The Dodge Challenger Message Board

I think it is quite clear what happened that day.

Although for years he blamed the "poor brakes" on the car. Then he said someone moved the cone that told him the point at which to start braking at. As if you need to be told when to brake?

You can see plain and simple. He was not braking after he came off the track. He was going at a hell of a speed and didn't start braking until way too late.

It was just simple bad driving in a car that was too fast for him. No excuses.

Here is some information I put together years ago about this incident for those that do not know the story.

A 1971 Dodge Challenger convertible was selected to be the pace car for the 1971 Indianapolis 500 race.
However what should have been a fantastic promotion for Dodge turned into a nightmare when at the start of the race the car crashed into a press stand killing one person and giving the rest something to write headlines about.

Four local dealers provided 50 cars, to be sold to the public or used on parade duties, fitted out like the actual pace car.
Only the actual pace car had a big block (383) engine. Two others had 340 cubic inch small blocks and the other 47 were 318 powered. All of the cars were painted orange and had white tops. The three cars with the larger engines had the lettering hand painted on the sides but the others had decals which were optional. Up to the day of the race the pace car had the normal Challenger flat hood but after the crash it was fitted with the R/T style Sport Hood. One of the 340ci cars had this hood too. The rest of the cars all had the flat hood.

On race day (May 29th 1971) the pace car was driven by Eldon Palmer, one of the local dealers, who to this day is still very upset about the whole thing.

Eldon had quite rightly practiced the laps and had placed cones at strategic points around the circuit to indicate when to start to turn in and when to brake.

Unfortunately somebody removed the cone in the pit lane.

As Eldon came out of turn four with the 33 car field hot on his tail he dived down into the pit area as planned and started looking for the cone he had placed to tell him when to brake. By the time he realised it was missing it was too late. As he slammed on the brakes he saw he had two options. Either to go back out onto the track and hit the pack of accelerating race cars or just keep braking as best he could.

He did the latter but could not stop in time to miss the stand full of press photographers.

Some people have said that, had the car been fitted with the optional disc brakes, this tragic accident could of been avoided. I have always doubted that and I can't see anything in that video to make me change my mind.

Why would you need a cone to tell you when to start braking? You can see the end of the pit lane. He should have been on the brakes as soon as he entered it. No excuse in my mind.

Eldon Palmer kept the car until recently, refusing to sell it. I guess pressure and the value of these cars made him change his mind.

I understand the car is now restored.

Dave, do you know who owns it now ?

After viewing that a few times, it's clear that Dave is absolutely correct. Driver error unfortunately. He could have had front discs and it still wouldn't have helped any. He was 'hauling butt' instead of 'on the brakes'! That Monza 1978 F-1 was awesome!!

JJ wrote:Dave, do you know who owns it now ?

Nope. But we have a resident pace car owner on here somewhere that might know?

User name "71 pacecar" is the guy you need to ask.

Thanks Dave.

He may have been using the cone as a marker to signal when to start apply the brakes....but as Dave said you dont need cones to tell you that your going too fast and a packed pit area is coming up very quickly....

Maybe he got caught up in the moment what with the crowd etc...

Dave did you say he was a local dealer and not an actual racecar driver....

If he was dazzled by the crowd and media attention etc it is possible that he took his eye off the ball for a split second..it being enough to cause that tragic event, a seasoned racecar driver might have reduced the likelyhood of this happening.

Cone or no cone unless you are concentrating on your driving this is the result, his senses should have kicked in...they didnt!!

Wayne, I dont know much about Eldon Palmer except he owns a Dodge Dealership in Indianapolis, Indiana. I dont believe he was a professional race car driver, at least of the open wheel Indy type cars.

A guy that used to be a regular on here knew where he lived and dropped in to see him a couple of times. The damaged car was in his barn just as it looked at the end of that tragic day. At that time he was adamant he would not sell it even though it was a constant reminder of what he did. Not sure if he died recently or anything? Maybe that is how it came to be sold?
Funny situation in that although he obviously felt very guilty about it he was always adamant the accident was not his fault.

dave-r wrote:A guy that used to be a regular on here knew where he lived and dropped in to see him a couple of times. The damaged car was in his barn just as it looked at the end of that tragic day. At that time he was adamant he would not sell it even though it was a constant reminder of what he did. Not sure if he died recently or anything? Maybe that is how it came to be sold?
Funny situation in that although he obviously felt very guilty about it he was always adamant the accident was not his fault.

Dave, I wonder if his "guilt"over some individuals being injured, some seriously, had anything to do with it. I also understand there where many lawsuits filed against him and Chrysler due to that fateful day. Bob would know much more about his history, his club is active in that area. hope he chimes in on this, pretty interesting.

The car is now owned by a private collector in Indianapolis. He has quite a nice collection and is trying to open a museum. Eldon owned the car until about 1 year ago. He brought the car out to display in 2005 at our club show at his dealership. [See picture] The car sat at the Chrysler electrical plant in Indy untill the early 80's in its crashed state because of the pending lawsuits. After the suits were settled the car was returned to Eldon. The story is that his employees at his dealership cosmetically restored the car and then presented it to him. I wish I new more specific info. I will post details as I find out.
Bob

Bob is the man! Thanks Bob, that was intereting. What type/kind of wheels are those? They look a little like the recalled Kelsey Hayes Cast aluminum wheels. Hey, if Palmer Dodge needs a Red/White 70 R/T to compliment the new 08 U.S. ONLY,(Sorry to hear that it wont be available to Euro markets), let me know.

airfuelEddie wrote:What type/kind of wheels are those? They look a little like the recalled Kelsey Hayes Cast aluminum wheels.

It looks like Exiters to me.

.

I own a Challenger Indy Pace Car that was documented by Eldon Palmer back in the early 90s. I have posted a summary of research I have done on Allpar.com, if anyone is interested. My car was featured at the Chrysler Nationals in Carlisle back in 2001 and opens the video on that subject. Anyone see it? Of course, I love my Challenger!!!!!

People have been bashing Eldon Palmer as to the crash in the race. From my readings in the "Indianapolis Star" and people that witnessed the tragic event.... it seems that Eldon Palmer practiced the week before the race, where he would come into the pits at full speed, reach a point where he could see the "starter" and if the race started, he would brake to a stop...if the race starter did not officially start the race due to some issue, Palmer was to fly out the other end of the pits and pace the cars another lap. To be able to find the reference point to begin braking, Palmer had a flag positioned on pit row. Come race day, Palmer comes flying into the pits and ..... the flag was either missing or lost in the crowd of people standing along pit row.... so Palmer hits the brakes (now too late) and the rest is history. From what I have seen, if two security guards were not standing in the exit to the main track, Palmer could have easily stopped in the apron before reaching the actual track.

One of the rumors was that there were fatalities involving the crash. No one died. A doctor from Argentina was quite seriously hurt, but survived and became a friend of Palmer in later years. Also, I have actual pictures of the pace car after the crash... I am not a body shop person, but the damage does NOT look like "high speed" damage.

Hope this information helps and I must say, this is a great site.

PS Indypacecars.com is featuring a 2008 Pace Car calender (my Pace Car is on the Cover and also the April Car.)

Thanks. I'll try and get that calendar!

That is interesting new information. Thanks.