Walther sustained severe burns and a crushed kneecap but survived. Walther’s car pin-wheeled down the front straight with fuel pouring onto the track. The impact broke a support pole and showered the crowd with debris. As the race started, Salt Walther and Jerry Grant touched wheels, launching Walther’s car into the catch fence. Driver Art Pollard was killed in a horrific pole-day qualifying crash. Speculation about cracking 200 mph vanished during a month everyone wanted to forget. The 36-year-old racing star was killed instantly. Vukovich’s car tumbled over the outside wall, toppled end over end (20:58) and rolled over on its side before coming to a stop. The best driver of the ’50s, couldn’t avoid the crash. Keller’s car veered back onto the track and plowed into Johnny Boyd, who skidded between Ward and the wall - and directly into the path of Vukovich. When Rodger Ward lost control of his car because of a broken axle on Lap 57, Al Keller pulled his hand brake to avoid a collision. He won from the pole in 1953, won again in 1954 and led by a half-mile early in the 1955 race. Two-time race winner Bill Vukovich seemed destined for greatness at Indy. As Indy celebrates its 100th race on May 29, The Associated Press looks back at some of the worst crashes over the past century. But at a race that has too often ended in tragedy for drivers, crew members and fans, the most spectacular crashes are often the most unforgettable. ![]() INDIANAPOLIS - High speed, risky maneuvers and a crowded field have always been a dangerous combination at the Indianapolis 500.
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