June 23, 2007
By Allen Madding

Allen Madding

David Earl “Swede” Savage, Jr. was born on August 26, 1946 in Santa Ana, California. His first race came at age five in a soapbox derby car. He moved on to quarter midget cars at age nine driving a car loving named the “bucket of bolts”. At age 12, he moved on to go- kart racing. Around age 16, he took on motorcycle racing as well eventually racing AMA flat tracks. Swede captured two class “C” Amateur Championship titles.

Swede’s first start in NASCAR competition came in September 8, 1967 at Hickory, North Carolina competing in the NASCAR Grand National Division Buddy Shuman 250 driving a Holman-Moody Ford finishing 16th. He then recorded a sixth place finish in the Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville and an eighth place finish in the Wilkes 400 at North Wilkesboro.

Swede drove Bondy Long’s No.29 Ford in two NASCAR events finishing 13th in the Carolina 500 at Rockingham and third in the Volunteer 500 at Bristol. He spent a considerable amount of time racing Grand Prix cars in 1968 scoring two top-5 and three top-10 finishes. Swede also got a little time in performing motorcycle stunts for the Evil Knievel All Star Stunt Show at Ascot Park demonstrating his ability to master race cars and motorcycles.

In 1969, the Wood Brothers fielded a car for Swede in the Daytona 500. He completed his 125-qualifier earning a tenth place starting position for the Great American Race. Unfortunately for him, a wheel came off the car on lap 124 causing him to crash and relegated him to a 36th place finish. Smokey Yunick put Swede behind the wheel of his famous No.13 Chevrolet for the Atlanta 500 where Swede started 39th and finished 19th after a motor failure. Banjo Matthews fielded a Ford for Swede in the Virginia 500 at Martinsville. Swede qualified 11th and finished seventh. Swede then competed in the Trans-Am Series driving Parnelli Jones No. 15 Ford to a second place finish. His showing was impressive enough that Dan Gurney fielded his No. 42 Eagle for Swede at Brainerd, Minnesota, and he finished sixth in the car at Riverside.

For 1970, Swede settled into the Trans-am Series and the Indy Car Series. He recorded an Indy Car win in the Bobby Ball 150 at Phoenix. For 1971, Swede competed in Formula One Grand Prix and the Indy Car Series. On March 28, 1971, Swede suffered a sever concussion when he crashed during the Questor Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway. Swede spent five months in recovery before returning to racing. He returned for the Indy Car Series California 500 on September 5, 1971, at the same track where he had suffered the terrible crash.

Swede spent 1972 in the Indy Car Series and finished 25th in the points after battling a season of broken connecting rods and failed turbo chargers. Swede qualified fourth for the 1973 Indianapolis 500. Swede crashed on lap 58 of the event suffering multiple injuries. Swede Savage died on July 2, 1973 as a result of the injuries he incurred in the Indy 500 crash.

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