, just walk away."
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 80 gallon fuel load which erupted into a massive fire. His car then slid back across the track. Sachs, following
Bob VeithBob Veith was an American racecar driver.Veith drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing from 1955 to 1968 with 63 starts...
aimed for an opening along the outside wall that was soon closed by MacDonald's burning car. Veith made it through by inches, but Sachs hit MacDonald's car broadside causing a second explosion.
Johnny RutherfordFor the Major League Baseball pitcher, see Johnny Rutherford . For other people with a similar name, see John RutherfordJohn Sherman Rutherford III , better known as Johnny Rutherford, and also known as "Lone Star JR" is a former U.S...
, following Sachs had no place to go except into the inferno decided his only chance was to power his way through. Going at full throttle his Watson Roadster went up and over both Sachs and MacDonald taking the injectors off of MacDonald's engine. After clearing the weckage he was then broadsided by the NOVI of
Bobby UnserRobert William "Bobby" Unser is a retired U.S. automobile racer. He is the brother of Al Unser, Jerry Unser and Louie Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser...
. He then motored (on fire) down the main straight, through turns one, two, up the back straight, through turn three stopping at a fire truck station in turn four.
Ronnie DumanRonnie Duman , was an American racecar driver.Born in Dearborn, Michigan, Duman died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin during a fatal crash in the Rex Mays 150 at the Milwaukee Mile. He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1961-1968 seasons, with 63 career starts, including the 1964-1968...
, following Rutherford went to the left to avoid the crash. It looked as if he was going to make it through when he was rear ended by the out of control NOVI, which had lost its steering, splitting his fuel tank which also erupted. Duman then spun into the infield wall where he received serious burns. He was transported to the
Methodist HospitalMethodist Hospital of Indianapolis is a hospital part of Indiana University Health, located in Indianapolis, state of Indiana, United States. It is the largest hospital in the state of Indiana and one of only two regional Level I Trauma Centers in the state...
burn unit by helicopter to begin a lengthy recovery. Rutherford and Unser received minor burns and were released from the track hospital. MacDonald, whose lungs were scorched from inhaling the flames and burned over 75% of his body was awake and alert when he was removed from his car. He was taken to the track hospital then transferred to the Methodist Hospital burn unit by ambulance where he died two hours later.
Chuck StevensonCharles "Chuck" Stevenson was an American racecar driver.- AAA and USAC Championship Car series :...
and
Norm HallNorm Hall , was an American racecar driver.Born in San Francisco, California, Hall died in Pittsboro, Indiana. He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1961, 1964, and 1965 seasons, with 17 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1961 and 1964...
were also involved, but escaped injury. Despite being trapped in his car, Sachs' drivers suit was only scorched but he received critical burns on his face and hands. The car was covered with a tarp before being taken to the garage area for removal of his body. It has never been determined if he died of asphyxiation, burns or blunt force injury. One driver stated that he saw him struggling to get out of the car after the impact. A lemon that had been on a string around Sachs' neck was found inside of Rutherford's engine compartment after the crash.
The crash was well documented on film and shown worldwide. For the first time in its history, the Indianapolis 500 was stopped because of an accident. Partially in response to media pressure, USAC required that cars carry less fuel, and to make a mandatory minimum of two pit stops. The new pit stop rule negated any mileage advantage gasoline-powered cars would have had, so gasoline has not been used since. Every race from 1965 forward has been run using methanol or ethanol based fuels.
Indy 500 results
| Year |
Car |
Start |
Qual |
Rank |
Finish |
Laps |
Led |
Retired |
| 1957 The 1957 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Thursday, May 30, 1957 at Indianapolis. The event was the third round of the 1957 World Drivers' Championship and the first round of the 1957 USAC Championship Car season.- Classification :- Notes :...
|
88 |
2 |
143.872 |
3 |
23 |
105 |
0 |
Piston |
| 1958 The 1958 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Friday, May 30, 1958 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the fourth round of the 1958 World Drivers' Championship....
|
88 |
18 |
144.660 |
7 |
22 |
68 |
1 |
Universal joint |
| 1959 The 1959 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held at Indianapolis on Saturday, May 30, 1959. The event was part of the 1959 World Drivers' Championship.- Classification :- Notes :*Fastest Lead Lap: Johnny Thomson - 1:01.89...
|
44 |
2 |
145.425 |
2 |
17 |
182 |
0 |
Gear Tower Bolt |
| 1960 The 1960 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held at Indianapolis on Monday, May 30, 1960. The event was part of the 1960 World Drivers' Championship; the last Indianapolis 500 to be included in the Championship.- Classification :...
|
6 |
1 |
146.592 |
2 |
21 |
132 |
21 |
Magneto |
| 1961 Results of the 1961 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Tuesday, May 30, 1961. This was the first Indianapolis 500 not to be included in the Formula One World Championship since 1949....
|
12 |
1 |
147.481 |
1 |
2 |
200 |
44 |
Running |
| 1962 Results of the 1962 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Wednesday, May 30, 1962.-Trivia:Parnelli Jones became the first driver to officially qualify for the race at ....
|
2 |
27 |
146.431 |
27 |
3 |
200 |
0 |
Running |
| 1963 Results of the 1963 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Thursday, May 30, 1963....
|
9 |
10 |
149.570 |
10 |
17 |
181 |
0 |
Crash T3 |
| 1964 The 1964 Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1964. It was won by A.J. Foyt, but is best known for a fiery seven-car, second-lap accident that resulted in the deaths of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald...
|
25 |
17 |
151.439 |
22 |
30 |
1 |
0 |
Crash FS - Died |
| Totals |
1069 |
66 |
|
|
| Starts |
8 |
| Poles |
2 |
| Front Row |
4 |
| Wins |
0 |
| Top 5 |
2 |
| Top 10 |
2 |
| Retired |
6 |
|
World Championship career summary
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Eddie Sachs participated in 4 World Championship races. He started on the pole once, but scored no World Championship points.
Award
He was inducted in the
National Sprint Car Hall of FameThe National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum is a Hall of Fame and museum for sprint car drivers, owners, mechanics, builders, manufacturers, promoters, sanctioning officials and media members....
in 1999.
Family
Sachs married Nance McGarrity of Coopersburg, Pa on June 3, 1959 at the home of Harry Hamilton, a relative of his car owner, Peter Schmidt in Indianapolis, In. Their son, Edward Julius Sachs, III was born on February 6, 1962. Nance Sachs died on September 28, 2005 at her home in Clinton Township, Mi. She is survived by her son Edward III, and grandchildren, Edward IV and Meagan Sachs. After 41 years, she was buried next to her beloved Eddie in the Holy Savior Cemetery, Colesville, Pa. Using the name "Eddie Sachs, Jr," Eddie III became a race car driver racing on the local dirt tracks in the Midwest, unlike his famous father, he never raced in the Indianapolis 500. He has become a successful businessman owning Sachs and Associates in Lake Orion, Mi. In recent years he has been a part-time car owner in NASCAR's
Busch SeriesThe NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
.