Rash of Crash: Inside a wild weekend of wrecks during Indy 500 prep

Bruce Martin
Special to FOXSports.com

INDIANAPOLIS — The past three days of on-track activity ahead of the 109th Indianapolis 500 included a "Rash of Crash."

When Scott McLaughlin’s No. 3 Pennzoil Chevrolet slammed into the Turn 2 wall and went airborne in Sunday afternoon’s practice session, it was the fourth serious crash of the weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

McLaughlin’s Team Penske crew prepared Josef Newgarden’s backup car but decided to pull out of the Fast 12 qualification session to get it ready for Monday’s full-field practice session for the 109th Indianapolis 500.

It highlights the risk versus reward of racing high-speed Indy cars around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Since the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 to this weekend’s qualifications, danger lurks just around every corner for every driver that hits that track. 

But these are athletes that look danger in the face and don’t flinch.

That is why 350,000 fans will fill the sold-out grandstands on Sunday for this year's Indianapolis 500 in the ultimate battle of man versus machine.

The famed auto racing journalist and publisher Chris Economaki used to say tracks promoted racing drivers as "death defying daredevils" in the 1930s through the 1960s.

Of course, in modern times, that can’t be used for liability reasons, but part of the allure of the Indy 500 is these are athletes who risk it all to compete in the "World’s Biggest Race."

The fact each driver involved in every crash walked away uninjured and were back on track to try it again is a major testament to the safety of the current Indy car.

The "Rash of Crash" began on Fast Friday. 

Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kyffin Simpson crashed in Turn 4 during a qualification