INDIANAPOLIS: US stock car racer Kurt Busch escaped unharmed after a hard crash into the outer wall yesterday during a practice session for Sunday’s 98th Indianapolis 500.
Busch is trying to become only the fourth racer to compete on the same day in two US oval classics that total 1,100 miles -- the Indy 500 and US stock car racing’s Coca-Cola 600 night race.
While running in a group of cars, Busch lost control coming out of turn two at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and slammed into the outer wall, the rear of his car erupting into flames as it spun to a rest on the infield grass.
Busch climbed out of the car himself and was checked out at the track medical center and released with approval to drive once again.
“I was starting to feel comfortable, and that’s when I made the mistake of just letting my guard down or settling into that long run-type mentality,” said Busch.
“With an Indy car you have to be on edge. You have to keep track of where you are at all times and the adjustments in the car. Maybe I just didn’t keep up with keeping the car underneath me.”
Fellow Americans John Andretti, Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon are the only others who have done the “Double Duty” in past years, with Gordon the most recent to achieve the feat in 2004. Busch is set to start on the outside of the fourth at Indy. Qualifying for the stock car event at Charlotte Motor Speedway will take place Thursday night.
Busch’s plan is to put his car in the field in North Carolina, fly to Indianapolis in time for the final Indy 500 practice session Friday morning. Should Andretti Motorsport team mechanics be unable to repair Busch’s IndyCar, he would have to go with a backup car and start at the rear of the 33-car field. REUTERS
