A Report On The Accident That Killed Bill
Vukovich In The 1955 Indianapolis 500-Mile-Race
|
A Report On The Accident That Killed Bill Vukovich In The 1955 Indianapolis 500-Mile-Race
|
|
Main Menu
Current Racing News
Related Links
|
Details on Studebaker Sedan Hit By Vukovich Car
We have received interesting and detailed information on the Studebaker Sedan that the Vukovich Car hit during it's wild end over end death ride. It is another remarkable story of how certain individuals by twists of fate just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time. Carl Colip, Jr. was employed at the Indianapolis Police Department at the Police Radio Station at State and Washington Streets as a radio specialist and given given the rank of sergeant because of his pay grade. There were apparently about 10 of the employees working for the City of Indianapolis and they maintained radios in the police cars, fire trucks and the base transmitters. Because of this, according to one of his sons, Tim Colip, his father had access to many areas of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1955. On that fateful day he attended the race with several of his friends and decided to park on the backstretch and watch the event from there. Nearing the 57th lap Colip and his friend, Ted Pope, were sitting on the fenders of the Studebaker watching the race which Colip's other son, also named Carl, remembers being described by his Dad as very competitive and exciting. Colip, Jr. was sitting on the left front fender and Pope was sitting on the right fender. Then, in another act of fate, Colip, Jr. decided to go back and open the trunk to retrieve something. As he opened the trunk lid was opened he heard a loud noise and looked up and saw Vukovich climb the short outside fence and head directly for his car. He knew immediately it was going to hit right where he had been sitting and in an instant it did. The impact apparently knocked the car back and the trunk lid struck his forehead and also somehow incurred an injury to his right arm. Colip III said he remembers his father sharing one more thought -- that he believed Vukovich burned to death in his race car. (This web site has concluded that Vukovich probably died before the fire but many people who were there at the time thought he burned to death. In fact, the newspapers reported that in bold headlines. It was only after the autopsy that the Speedway said Vukovich died of a skull fracture.) It should be noted that the impact with the Studebaker has probably been studied more thoroughly than most and it can be positively stated that the probable Vukovich fatal injury did not come from hitting the Studebaker. It almost certainly came when Vuky's Hopkins Special careened off the Safety Patrol jeep and hit upside down. Pope, according to Carl Colip, III ,"fell from the car" but not before sustaining first and second degree burns to his arms and face. Apparently the Vukovich car was already on fire as it went by (the films bear this out). But the car miraculously missed Pope. The short film clip on the video section apparently shows Colip, Jr. in pain, holding his right arm and somebody holding a bloody cloth to his forehead. This film was taken from the infield side of the bridge which means Colip would have had to have been moved across the track to which Carl III said "was possible". This would bring to four the number of confirmed injuries from the Vukovich accident. Although he was very young when this happened, the incident has been discussed in the family off an on for years and according to Colip III the Studebaker was a newer car. According to our research it was a 1953 Champion. Colip III remembers it was a dark brown or bronze two tone white color. Colip III said The Indianapolis Motor Speedway offered to repair the car and it was towed to a repair shop by a friend who owned a body shop named Ron Schissel. The car was badly damaged and a repair was attempted but believes the decision was made to total the vehicle and he said he has no remembrance of what happened after that. (We did hear a rumor that the car was in the Studebaker Museum in South Bend but an inquiry showed that not to be true.) Both Colip Brothers were very young at the time and did not go to the race and were home with their mother. Their mother remembers the Studebaker being "torn up" in the incident and that her husband told her that spectators saw the car coming and somebody yelled "run" and they all ran. The Indianapolis News reported the next day that Colip, Jr. said the accident happened so fast he didn't have time to get scared and it was "the most terrifying thing he had ever seen.". But they also incorrectly quoted his first name as Paul, not Carl. The Colip brothers did confirm that they lived at the 550 North LaSalle address in the north side of the double as reported in our detailed research section of Indianapolis. Colip, Sr. actually maintained a presence with the Speedway working with USAC on the Product Certification Committee in the 1960's through 1972.
Photo shows Carl Colip's 1953 Studebaker Champion shortly after being hit by Vukovich car. Colip was sitting on the left front fender and had left to retrieve something from the trunk when Vukovich climbed the wall. Note Safety Patrol official holding tire from Johnny Boyd's car. Studebaker was two tone white and dark bronze or brown.
|
|
|
|
