great 1971 pic. what the heck happend??

[DoubleDlover]

someone said it killed someone?/ what happened??

[hemi68charger]

That's the infamous Indy 500 pace car crash when the car was coming in from the pace laps as they went to green. 1971 Indy 500...

[Ghoste]

Last time a pace car was driven by an unqualified driver and a black eye for Dodge and the Indy 500.  Eldon Palmer was a local Dodge dealer and he was using a traffic cone (as I recall) for a braking point marker during practice laps.  When it came to race time someone had moved the cone and he started braking too late when he came in from pacing the field for the start.
Not a good day to understate it for sure.

[Alaskan_TA]

Related newspapers & clippings at http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/1971ChallengerPaceCarCrash.shtml

[wingcar]

No one killed but a number were injured.  And, as stated earlier, not a good day for Dodge. 
As the pace car had always been given to the race winner.....Unser had to go to a local Dodge dealer where he was able to pick any car he wanted as the '71 Challenger Convert was undriveable.  If I remember correctly he picked a new Charger.  I believe the Challenger was later restored.

[Aero426]

One of the local photograhers here in town who was hurt just had a hip replacement because of this.    It has been a life long problem.

The photo is of the restored car taken last year at MCACN in Chicago.

[Aero426]

Here is the footage.    I know the story is that the brake marker was moved.  But I never understood why Palmer was still hard on it while moving down the pit lane.    I mean, you hit the pit lane, your work is done.  Unless he thought he had to lead the field to the line.    But the pit lane at that time wasn't all that long.   I really just think he was caught up in the moment and the red mist got him.   Then he panicked.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTNDPmIO4Lw

[Ghoste]

Wow, never saw that footage before, he was sure booking it when he passed the tv camera.

[Aero426]

Wow, never saw that footage before, he was sure booking it when he passed the tv camera.

You ain't kidding.    It was hopelessly late when he tried to brake.   He might have attempted to use all the available road including the pit out to get stopped.    But it's easy to second guess someone else when you aren't the one under the gun.    

[Lighthorseman]

Wow.  I had never even heard of this.  Thanks for sharing.

[6bblgt]

Al Unser ordered a '71 440 SE Charger to replace the non-received pace car prize.

[Aero426]

Al Unser ordered a '71 440 SE Charger to replace the non-received pace car prize.

Do you know where the car is now? 

[6bblgt]

The Charger SE was for sale or on eBay ~15 years ago.  I know I have the info/pics, but was not able to locate them this morning.  I'll look this evening.

[nascarxx29]

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/indy1971/crash%20photo%201%20-%20the%20indy%20news.jpg

[daytonalo]

John Glenn survived WW II as marine corsair fighter pilot as well as  the first U.S. astronaut to orbit Earth, completing three orbits in 1962. And almost killed in the rear seat in a car driven by some skill-less clown !  He has also served as an Ohio senator.

Side not my Father personally prepped John Glenn's corsair before each mission and years later @ one of his marine corps reunions John personally thanked him . My dad passed 2 years ago .

Larry

[hemi68charger]

John Glenn survived WW II as marine corsair fighter pilot as well as  the first U.S. astronaut to orbit Earth, completing three orbits in 1962. And almost killed in the rear seat in a car driven by some skill-less clown !  He has also served as an Ohio senator.

Side not my Father personally prepped John Glenn's corsair before each mission and years later @ one of his marine corps reunions John personally thanked him . My dad passed 2 years ago .

Larry

[ernie]

I remember watching that happen live on tv,

[Baldwinvette77]

Leader of the Dodge rebellion 

No seriously that sucks, But i heard a rumour that this crash was what made dodge drop the convertible for 1972 

[Ghoste]

Convertibles were generally all being removed from the American new car lots around that time.

[5hunert]

Root cause of the problem was that Dodge discontinued the R/T convertible for 1971.  If you've ever tried dynamiting the brakes with 10' drums at 100+ you'll understand Eldon Palmer's issue. 

[ACUDANUT]

Root cause of the problem was that Dodge discontinued the R/T convertible for 1971.  If you've ever tried dynamiting the brakes with 10' drums at 100+ you'll understand Eldon Palmer's issue.  

True. I never understood why the Dodge Challenger Convert. could not come as a R/T, But Plymouth's 'Cuda convertibles could come with all the performance goodies with bigger everything (brakes, engine, handling)

[Mike DC]

 

I agree that it would have taken more than a missing cone signal to get him into that much trouble.  

The car was non-overdrive, bias-ply tires, and horrible aerodynamics.  When you let off the gas it would have coasted from 100 mph down to 60 pretty quick.  The footage looks more like he was gassing it all the way down pit road.  

[odcics2]

Root cause of the problem was that Dodge discontinued the R/T convertible for 1971.  If you've ever tried dynamiting the brakes with 10' drums at 100+ you'll understand Eldon Palmer's issue. 

Had a 68 Charger with the small brakes. Back in '72, I was going over 100 on I-94 when I tried to slow down with BOTH feet on the manual brake pedal.  100-99-98-97-96-95.... well you get the picture! 
Next day I was turning the 4 egg shaped drums!     

Do we know what brake package the Pace Car had?

[DoubleDlover]

yea. The suck package...

[GOTWING]

does anyone have any available info on these rims? I have an early factory color photo of a challenger with these rims but it is not a convertible, they were never offered in the brochure as an option and I have never seen them on anything else? Are they simply an aftermarket mag used by Dodge on their new car?