Defending IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou discusses securing the pole position for the upcoming Indy 500, explaining how his team adjusted the car for speed and highlighting the 200-lap race challenges. Palou, who is chasing his 5th IndyCar championship, hopes to win his second Indy 500, with Fox News covering the race live from Indianapolis.
The big story on Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a massive, three-car crash that involved some serious heavy hitters in this year’s race, including 2016 Indy 500 champ Alexander Rossi.
But despite some surgery afterward, it appears that Rossi is ready to return to action in time for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
Things went from high to low for Rossi and Ed Carpenter Racing when, after qualifying P2 for the race, sandwiched on the front row by pole sitter and reigning champion Alex Palou and Team Penske’s David Malukas, Rossi had a major crash in Monday’s practice session.
Alexander Rossi, driver of the No. 20 Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing, was involved in a major crash during Indianapolis 500 practice on Monday. (Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
He simply lost the rear of his car partway through Turn 2, and he hit the wall hard, collecting Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward and Dayle Coyne Racing’s Romain Grosjean in the process.
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That was the first major incident all month, but it was a scary one, and it led to Rossi needing some outpatient procedures to deal with some minor injuries sustained in the crash.
On Tuesday, the man himself hopped on X and seemed to be in good spirits.
I mean, hard to not be in good spirits when you’re headed to Cracker Barrel.
It’s awesome to see him in good spirits after that one, but the best part about this may have been the replies.
Hopefully, he’s in good enough shape that we’ll see him back in the No. 20 Chevrolet for ECR on Carb Day and again for the race, but there is one slight issue.
While there’s no penalty for totaling his car and he’ll still start from the front row, there’s a chance he’ll have to use a backup car.
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Ed Carpenter Racing team members retrieve Alexander Rossi’s No. 20 Chevrolet after it was involved in a three-car crash on Monday in practice. (© Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
That’s always less than ideal, considering the team has spent the month setting up.
In the past, we’ve even seen some teams resort to road-course-spec chassis because of a crash.
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So, that crash did not make Rossi’s mission of winning a second career Indy 500 any easier, but thanks to that front-row starting position, he’ll still have a decent chance.
He’ll be looking for this year’s race to end better than last year’s did for him. He wound up retiring early after a fire in the pit lane.
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