Indycar crash collects 7 on lap 1 at Texas Motor Speedway (Video)

7 cars crashed before the starting line on lap 1 of the Indycar race at Texas Motor Speedway

On Sunday, the NTT Indycar Series rolled into Texas Motor Speedway for the Xpel 375. It was the second event of the double-header race weekend.

Watch the video of the Indycar crash at Texas Motor Speedway below.

Following rain on Saturday, qualifying was a wash out. The field for both races this weekend were set via points.

The grid rolled to the green flag. The accordion came into play as the rear of the field starting moving faster than the front of the grid, before the green.

Just as the green dropped, Pietro Fittipaldi got into the back of Sebastien Bourdais, turning his across the track. He then collected Alexander Rossi. As the rest of the field rolled into the scene, the entire track was blocked.

Conor Daly started last. He drove right over the top of Dalton Kellett. Daly landed upside down on his air scoop. As he slid across the track, the car dug into the infield grass, flipping it back on it’s mangled wheels.

In total 7 cars were involved and taken out of the race: James Hinchcliffe, Sebastien Bourdais, Alexander Rossi, Pietro Fittipaldi, Ed Jones, Dalton Kellett and Conor Daly.

It was a very long clean up session. As cars rolled under caution, officials spent nearly 20 caution laps cleaning off the race track.

Crash at Texas Motor Speedway - Indycar Series
Crash at Texas Motor Speedway – Indycar Series (Photo: Joe Skibinski)

Conor Daly comments after the Texas crash

“In general, in Indycar, we definitely have too many start crashes, Conor Daly told NBC after exiting the medical center. “I think we should probably look at that.”

“There’s just such an accordion effect. But, honestly, it looked fine. Everyone was accelerating. And I had the best view, because I was last. All it takes it just one person because everyone is nose to tail.”

“Don’t know what happened. You can’t throw blame at anyone. All I know is being upside down isn’t fun. I’ve never had that happen in Indycar before. On our bingo card of terrible things to have happened to us this year, I don’t know what’s going to happen next.”

“I really hope we can start turning things around. It’s been a rough start. But, I’m good, I’m alright.”

Newgarden tried to fit through a hole that closed

Daly explained, “We found the hole. Hinch got right through it and I tried to follow him through it.”

Newgarden was hit on both sides.

Daly concluded, “It turns out you can be upside down, quite easily. That sucked. We will be on to better things at our hometown of Indianapolis.”

Indycar Series crash at Texas Motor Speedway 2
Indycar Series crash at Texas Motor Speedway 2 (Photo: Chris Jones)

Pietro Fittipaldi comments after the Texas crash

“I’m ok. I think I sprained my finger a little bit. The doctors did a great job and took care of me,” Pietro Fittipaldi stated with a bandage on his hand.

“I was behind Seb, we were running well and they backed up ahead. I had no room to go anywhere. He added, “I tried and didn’t go anywhere, hit Seb and turned him around. Then, there was that huge accident.”

“I don’t know if the leaders or the middle of the pack got backed up. I got on the brakes but no time to go anywhere. Especially on the outside.”

Just before the crash, Fittipaldi had a gap to the rear of Bourdais. He closed the gap right before the crash took place.

Fittipaldi added, “The guys ahead of us left a gap. So, everyone was kind of closing up. Then, we got pretty steady, got a run and I was within a couple feet of Seb when they slowed down.”

Indycar Series crash at Texas Motor Speedway
Indycar Series crash at Texas Motor Speedway (Photo: Chris Jones)

Other drivers involved

Alexander Rossi: “The biggest problem I have about this is we have an entire day and we’re still setting the grid based on points. We have plenty of tires and plenty of opportunity to qualify. I don’t think we should have ever been starting 15th. I understand why we did it yesterday, we want to get the show in. It makes no sense, why you don’t just qualify this morning. That’s frustrating. We shouldn’t be with guys that maybe don’t have the same amount of pace. Glad everyone’s ok.”

Sebastien Bourdais: “Obviously, I didn’t see anything. Really, it was checking up at the front. At that stage, we should be going. So, I don’t know what was going on at the front. That’s still not an excuse. When someone checks up in front of you, you should be in control of your car. Two days in a row, we get drilled and taken out of the race. Unfortunately, it’s a very expensive couple of days for AJ Foyt Racing. It’s always a shame when you get wrecked. It’s even more of a shame when it’s that way. The guys worked until Midnight last night to fix that car after Josef took us out. Then, we can’t even take the green flag. Not very impressed right now.”

Ed Jones: “It’s very frustrating. At the start there, everyone was very spread out, all trying to catch up. Obviously, the incident in the front, I tried to avoid. I thought I was going to, then I got collected from behind. It’s difficult not to see the race through.”

Related: Texas Race Results – May 2, 2021 (Indycar Series)

Texas Motor Speedway
Crash Video
May 2, 2021
Indycar Series
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James Hinchcliffe | Sebastien Bourdais | Alexander Rossi | Pietro Fittipaldi | Ed Jones | Dalton Kellett | Conor Daly | Texas Motor Speedway | Indycar

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