R.I.P. Salt Walther

From his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, a newspaper article that provides a little more than the wire service news of driver Salt Walther's passing. Most folks forget he drove in a few NASCAR races, remembering only his crash at Indy. Prayers and condolences. It was a tough road after that 1973 event.

Posted: 10:05 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28, 2012

Dayton racer Walther dead at 65

By Tom Archdeacon

Staff Writer

Dayton Daily News

David Salt Walther, the Dayton race car driver whose career and life saw some memorable peaks and many terrible lows, has died at age 65.

A spokesman for the Montgomery County Coroners Office confirmed Walther died Thursday night at a residence in Trotwood. He said test results are pending and at present the cause of death is undetermined.

The son of the late Dayton foundry executive George Walther, Salt competed on the USAC and CART circuits, as well as in NASCAR events, including the Daytona 500, and at unlimited hydroplane races.

A dozen years ago a Dayton Daily News poll selected him as one of Daytons 100 Most Influential Sports Legends of the past century.

He started five Indianapolis 500s and finished ninth in the rain-shortened 1976 race. But he is best known there for his fiery crash in 1973.

When the race began his McLaren Offenhauser was launched skyward, spewing 80 gallons of fuel as it sailed upside down into a fence. The battered car burst into flames and spun in the first turn. The melee that followed claimed 11 cars and injured numerous spectators.

Walther was trapped upside down in the flames for six minutes. Much of the car melted and he was badly burned on about 60 percent of his body, suffered several broken bones and was given a five percent chance to live. Twice he was given last rites.

His crash is considered the worst Brickyard carnage that anyone has survived. His left hand where the fingers were burned down to nubs and mended by three dozen operations was usually concealed in a black leather glove after that.

Walther ended up addicted to morphine and that led to abuse of other drugs and a long path of self-destruction and arrests, including one last month on an old obstruction of justice charge.

Centerville attorney Bill Knapp once said Salts situation was like that of another famous client of his:

The thing is, hes like Ron Peters (of Pete Rose gambling fame). They get reputations and then theyre on the bubble all the time. Its like theyre wearing a scarlet letter. People figure the worst even when its not the case.

RIP Salt

Would've thought the same PKL. But he was only in his 20s in the 73 Indy 500 - the youngest driver in the field. And to be honest, I didn't realize he was even still alive. Not trying to be callous - just unaware of what had happened to him in recent years. Sounds like it was not a pleasant life for him with all the downstream issues resulting from that horrific wreck.

May he finally get some peace. I got to know him and George in the very early 70's as the Dayton Foundry and Walther Machine/Tool was a customer of mine. Sad to hear his life never got to where he wanted.

In revisiting the video of that awful wreck, its a miracle how things COULD have unfolded. A single catch fence post - ONE - likely prevented Salt's car from piercing the fence and heading into the first few rows of fans. It was awful for him - but that fence post likely saved many lives AND the sport. Its hard to believe that some 14 years later NASCAR had its own brush with "holy cow, what if..." when Bobby Allison tore down the fence at Talladega - and then again just a couple of years ago with Carl Edwards.

The years following Salt's accident weren't great ones to be sure. Sounds like the man had a lot of demons that possessed him following that moment of fire and sliding on his head. But I have to wonder how the lives unfolded in the stands whose lives were spared even though they were sprayed with fuel and shrapnel.

TMC, you bring some interesting scenarios, it hard to imagine the disaster that could have been had that fuel ignited into the crowd

I've heard of others tell stories of trapped drivers like this, what a impact it could have on a young kids life. Hats off to Wally Dallenbach for attempting to help.

Salt Walther 1976 Daytona (note the black glove)

Good post Patty, thanks.