A shocking incident unfolded earlier than the Indy 500 even started, with Staff Penske’s Scott McLaughlin crashing into the wall through the tempo laps.
Rain delayed the beginning of the 109th operating of the Indianapolis 500 by virtually an hour, with Roger Penske lastly giving the command to begin engines at 1:21pm EST. On a chilly observe with overcast skies, the sector of 33 lastly filed out onto the race observe.
McLaughlin was set to begin tenth as the one one of many three Penske drivers who escaped a penalty within the attenuator scandal from final weekend’s qualifying session. Nonetheless, as the sector paced across the 2.5-mile observe, McLaughlin was warming up his tires when he misplaced management. The No. 3 Chevrolet got here out from below him, crashing into the within wall on the frontstretch, destroying the automotive.
McLaughlin’s race was over earlier than it had even begun. He sat within the automotive, utterly devastated because the crew tried to console him over the radio. As soon as he climbed from the wreckage, he may solely put his head in his arms.
“I actually do not know what occurred,” mentioned McLaughlin. “I am simply actually upset for my crew. They constructed me a incredible automotive once more. I am actually sorry to my sponsors, my followers, my household … I do not know why. I am unable to imagine we’re out of the race. By far the worst second of my life. I do know that is in all probability dramatic however I put a lot into this race and did not get to see the inexperienced flag.”
However the chaos had solely simply begun, as Scott Dixon’s automotive started to smoke with a small hearth rising from the left-rear. Fortunately, it sorted itself out. The Chip Ganassi crew later needed to change the brakes, which did put Dixon three laps down.
After which on the primary flying lap, the sector did not even make it by way of Flip 1 as Marco Andretti crashed into the wall, ending his twentieth Indy 500 begin with out a single lap of green-flag racing.
“Yeah, simply (ought to have) been affected person,” mentioned Andretti when requested if there was the rest he may have completed. “However as soon as I used to be dedicated, I could not have moved. I type of on the wall. I have never seen it but however whoever was subsequent to me, crowded me and I ran out of room.”
Andretti will end thirty second and McLaughlin thirty third within the closing operating order. Each drivers go away Indianapolis with the worst Indy 500 end of their profession. The occasion solely made it 20 laps earlier than rain started to sprinkle down as soon as extra, forcing a short warning flag.
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Nick DeGroot
IndyCar
Scott McLaughlin
Staff Penske
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