500 MILES
The 99th 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 .
Letterman Signs Off For The Last Time
Sports Weekend in Review: Indy, Lacrosse and More
-
All-Rounder Stokes Aims for Recovery Ahead of Upcoming India Test Series England Test captain Ben Stokes has announced that...
-
NBA Star Penalized for Inappropriate Gesture During Victory Over Trail Blazers Philadelphia 76ers’ star center, Joel Embiid, has been...
-
Spanish Football Chief Faces Scrutiny Over World Cup Incident The Spanish government announced on Tuesday that it has submitted...
-
University of Houston Mourns the Loss of Former Basketball Star Reggie Chaney The University of Houston community is deeply...
-
Former President Donald Trump Leaves Republicans Speculating on His Debate Strategy Former President Donald Trump has definitively confirmed that...
-
As Neymar’s desire for a new chapter surfaces, the football world debates whether he will return to Barcelona’s embrace...
-
The football legend mesmerizes with a dazzling display and debuts a Wakanda Lionel Messi wowed fans once again with...
-
Andrew Wiggins Returns: Ready to Help Warriors Defend Championship Title! Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins has returned to...
-
Scotland’s rugby team has been dealt a significant blow. Scotland’s rugby team has been dealt a significant blow with...
-
Diaz injured his knee while the Puerto Rican team was celebrating its victory. During Wednesday night’s game in the...
-
Number 16 has joined the legendary likes of Numbers 8 and 24. Despite retiring from the NBA in 2021,...
-
Tatum was slapped with his first career ejection after two technical fouls. Monday night was a rough one for...