Eddie Sachs

Leading the race with only three laps to go, he saw his right rear tire begin to delaminate and pitted to replace it, handing victory to A. J. Foyt.

Working in the cramped spaces of the garage area, Thompson and crew practically rebuilt the car to meet the new USAC specs.

As the car began to slide, he came across the track and hit the inside wall, igniting the 45-gallon fuel load which erupted into a massive fire.

Sachs, following Bob Veith, 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.

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.

He was transported to the Methodist Hospital's burn unit in Indianapolis by helicopter to begin a lengthy recovery.

MacDonald, whose lungs were scorched from inhaling the flames and who was burned over 75% of his body, was awake and alert when he was removed from his car.

Despite being trapped in his car, Sachs's driver's suit was only scorched, but he received critical burns on his face and hands.

A lemon that had been on a string around Sachs's neck was found inside Rutherford's engine compartment after the crash.

Partially in response to media pressure, for subsequent races USAC required that cars carry less fuel and make a mandatory minimum of two pit stops.

[11] Sachs married Nance McGarrity of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, on June 3, 1959, at the home of Harry Hamilton, a relative of his car owner, Peter Schmidt in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Forty-one years after his death, she was buried next to her beloved Eddie in Holy Saviour Cemetery in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.