When an open-wheel car hits the wall at Indy, the result can be a scary thing to watch. These are lightweight, open-cockpit cars flying around the track at over 220 miles per hour, with drivers pushing their rides to the extreme. This is especially true in qualifying, when cars are pushed to the limit to get into the field and, perhaps, earn a spot near the front of the starting grid.
VIDEO: Ed Carpenter Crashes During Indy 500 Qualifying
There were three crashes on Pole Day, the day in which drivers battle for the pole position and 23 others. Oriol Servia spun around and tapped a wall, but it wasn’t too bad. Bryan Clauson hit the wall pretty hard coming out a turn, tearing up the back end of his car.
And then there was Ed Carpenter.
That looked real bad at the time.
On the plus side, the cockpits of these cars are made extremely well -- meant to protect the drivers from crashes such as the ones listed above. All three drivers walked away just fine, though their cars had seen better days. The incidents put each behind the eight ball as they try to qualify, though, and many teams are scrambling ahead of bump day.
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