500 MILES

The 99^th running of the Indianapolis 500 takes place on Sunday. Devotees like to call it the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. But with what has taken place at the Brickyard in the last two weeks, it might become the Greatest Debacle in Racing.

Endless tinkering with the specs of these high-powered vehicles has led to a messy stretch of qualifying and practice rounds. And by messy, we mean wrecks.

Three accidents launched cars into the air and caused them to flip over. None of those drivers – Helio Castroneves, Josef Newgarden and Ed Carpenter – were seriously injured. That was last week. On Monday, during a practice session, James Hinchcliffe suffered life-threatening injuries in a crash. Part of the car’s suspension was forced through the driver’s cell and the steel “wishbone” ripped through Hinchcliffe’s thigh, causing extensive blood loss. He’ll miss the race and likely the rest of the IndyCar season, though he is expected to make a full recovery.

The mechanics of the cars and the changes IndyCar has made are complex. Drivers continue to praise the circuit’s attention to safety, but the accidents are worrisome.

The Indianapolis 500 is an iconic race, with a special place in the Memorial Day weekend’s celebration. The cars need to be fast, but they need to be safe as well. We should be talking about the marvel of these machines and those who drive them, not whether or not they will survive their injuries.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .