Practice at the MAVTV 500 Verizon IndyCar Series ended Friday after a spectacular crash involving rookie Mikhail Aleshin, Marco Andretti and Charlie Kimball through turns 3 and 4 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.
Replays show Aleshin going low through turns 3 and four then spinning up the track and on top of Kimball. The accident sent Aleshin into the catch fencing, where it was peeled away. Andretti was also caught up in the accident.
Video of the crash went up on Instagram pretty quickly.
According to NBCSports.com, both Kimball and Andretti were out of their cars after the accident, with safety crews tending to Aleshin. Multiple reports had Aleshin awake and complaining of his injuries.
Aleshin conscious, and is being airlifted to Loma Linda. Complaining of injuries to right shoulder/right foot. Per @IndyCarPR
— Tony DiZinno (@tonydizinno) August 30, 2014 Update on @mikhailaleshin: He is awake and conscious. Complaining about injuries to his right shoulder and right foot. #IndyCar
— IndyCar Series (@IndyCar) August 30, 2014 Pictures of the crash quickly hit Twitter.
Mikhail Aleshin hit the fence upwards of 200 mph. Kimball, Hawksworth, Andretti, Bourdais involved. Hoping he is OK pic.twitter.com/d3DMLjQGdz
— Beardown Bill (@BeardownBill) August 30, 2014 Curt Cavin of The Indianapolis Star wrote on his Twitter account that Aleshin vaulted into the fence at a high rate of speed.
Replay: Aleshin spun after getting below white line, spun into Kimball's path, massive crash, Aleshin vaults into the fence. HUGE
— Curt Cavin (@curtcavin) August 30, 2014 Kimball: "Next thing I knew he was accelerating up the hill in front of me." Hasn't seen a replay. "It looked HUGE."
— Curt Cavin (@curtcavin) August 30, 2014 A news release from IndyCar from Dr. Terry Trammell, IndyCar medical consultant, stated that Aleshin was diagnosed with fractured ribs, a broken right clavicle, a concussion and chest injuries. He was admitted to Loma Linda University Medical Center and listed in serious but stable condition.
Kimball, the other driver involved in the incident, was checked and released from the infield care center and cleared to drive.
The 27-year-old Aleshin also had several run-ins with Sebastien Bourdais earlier in the season, and he was involved in an unusual crash with Juan Pablo Montoya in Toronto.
Montoya was stalled in a tire barrier when Aleshin spun into the back of his car. Aleshin then slid under Montoya, leaving tire marks on Aleshin's helmet and requiring a tow truck to lift Montoya's car off Aleshin.
The two-mile Fontana track is a fast, high-banked oval with well-worn, bumpy and occasionally dusty asphalt, providing a challenge even for veteran drivers. Helio Castroneves won the pole for Saturday's race with an average speed of more than 218 mph in his qualifying lap Friday, when temperatures reached 100 degrees in Fontana.
Although IndyCar racing on ovals can be spectacular, the risk factor is high. Dan Wheldon was killed in a 15-car accident in the 2011 season finale at Las Vegas, another high-banked oval.
The IndyCar series finale is scheduled for Saturday night. Aleshin was eighth in qualifying earlier Friday, easily the best finish by a rookie.
Contributing: The Associated Press
Source : http://www.sportingnews.com/sport/story/2014-08-29/three-car-crash-stops-indyseries-practice-at-auto-club-speedway
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