Crashes mar Friday Brickyard practice
By Mark Aumann and Lee Montgomery, NASCAR.COM
August 6, 2004
05:58 PM EDT (21:58 GMT)
SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- Scott Pruett's return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ended with a trip to a nearby hospital.
Pruett, who hasn't raced here since 2000, spun and smacked the wall in Turn 1 early in Friday's practice for the Brickyard 400. His No. 09 Phoenix Racing Dodge was heavily damaged on the driver's side and slid against the inside wall.
After evaluation at the infield care center, Pruett was taken to Methodist Hospital for further evaluation and X-rays, IMS officials said. It is unknown what the X-rays were for.
Pruett finished 10th in the Brickyard 400 in 2000, and he also has four starts in the Indianapolis 500. Unfortunately for Pruett, he also has four DNFs in the Indy 500, including a crash while leading in 1995, his last start in an IndyCar here.
Hermie Sadler and Greg Biffle also crashed in practice. Biffle walked away from his wreck, while Sadler was checked and released from the infield care center and was cleared to drive by IMS director of medical services Dr. Henry Bock.
"The throttle hung up on me going in Turn 2," Sadler said. "We tested this SAFER barrier. It is unfortunate for us. It's our best car that we've got. ... Not sure of a rock got up in there. I don't know. We've never had trouble with this car. It worked fine in the garage, but it didn't work when I needed it to."
Biffle's car worked fine, but his No. 16 Ford was a little too loose. Biffle said he lost control on the entrance to Turn 4, and the car backed into the outside wall.
"I just lifted on the gas and started to turn in and spun out," Biffle said. "Mine got away in the worst possible spot -- way early. ... It just got away from me. I was just way too loose. That was our first qualifying run of the day. Even though that was a good car, they've got another good one in the truck, so we'll be all right."
Biffle was also checked, released and cleared to drive.
By Mark Aumann and Lee Montgomery, NASCAR.COM
August 6, 2004
05:58 PM EDT (21:58 GMT)
SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- Scott Pruett's return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ended with a trip to a nearby hospital.
Pruett, who hasn't raced here since 2000, spun and smacked the wall in Turn 1 early in Friday's practice for the Brickyard 400. His No. 09 Phoenix Racing Dodge was heavily damaged on the driver's side and slid against the inside wall.
After evaluation at the infield care center, Pruett was taken to Methodist Hospital for further evaluation and X-rays, IMS officials said. It is unknown what the X-rays were for.
Pruett finished 10th in the Brickyard 400 in 2000, and he also has four starts in the Indianapolis 500. Unfortunately for Pruett, he also has four DNFs in the Indy 500, including a crash while leading in 1995, his last start in an IndyCar here.
Hermie Sadler and Greg Biffle also crashed in practice. Biffle walked away from his wreck, while Sadler was checked and released from the infield care center and was cleared to drive by IMS director of medical services Dr. Henry Bock.
"The throttle hung up on me going in Turn 2," Sadler said. "We tested this SAFER barrier. It is unfortunate for us. It's our best car that we've got. ... Not sure of a rock got up in there. I don't know. We've never had trouble with this car. It worked fine in the garage, but it didn't work when I needed it to."
Biffle's car worked fine, but his No. 16 Ford was a little too loose. Biffle said he lost control on the entrance to Turn 4, and the car backed into the outside wall.
"I just lifted on the gas and started to turn in and spun out," Biffle said. "Mine got away in the worst possible spot -- way early. ... It just got away from me. I was just way too loose. That was our first qualifying run of the day. Even though that was a good car, they've got another good one in the truck, so we'll be all right."
Biffle was also checked, released and cleared to drive.
