Indianapolis 500 features multiple incidents but no cars flipping over
One of the biggest questions entering Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 was if the trend of cars flipping over during accidents would continue.
A car flipped over three different times in practice crashes ahead of the race and while James Hinchcliffe’s car didn’t flip completely over on Monday, it did get airborne.
Thankfully, no cars got airborne during Sunday’s race, though there were still some nasty crashes.
The biggest crash was the race’s final incident, when Sebastian Saavedra, Jack Hawksworth and Stefano Coletti crashed off turn 4. Hawskworth and Saavedra touched while two-wide in the corner and both cars went spinning. Coletti had nowhere to go and smashed into Saavedra’s car.
Coletti and Hawksworth got out of their cars under their own power and were checked and released from the infield care center. Saavedra was carried to a nearby safety vehicle by safety workers.
The crash that most resembled the ones where cars flipped over in practice was Tony Kanaan’s. Shortly after pitting just past the three-quarters mark of the 200 lap race, Kanaan’s car wobbled in turn 3 and the back end slammed into the outside wall. Helio Castroneves, Josef Newgarden and Ed Carpenter all had similar incidents in turn 2 the week prior and their three cars flipped over.
Though Hinchcliffe didn’t take a tumble, he suffered lower body soft tissue injuries when he was impaled by suspension parts upon impact with the wall. He missed the race and was replaced by Ryan Briscoe.
Kanaan’s stayed pinned to the ground and he got out of his car shortly after the wreck. He was checked and released from the infield care center and remarked that he was thankful no one had flipped over during the race.
Sunday’s race didn’t even complete a lap before the first crash of the day happened. Takuma Sato was on the outside three-wide in turn one. As he attempted to pass Sage Karam there was simply not enough room for both cars on the exit of the corner and they both hit the wall.
While Sato was able to continue laps down, Karam’s day was over.
In addition to Saavedra’s reported foot contusion, two crewmembers for Dale Coyne Racing’s No. 18 car were hit by a car on pit road. One was taken to a nearby hospital.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
