A Report On The Accident That Killed Bill
Vukovich In The 1955 Indianapolis 500-Mile-Race
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A Report On The Accident That Killed Bill Vukovich In The 1955 Indianapolis 500-Mile-Race
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Johnny Boyd Statement In an August, 1990 issue of Circle Track magazine Johnny Boyd gave a statement on the Vukovich accident. Here is that statement.
"Vukie was lapping Al Keller, Rodger Ward and me as we were coming out of the number two turn. I had no idea that Vukie was so close to me , but he was really charging hard. When I got to the exit of two and started own the back chute, I saw Ward make contact with the wall on the back straight. I could not tell if the wind had pushed him or what. Later we found out it was a front axle snapping. Anyway, Ward flipped and landed right-side up. I thought, oh s..t, how lucky can you get. At the same instant, Keller saw Ward and reached for the handbrake. He locked up the wheels and started to spin toward the abutment of the crossover bridge on the back straight. At this time I veered to avoid Ward. Vukie was right behind him, tucked in. For a millisecond I thought things were going to work out, but unfortunately Keller came across the track and collected me midship and I spun halfway around, my left rear tire going over his right front. Just as this happened, Vukie hit me from the rear. It felt like a freight train. Still, I didn't know it was Vukie. Anyway, I started flipping down the straightaway. I landed upside down and the car dragged me with my shoulders bounding off the track surface. Some people will tell you that at a time like that their whole life passes in front of their eyes. Not me, I was cussing and trying to pull myself up away from the track. I did notice that my watch had hit the track and was spinning around on my wrist. Finally the car stopped and I could hear voices. It was Keller and a track safety worker. They were saying I must be dead! I started yelling 'Get this son-of-bitch off of me!' When the track workers turned the car over, I jumped out and started in on Keller for running into me. Ward yelled at both of us to get off the track. I still was not sure who had hit me. But suddenly Ed Elisian came running up in a state of near panic. He had this wild look and he was screaming and yelling incoherently. I questioned Ward, 'Was Ed part of the crash?' He simply said, "Vukie is on the other side of the guardrailing." That was the first time I realized that Vukie had been the one who hit me. I tried to go over and help, but the safety crew held me back and forced me into the ambulance. That was it. Vukie was dead, and I had to go on. But I knew that I would feel the pain for many years." |
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