IndyCar driver Justin Wilson remains in a coma this morning after suffering a "severe head injury" from debris flying off Sage Karam's car yesterday at the Verizon IndyCar ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway, and the incident is a "reminder that no matter how many SAFER walls or forgiving catch fences or other safety initiatives are introduced, the sport is dangerous and can't be wrapped in a nice, tidy bubble," according to Curt Cavin of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. The incident "was a fluke," as Wilson happened to be in the "wrong place at the wrong time." Indy cars are "designed to break apart in order to dissipate energy in a further bid to protect the driver." Pieces "must travel somewhere," and calls from critics for "tethering each piece don't take into account they're as likely to bounce back and hit the driver of that car." Several IndyCar and F1 drivers in recent years have suffered head injuries from flying debris, and it is possible that a "clear canopy covering these drivers would have helped, but it also could have created a different mess" (INDYSTAR.com, 8/24).
SOME HEAD PROTECTION WANTED: Driver Ryan Hunter-Reay, who won yesterday's race, said, "Our cars are inherently dangerous with the open cockpit and the head exposed. Maybe in the future we can work towards some type of (protection), something that resemble[s] a canopy, not a full jet-fighter canopy, but something that can give us a little protection but keep the tradition of the sport" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 8/24). More Hunter-Reay: "Oval tracks in general, we need to start looking into the next 20 years, maybe making the walls a little bit higher … maybe coming up with something a little bit better than mesh fencing and poles. We need to start moving forward on it. IndyCar has always been at the forefront of safety" (Allentown MORNING CALL, 8/24). NBCSN's Jon Beekhuis noted there is a case for "full protection, which would be a canopy." There are also "possibly some interim steps, and they have been tested." Beekhuis: "I’ve seen some mock-ups that Formula 1 has tested, essentially kind of put a rollbar section ... so it's still open, but there's some protection ahead of the driver’s helmet. So this isn't brand new. This is something that has been researched, there has been some crash testing done." He added, "The drivers themselves are open to these kind of changes, the series are open to these kind of changes” (“NASCAR Victory Lap,” NBCSN, 8/23).
NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE RACING: USA TODAY's Brant James reports there "was no outrage from drivers about the level of safety during the race." There "was no post-race furor such as in June when numerous drivers ... decried the high-risk pack racing that had developed at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana" (USA TODAY, 8/24). In Pennsylvania, Mike Kuhns writes yesterday's race "was as action-packed as fans have seen" since the series' return to the track in '13. Aggressive driving "was the norm" (POCONO RECORD, 8/24).
HELPING OUT A FELLOW DRIVER: ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass reported NASCAR driver and team owner Tony Stewart "loaned his plane and pilots to Stefan Wilson, brother of injured IndyCar Series driver Justin Wilson, so Wilson could get from Indianapolis to his brother's side at a Pennsylvania hospital Sunday night" (ESPN.com, 8/23).
