▁Ed ▁Elis ian ▁started ▁the ▁race ▁on ▁the ▁front ▁row , ▁with ▁Jimmy ▁Re e ce ▁on ▁the ▁outside ▁of ▁the ▁front ▁row . ▁Elis ian ▁sp un ▁in ▁turn ▁ 3 ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁lap ▁and ▁coll ided ▁with ▁ ▁R ath mann ' s ▁car , ▁sending ▁them ▁both ▁into ▁the ▁wall , ▁and ▁starting ▁a ▁ 1 5 - car ▁p ile up . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁A . ▁J . ▁Fo yt , ▁O ' Con nor ' s ▁car ▁hit ▁Re e ce ' s ▁car , ▁sa iled ▁fifty ▁feet ▁in ▁the ▁air , ▁land ed ▁ups ide ▁down , ▁and ▁burst ▁into ▁fl ames . ▁Although ▁O ' Con nor ▁was ▁inc iner ated ▁in ▁the ▁accident , ▁medical ▁officials ▁said ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁probably ▁killed ▁instantly ▁from ▁a ▁f ract ured ▁sk ull . ▁ ▁W id ely ▁bl amed ▁for ▁the ▁accident , ▁Elis ian ▁was ▁susp ended ▁by ▁US AC ▁for ▁the ▁accident ▁( re inst ated ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁later ), ▁and ▁was ▁sh unn ed ▁by ▁many ▁in ▁the ▁racing ▁community . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁accident , ▁race ▁officials ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁change ▁the ▁starting ▁procedure , ▁abandon ing ▁the ▁single - file ▁trip ▁down ▁pit ▁l ane ▁that ▁was ▁used ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁Also , ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁Ind y ▁ 5 0 0 , ▁metal ▁roll ▁bars ▁w eld ed ▁to ▁the ▁frame ▁behind