Wilson fractures vertebrae in crash during Indy 500 practice - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS — Stefan Wilson fractured his back during a heavy crash with Katherine Legge in practice for the Indianapolis 500 on Monday, and the British driver will not be allowed back into his car for the 107th running of «The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.»

The two drivers were going through Turns 1 and 2 about an hour into the two-hour session when the entire field appeared to slow down. Legge closed fast on Wilson and hit the rear of his car, sending both skidding into the wall. Legge hit with a glancing blow to the rear of her car, but Wilson was pointed nearly head-on when he made contact with the SAFER barrier.

The safety crew spent about 10 minutes carefully extricating Wilson from his car. He was placed on a stretcher, immobilized and wearing a neck brace, gave a quick thumbs-up before he was loaded into an ambulance and taken to the hospital.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing said Wilson fractured his 12th thoracic vertebrae and would remain hospitalized for observation.

«I can tell you that he's doing well,» said Dr. Julia Vaizer, chief medical director for IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

It was unclear who will step into Wilson's car for Sunday's race, though JR Hildebrand has been at the speedway. He has made 12 consecutive starts, nearly winning as a rookie in 2011 before finishing second, but could not put together a ride for this year.

Three of Hildebrand's starts in the Indy 500 were with Dreyer & Reinbold, including an 11th-place finish in 2018.

Wilson's brother, Justin Wilson, was the last IndyCar driver killed on the track. He was competing in a 2015 race at Pocono when Sage Karam crashed ahead of him, and a piece of the car struck Wilson in the helmet and sent him into the wall.

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