Kanaan voices opinion following another terrifying crash at Indy
INDIANAPOLIS -- It's been a tough week for the Verizon IndyCar Series as crashes in practice at the Indianapolis 500 have cast a dark cloud of anxiety over the sport.
Tony Kanaan, the 2004 IndyCar Series champion and 2013 Indy 500 winner, is not ready to enter panic mode. Instead, he took time to explain why race drivers do what they do, even after the major crashes seen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week.
"We need to understand this is a very dangerous sport," Kanaan said after Monday's practice. "It always has been since the 1900s. As drivers we are fully aware of that. Every time we get in a race car we don't know if we are going to come out of it in one piece.
"That is what makes us different people. It's never easy when a friend gets hurt but this is the sport that we chose. If people feel uncomfortable about that then they should not be in a race car."
Kanaan had a similar crash with Dixon in Japan in 2003 when a suspension piece came into his car and went through his leg.
"This is a dangerous sport and what we have to live with," Kanaan said. "We are always going to have concerns and when people crash things happen. I trust the engineers and the guys that build the Aero Kits. We will never have all the answers. We want to put on a good show for the fans. Accidents happen and we hate that, but we are here to do a job."
On a day when young Sage Karam regained the speed that he lost on Pole Day, the 99th Indianapolis 500 lost one of its big-name drivers as James Hinchcliffe underwent surgery at IU Health Methodist Hospital after injuring his left upper thigh in a heavy crash in Turn 3 early in Monday's practice session.
Hinchcliffe is in stable condition according to Dr. Michael Olinger, IndyCar Medical Director. He was awake when he was transported by ground to the hospital after the crash.
According to Honda Performance Development (HPD) officials, it was a suspension piece that failed. The right front pushrod failed as he was turning into the corner. Hinchcliffe lost his steering and hit the wall at a 45-degree angle at 230 miles per hour. The car did not get in the air but briefly turned on its side. It never left the ground -- not unlike some of the crashes before the introduction of the Aero Kit.
No replacements have been mentioned to take over his ride in Sunday's Indy 500 but Tristan Vautier, who qualified for James Davison's Honda 21st on the grid because that driver had previous commitments that kept him from qualifying, is a logical replacement. He previously drove for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in 2013. Vautier, however, is scheduled to race in Europe this weekend so won't be available.
Hinchcliffe was set to start on the outside of Row 8 in Sunday's Indy 500.
Hinchcliffe previously suffered a concussion at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 2014 Grand Prix of Indianapolis that kept him out of the first week of practice for the 2014 Indianapolis 500. He recovered in time to qualify for the front row of last year's Indy 500.
IndyCar officials shut down practice for nearly three hours to conduct an investigation into the cause of Hinchcliffe's crash. Teams were able to resume practice at 4 p.m. and it continued until 6 p.m. ET.
Karam, who qualified a disappointing 23rd in Sunday's abbreviated Indianapolis 500 qualifications with a four-lap average of 223.595 mph, was the fastest driver on Monday with a fast lap at 227.831 mph. His high speed for the month came on Saturday morning with a fast lap at 230.166 mph in a Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.
Three-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion and 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon, who won the pole on Sunday with a four-lap average of 226.760 mph, was second quick to his Ganassi teammate.
JR Hildebrand of CFH Racing, the 10th fastest driver in qualifications, was third on Monday. Davison was an impressive fourth and Kanaan rounded out the top five of the 28 drivers that took part in Monday's practice.
"It was a busy afternoon," Kanaan said. "We tried to get the most amount of laps in in the amount of time that we had with all things that happened today. Conditions change all the time and it felt good today. It's a tough day for IndyCar as one of my friends is having surgery right now. My thoughts and prayers are with him and we were on the track today to make sure we have a better race on Sunday for the fans."
Team Penske drivers ran laps among themselves to prepare for Sunday's 99th Indianapolis 500 and Simon Pagenaud was the fastest of that group in sixth just ahead of teammate and defending Verizon IndyCar Series driver Will Power.
**
Be sure to catch Bruce Martin's Honda IndyCar Report on RACEDAY on FOX Sports Radio every Sunday from 6-8 a.m. ET.
