Scott McLaughlin became the third driver in three days to have an airborne incident, wrecking his No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet. Although unhurt, McLaughlin was devastated after the crash as he climbed out of the wreckage. This followed previous instances of Kyffin Simpson and Colton Herta going airborne and flipping, respectively, during practice sessions.
McLaughlin’s car lifted off the ground and lost a rear wheel upon impact with the outside wall while navigating Turn 2. The incident required track repairs, including attending to a gouge on the racing line and damage to the SAFER Barrier. The crash also led to the stoppage of practice for about 30 minutes.
Despite being “gutted” by the crash, McLaughlin expressed gratitude for the safety measures that protected him and vowed to bounce back with the support of his team. With Penske opting out of the Fast 12 qualifying session, McLaughlin’s starting position for the Indy 500 will be 12th on the grid.
