IndyCar at Pocono: SPOILERS

[legion]

So the Robert Wickens crash was just about one of the worst that I remember. It seems that he broke both of his legs. Sorry, can't post a link right now.

It blows my mind that Rossi can't get a ride in F1. He seems to be able to drive just about anything and master it. I kind of wonder if he is like Senna and Schumacher and is just comfortable with crazy setups that no one else seems to be able to drive with. He pulled out a tremendous lead and was never really under threat of not winning the whole race.

[LakeCleElum]

Scary scene for sure. I was fearing the worst when they wouldn't put a camera on the car while that worked over 1/2 hour getting him out.

Catch fencing just barely did it's job, but it was ugly when he hit the pole....

[Tervuren]

The few races I've watched this year Wickens has been pushing hard.

Pocono seems to be wracking up some nasty crashes.

It amazes me just how "safe" racing is given the speeds involved.

[legion]

Here's something:

IndyCar driver Robert Wickens is being treated for injuries to his lower extremities, right arm and spine following an accident early in a race at Pocono.

IndyCar said the Canadian sustained a pulmonary contusion Sunday and will undergo an MRI and probable surgery at Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest in Allentown.

[1990C4S]

Graphic....

[Tervuren]

There are some videos I just will not give views to.

Not that I wouldn't watch them, but the idea of potential add sponsorship profiting off what may be career ending tragedy doesn't sit well with me.

A horrible crash, to be sure. It looked pretty hopeless from the video, especially the way his head snapped forward as the car returned to the track. I thought maybe a piece of debris had cut the tether on his HANS device or maybe even a strap on his harness--your head just isn't supposed to flop forward so far. I hope his "spine" injuries aren't from that, or they could be terrible.

I don't think Indycar handled it very well either, waiting so long before announcing that he was awake and alert. We had to wait over an hour to hear what should have been reported immediately after they put him in the ambulance.

Seven years after Dan Wheldon was killed, and Indycar still hasn't figured out the catch fence problem. I've heard a lot of interesting ideas ("glass" walls like in a hockey rink, spectators on the inside of the track with no walls around the outside, etc.) but no action.

I love the racing this year with the new car/aero package. It seems to be a real "driver's car" now, and it looks cool, unlike those horrid haloed monstrosities in F1. Indycar is the best racing around, IMHO.

[flatbutt]

It is remarkable to see what is now a "survivable" crash. All blessings to the driver.

[stealthn]

Originally Posted by madcorgi

Seven years after Dan Wheldon was killed, and Indycar still hasn't figured out the catch fence problem. I've heard a lot of interesting ideas ("glass" walls like in a hockey rink, spectators on the inside of the track with no walls around the outside, etc.) but no action.

.

Exactly, it seems to be through many sports, not sure why they think flexible fencing with holes in it won’t make things worse.

[URY914]

You're asking Indycar track owners to invest millions in their tracks. Have you seen how many empty seats there are at oval tracks?

[astrochex]

A hockey rink like solution would be stupid. Part of the purpose of a catch fence is to absorb the energy of the impact. A "glass" solution would do the opposite, it would bounce the car back onto the track, creating even more carnage.

[legion]

Robert Wickens has rods, screws placed into spine

IndyCar driver Robert Wickens had titanium rods and screws placed in his spine to stabilize a fracture associated with a spinal cord injury suffered in a crash at Pocono Raceway.

IndyCar said in a statement Tuesday that the severity of the spinal cord injury was unknown.

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports later said it would not field the No. 6, the car Wickens' drives, at this weekend's race in St. Louis. James Hinchcliffe, who injured his hands in the wreck in Pocono, has been cleared to compete and will race at Gateway.

Wickens is expected to undergo more surgeries to treat fractures in his lower extremities and right forearm. He remains in stable condition.

[Por_sha911]

I think it is really sad when a driver is injured or killed but let's get a dose of reality here.

Technology has made these cars safer than ever before. Back in the 60's someone was getting killed at almost every week. You aren't going to go fast and be totally safe. That is just physics.

If you want totally safe then play badminton or chess. All the drivers know the risks going in. They accept that auto racing is dangerous. The public loves the drama and the danger and then condemns the sport when something bad happens. Hypocritical morbid curiosity. Look at all the views on Youtube.

In interviews with drivers that have been seriously injured in crashes they all say they want to get back in the car ASAP. If you want to be sad for someone, feel sad for the families of the drivers that have to live with the risk.

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

I think it is really sad when a driver is injured or killed but let's get a dose of reality here.

Technology has made these cars safer than ever before. Back in the 60's someone was getting killed at almost every week. You aren't going to go fast and be totally safe. That is just physics.

If you want totally safe then play badminton or chess. All the drivers know the risks going in. They accept that auto racing is dangerous. The public loves the drama and the danger and then condemns the sport when something bad happens. Hypocritical morbid curiosity. Look at all the views on Youtube.

In interviews with drivers that have been seriously injured in crashes they all say they want to get back in the car ASAP. If you want to be sad for someone, feel sad for the families of the drivers that have to live with the risk.

There's a lot of truth here, I think, although I'm ashamed to admit some of it. After the Wickens crash, my son and I, both avid fans, questioned ourselves why we love the sport, and what effect having it be totally safe would have on how much we love it.

The answer for me is that it would lose almost all of its appeal. The element of danger is central to the sport, and removing it would diminish the triumphs of those who win. It's one thing to have the brain, motor skills, and stamina to drive an Indycar quickly. It's quite another to apply those skills when the slightest mistake can cost you your life. Now, add to that the challenge of a bunch of other guys doing the exact same knife-edge dance, and you have a unique group of individuals indeed. And it makes for a great show.

Although small beans in comparison, I was an SCCA racer and DE driver/instructor for many years, and I lived for the adrenaline rush. It was the old cliche of feeling "more alive" having faced the danger. Between events, I couldn't wait to get back in the car. So I get why the Indy car drivers who have been pretty horribly hurt--Bourdais, Hinchcliffe, and probably Wickens, if he can--are always so eager to get going again.

And then suddenly going really fast and facing danger isn't that much fun any more. I experienced that phenomenon last year for the first time. Rather than exhilaration when things got exciting on track, I started to feel fear. Fast forward to this year, and I've been on track once. Don't know whether I'll go back or not--I can certainly still drive. But I think I'm just like a lot of the pros who finally decide they've had enough and retire. No shame in that.

But this sport will always be like nothing else for me. Off to Portland this weekend.

[Por_sha911]

I believe there are many elite level skilled drivers that never made it to Indy/F1/NHRA/IMSA... because they couldn't overcome the fear factor.
To borrow an old expression, there are two types of motorcycle riders:
-the ones that have gone down
-the ones that haven't gone down YET.
The same holds true for pro drivers. Broken backs, major surgeries, but they come back.

[legion]

https://jalopnik.com/robert-wickens-family-releases-his-exact-injuries-becau-1828871189

In the wake of any accident, speculation will abound. In the case of IndyCar driver Robert Wickens’ wreck at Pocono in mid-August, however, misinformation spread by members of the media have forced the family’s hand and encouraged them to release a statement listing his full injuries.

Wickens has been hospitalized since the time of the accident that caused the race to be stopped for two hours while repairs were made to the catch fencing and all five drivers involved in the accident were routinely checked in the medical center. While it was noted that he was to have multiple surgeries and had suffered, among other things, a pulmonary contusion and spinal injuries, exact details weren’t given.

In a statement released earlier today, however, Schmidt Peterson has listed the exact injuries sustained by Wickens in the accident:

Essentially, Wickens suffered fractures to almost his entire body including, most worryingly, his spine. He’s undergone multiple surgeries, but the severity of his injuries is still indeterminate. He’s been transferred to rehabilitation, which is where it’s likely the extent of the damage will be discovered.

Many have noted, however, the mention of “an unverified” source that portrayed Wickens’ accident as less severe than it actually is. And, as the internet is wont to do, they’ve traced things back to a Instagram post by Paul Tracy where the former racer and current NBC commentator made it sound as if Wickens was on the fast track to recovery with only minor injuries.

In being approached on Twitter about those inaccurate comments, Tracy passed it off as being not a particularly big deal:

While curiosity is understandably high in the wake of any serious motorsport incident, it is not anyone’s right to know or release information that has not been willingly cleared by the family of those involved or by the series they’re racing for. If you’ve ever heard the saying “don’t break news that isn’t yours to break”, you know what I mean—especially if that news isn’t correct. It’s an ethical no-go.

It’s incredibly generous of Wickens’ family to provide fans with the exact details of the driver’s accident, but it is also very frustrating to realize that it only had to be done as a way to rectify misinformation being circulated after his accident. It is, as they note, very disingenuous to discount the severity what Wickens and his loved ones are experiencing, and it isn’t fair to the fans who are relying on media personnel for accurate information.

Thankfully, the fact that Wickens is in rehabilitation and that further updates are posited as coming from him directly is a promising sign, one that I personally hope is a good sign for the best possible recovery.

This news comes in the wake of the announcement that Wickens, despite not being able to participate in four races of the season—one of which being the double-points finale at Sonoma—has still secured Rookie of the Year in IndyCar. It’s a testament to his skill as a driver, and we hope to see him healthy soon.

Oh man, that list of injuries is just awful to read. He broke just about everything there is to break.

At Portland this past weekend, they had all these get well banners the fans signed, and there was a lot of fundraising going on for him. And then the nasty first lap crash happened, and we thought "oh no, not again!" But thankfully everyone was OK. We were sitting right at the exit to the festival curves, probably 200 feet from the crash site. We were so close that all the dust kicked up floated over our grandstand.

Thank for posting, legion.

[legion]

Yeah, I watched it on TV and was relieved when the cameras were on the crashed cars and showed the drivers emerging. I was particularly worried about the car that was upside down.

I do think Wickens crash is the worst one I've ever seen. I've never seen a car spin in the air like helicopter before.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by legion

Yeah, I watched it on TV and was relieved when the cameras were on the crashed cars and showed the drivers emerging. I was particularly worried about the car that was upside down.

I do think Wickens crash is the worst one I've ever seen. I've never seen a car spin in the air like helicopter before.

Dario Franchitti's career ending crash was very similar.

[looneybin]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Dario Franchitti's career ending crash was very similar.

was that the crash where the front of the car broke off exposing the drivers legs and the car was still sliding along the track with his feet sticking out?
i don't remember what driver that was, but it happened maybe 10 years ago