Villeneuve Knows Accidents Will Happen : Indy 500: Winner’s father died in 1982 crash. Fox still unconscious, with ‘no additional problems.’

INDIANAPOLIS —  The euphoria that should have engulfed Jacques Villeneuve for winning Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 was blunted somewhat by his thoughts of fellow driver Stan Fox.

Fox, better known for his midget racing exploits than Indy cars, remained unconscious Monday in the neurosurgical unit of Methodist Hospital with brain injuries sustained in a frightening first-lap accident. A brain scan taken Monday afternoon revealed “no additional problems,” according to Dr. Henry Bock, Indianapolis Motor Speedway doctor.

Remarkably, despite having his Reynard chassis break in half--exposing his legs--on impact with the short chute wall between the first and second turns, Fox had no other significant injuries.

Villeneuve, who collected $1,312,019 of the total purse of $8,063,550 at the annual Indy 500 banquet, is familiar with racing accidents.

His father, Gilles Villeneuve, Canada’s greatest motor racing hero with six Formula One victories, died in 1982 while practicing in a Ferrari for the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. Jacques was 11 at the time.

“I am distressed that Stan was hurt because it’s not something we like to see happen, but you run a risk as a driver,” Villeneuve, 24, said. “My father died in a crash. Every driver lives life on the edge. We never think that we will be hurt ourself, but every driver is aware it might happen.

“Every driver, if he were not a racer, would probably be doing something else crazy. That’s just the way we are.”

Villeneuve admitted that he was interested in switching to Formula One, but at no specific time, and his father’s success in the series will not influence his decision.

“I spent all my youth in Europe and followed Formula One, so that is something I have considered since I began racing,” he said. “There has been some interest, and some conversation, about my driving F1, but it’s too early in the year to think about what will happen next season.

“This is the greatest race in the world. To win here, it’s like winning the Olympics. There is more pressure, more hype, more attention, than at any other race in the world. But as soon as we stop celebrating, we will think about Milwaukee and next Sunday’s race.”

Team owner Barry Green, who came from Perth, Australia, to become one of the foremost Indy car team managers, said the focus now will be on winning the PPG Cup championship.

“I’m convinced we will lose him to Formula One, because he is that good,” Green said. “Before that, we would like for him to become the first Canadian Indy car champion.”

After six of 17 races, Villeneuve is leading Bobby Rahal by 15 points, with Scott Pruett another point back.

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Brazilian Christian Fittipaldi, nephew of two-time winner Emerson Fittipaldi, was named rookie of the 500, which Villeneuve won last year. A former Formula One driver, Fittipaldi finished second in one of Derrick Walker’s Reynard-Fords.

“It was the longest race of my life,” Fittipaldi said. “Five hundred miles felt like 5,000. I thought I was going to hit the wall every lap.

“Finishing second was not beyond what I thought was possible, but it definitely was better than what the month had given us so far. It is a wonderful accomplishment for me, especially in my first time to compete in the greatest race in the world.”