Rain and Accidents Cloud Fast Friday Practice at Indy
Written by Allan Brewer · May 9, 2008
A difficult week became more taxing on Indianapolis Motor Speedway ‘Fast Friday’ when accidents and renewed rainstorm activity turned a gray day even uglier around the racetrack.
Pacific Coast Motorsport’s Mario Dominguez spun ninety minutes after practice opened at Noon EDT, bringing out the day’s first yellow flag. Dominguez damaged the front of his white/red and yellow Dallara racer on the inside retaining wall at the exit of pitlane but walked away from the scene and was declared fit to resume driving shortly thereafter.
“I am really disappointed,” he said. “I was returning to the track for our second full run and I exited too fast coming out of the pits.”
“I lost the rear of the car and crashed into the inside wall. This is so unfortunate because we were on the way to making our car better.”
Rahal Letterman and Ganassi Racing driver Alex Lloyd made heavy contact with the SAFER barrier in Turn 1 at approximately 1:40 PM EDT. The impact tore away the rear wing of the car and smashed the left front and side area of the car. Lloyd was lifted from the car by trackside safety personnel and transported to downtown Methodist Hospital for further evaluation.
A team representative said Lloyd complained of neck pain and would be evaluated by sports and racing orthopedic specialist Dr. Terry Trammell Friday evening. He anticipated Lloyd might possibly stay overnight and be released from the hospital Saturday morning. A CAT scan of the neck revealed no fractures in that area.
An hour later Andretti Green Racing’s Danica Patrick struck another team’s crew member as she entered her pitbox, bringing the ambulance down pit road to attend the crewman. Dale Coyne Racing’s Charles Buckman was taken to Methodist hospital as well, suffering head lacerations and a concussion.
Patrick made a brief statement after the track closed, expressing sympathy for the crewman and his family.
Timing and scoring around the 2.5 mile oval was topped by Scott Dixon’s fast lap of 226.968 mph (39.6531 sec.), a hair shy of the 227 mark.
“Fastest on Friday has never worked out real well for us in the past,” he said. “We have a legitimate shot at the pole. Mostly this year we’ve been fairly conservative in these situations, but so far we’re happy.”
Marco Andretti was second-quick on 226.71 mph (39.6983 sec.), followed by AGR teammate Tony Kanaan (226.688 mph, 39.7022 sec.).
“It’s nice, but I’d rather be here tomorrow (Saturday, Pole Day),” said Marco. “That’s when it counts.”
Team Penske’s Ryan Briscoe, Hideki Mutoh, Dan Wheldon, Panther Racing’s Vitor Meira, Patrick, Luzco Dragon’s Tomas Scheckter and Ryan Hunter-Reay filled the remaining spots in the top-ten.
By 3:20 PM EDT the rain showers began anew, and the cars moved under their black tarps into the paddock.
A healthy crowd turned out in the grandstands and around the Gasoline Alley garages to watch the truncated ‘Fast Friday’ unfold.
The weather forecast for Saturday Pole Day looks promising for an exciting end to the week with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the high sixties.
Roth Racing rookie Jay Howard will be first in order of qualifications, followed by Ryan Briscoe and Dale Coyne’s Mario Moraes.
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The footage I saw showed her “entering” her pit box, not exiting.
She was blazing into her pit stall. The frightening video is at
http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3389108
I’m surprised his head injury wasn’t fatal.
Which is why pit crews in F1 and NASCAR all wear helmets. Indy car crews don’t??
Honestly, it’s something I’ve never noticed before but something that needs to be addressed.
As well as addressing pit lane speeds? She sure did look like she was going too fast, and she obviously cut across someone else’s pit box to hit the guy?
I saw her “sympathetic statement” on video, and it sounded hollow and contrived.
Thanks for the link to the video Scott
I hadn’t seen that previously, relying on an eyewitness’ account
Hope to see you out here this year
AB