Motor Racing Two Spectators Killed When Temporary Stand Collapses

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29219, 1 June 1960, Page 5

Motor Racing Two Spectators Killed When Temporary Stand Collapses

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

INDIANAPOLIS (Indiana), May 30.

A home-made 30-foot scaffolding loaded with dozens of motor race spectators toppled today and hurled them screaming on to people below. Two men in the tangled mass died of broken necks.

The aluminium tower, packed with 150 persons, fell during the parade lap just before the 44th annual 500-mile race began at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Witnesses told of trying desperately to rescue moaning injured from under the aluminium pipes, while others on the ground and on other nearby towers went on drinking beer and munching picnic food, concerned mainly with the start of the race.

The scaffolding was one of manj temporary stands erected privately for the use of spectators who did not buy grandstand seats. The two men killed—Fred Linder, aged 36, of Indianapolis, and William Craig, aged 37. of Zionsville Indiana—were the first spectator fatalities at the big. race since 1938.

The owner of the scaffolding was Mr Wilbur Shortridge, an Indianapolis butcher. Mr Shortridge was on the tower with his wife and daughter when it fell and was among the injured. Mr Shortridge bad sold seats on the scaffold for five or 10 dollars depending on the position. Regulargrandstand seats are available for about the same prices. Jim Rathmann, of Miami, won a wheel-to-wheel duel with the defending champion. Roger Ward to win the race.

Rathmann, runner-up last year and twice previously covered the 500 miles at a record average speed of 135.857 miles an hour. Ward, who was only 12.7 sec behind at the finish, set the previous record last year. The victory meant more than 100,000 dollars to Rathmann. Sixteen other cars out of the 33 that started were chasing Rathmann and Ward at the finish

The high speed of the race, which brought individual records for many drivers, knocked out several of the most strongly favoured entries.

Eddie Russo was badly hurt when he crashed in a turn, and Troy Ruttman, the 1952 winner. Jimmy Bryan, the 1958 winner and' Eddie Sachs, one of the

front-draw starters in three of his four 500’s, were all forced to drop out. Paul Goldsmith was third. Don Branson finished fourth. Johnny Tomson fifth, and Eddie Johnson sixth.