Reporting from Indianapolis — A frightening crash sent pole-sitter Scott Dixon’s car airborne and on to a retaining wall during the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday but Dixon was not seriously hurt.
The crash started when Jay Howard lost control on lap 53 of the 200-lap race and Dixon slammed into him at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Dixon’s car then flew into the air and crashed on top of an inside retaining wall, tearing the car apart. But the tub containing Dixon remained intact and he walked away from the crash. Howard also was not hurt.
“A little bit beaten up,” Dixon said in a television interview following the crash. “Glad everybody was OK. Definitely a wild ride.”
As Dixon’s car was in the air, Helio Castroneves’ car drove under him.
“I saw they were flying, I ducked, I closed my eyes,” Castroneves said.
“When I opened [them], I was in the grass” and Castroneves’ car had a damaged front wing, said Castroneves, who eventually finished a close second behind winner Takuma Sato.
The race was stopped for 18 minutes under a red flag so that track workers could repair part of the safety fencing that was ripped open by the impact of Dixon’s car.
Dixon is a four-time champion of the Verizon IndyCar Series and the New Zealander won the Indy 500 in 2008.
1/19
Takuma Sato celebrates after receiving the winner’s wreath at the 101st Indianapolis 500.
(Darron Cummings / Associated Press) 2/19
Takuma Sato toasts with car owner Michael Andretti as they celebrate after winning the 101st Indianapolis 500.
(Darron Cummings / Associated Press) 3/19
Takuma Sato takes the traditional drink of milk in Victory Lane after winning the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.
(Jamie Squire / Getty Images) 4/19
IndyCar driver Takuma Sato celebrates by leaping into the arms of teammates in Victory Lane after winning the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.
(Jamie Squire / Getty Images) 5/19
Takuma Sato (with wreath) and crew members kneel at the strip of bricks for the ceremonial kiss after winning hte 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.
(Chris Graythen / Getty Images) 6/19
Takuma Sato kisses the bricks on the start/finish line at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after winning the 101st Indianapolis 500.
(Darron Cummings / Associated Press) 7/19
Takuma Sato heads into the first turn during the 10st Indianapolis 500.
(Darron Cummings / Associated Press) 8/19
The car driven by Scott Dixon goes over the top Jay Howard’s car during a crash in Turn 1 during the Indy 500.
(Marty Seppala / Associated Press) 9/19
The car of driver Scott Dixon goes airborne toward the infield after colliding with the car of driver Jay Howard during the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.
(Ron Graphman / Associated Press) 10/19
Scott Dixon sits in the remains of his car after going airborne and hitting a retaining wall along the infield during the running of the 101st Indianapolis 500.
(Bud Cunningham / Associated Press) 11/19
IndyCar driver Ryan Hunter-Reay leads the pack into a turn during the 101st Indianapolis 500.
(Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images) 12/19
Th crew of Fernando Alons services the car during a pit stop in the 101st Indianapolis 500.
(Sam Riche / Associated Press) 13/19
The car driven by Buddy Lazier catches fire after hitting the wall in Turn 2 during the running of the 101st Indianapolis 500.
(John Maxwell / Associated Press) 14/19
The car driven by Conor Daly hits the wall in the third turn during the 101st Indianapolis 500.
(Tom Pyle / Associated Press) 15/19
Drivers pull away from the grid to warm up their cars before the start of the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.
(Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images) 16/19
Jake Gyllenhaal and Boston bombing survivor Jeff Bauman wave the green flags to start the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.
(Michael Conroy / Associated Press) 17/19
Jake Gyllenhaal, right, and Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman walk the red carpet before the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.
(Kamil Krzaczynski / EPA) 18/19
A B-52 Stratofortress bomber performs a flyover before the 101st Indianapolis 500.
(Jamie Squire / Getty Images) 19/19
Motley Crue co-founder Nikki Sixx takes a selfie with a fan as he walks the red carpet before the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.
(Kamil Krzaczynski / EPA)
UPDATES:
3:55 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional details and quotes.
This article was originally published at 10:25 a.m.
