Full Race Broadcast: 1973 Indianapolis 500

It was 50 years ago that a month of dreadful weather and a series of serious accidents forced the running of the 1973 Indianapolis 500 into a third day, and even then it had to be called to a halt after only 332.5 miles.

The subsequent victory by Gordon Johncock was bittersweet for several reasons, not the least of which being that his own teammate, Swede Savage, suffered terrible injuries in an accident and was to succumb 33 days later.

Huge bolt-on rear wings had enabled speeds to skyrocket by an unbelievable 30 mph over a period of just three years, and pole-sitter Johnny Rutherford came within a blink of an eye of recording the Speedway’s first-ever 200-mph lap, with one at 199.071 mph during qualifying.