Sting Ray Robb escaped serious injury after a harrowing crash on the final lap of the IndyCar double-header at Iowa Speedway that left Kyle Kirkwood trapped in his car.
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The four-car pile-up began when McLaren driver Alexander Rossi suddenly slowed after he ran out of fuel.
He was rear-ended by Robb, whose AJ Foyt Racing car shot into the air at high speed and landed upside down.
IndyCar team owner-driver Ed Carpenter spun in sympathy as he tried to avoid the ensuing chaos ahead and collided with Rossi before they piled into the inside wall.
Behind them, Kirkwood spun on his own as he got out of the throttle trying to escape the melee.
Kirkwood went rearward into Rossi and Carpenter, which shot the latter a metre into the air.
Carpenter landed on top of Kirkwood and trapped him in his cockpit.
A look at the multi-car incident on the final lap at @IowaSpeedway.
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter and Kyle Kirkwood have been seen and released. pic.twitter.com/EWvkQFSbhZ
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) July 14, 2024
Robb was attended to by IndyCar medical officials and taken to a local hospital to be evaluated.
“I know Rossi was running out of fuel and staying on line,” said Kirkwood on Stan Sport’s coverage.
“He was going much, much slower. My spotter advised me of the situation but it was a little too late for Sting Ray there. Hopefully he’s okay, hopefully everyone that’s gotten out is okay.
“Definitely a very, very scary wreck. As soon as I saw that, they were actually slowing down so much because Rossi was already going slow and Sting Ray is in the air and he’s pretty much like a parachute when you’re sitting perpendicular to the road with one of these cars.
“I lifted out of the throttle out of the corner and instantly spun myself. That’s unfortunate. Sorry to the guys, we were having a great race there.”
How the final lap unfolded from @AlexanderRossi‘s POV. pic.twitter.com/4Phbkn7Xdi
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) July 14, 2024
Kirkwood was stuck inside his car until the recovery crew lifted Carpenter’s car off the Andretti Global driver.
It’s the second time Kirkwood has been stuck inside his car after he flipped at the Indianapolis 500 last year.
“Thank goodness for the aeroscreen,” said James Hinchcliffe on commentary.
Townsend Bell added, “But I think Kyle Kirkwood is pinned in there. The left rear of Ed Carpenter is a very awkward position.”
The two-time IndyCar race winner admitted those few minutes were stressful as he worried about the worst.
“I hate being stuck inside the car, there is no doubt about that,” said Kirkwood.
“When I was stuck at Indianapolis upside down the first thing you want is to get out of the car.
“Obviously the safety crew came over. They got to me within seconds. They calmed me down and said ‘You’re good, we’ll help you out, we’re here for you’.
“So that was very calming for me – but no, the initial thought when you crash and there’s a car on top of you or you’re stuck, the last thing you want is to be on fire and the initial instinct for a driver is just to get out.
“The cars are so safe now to where we don’t have to be too concerned.”
“All good.”
Ride onboard with @KKirkwoodRacing on the last lap of the race. pic.twitter.com/RqDm8LERwn
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) July 14, 2024
In a statement post-race, IndyCar confirmed Robb was uninjured.
“Sting Ray Robb is awake, alert and in good condition following the last-lap crash in today’s race at Iowa Speedway,” the statement read.
“The No. 41 driver is being transported to a local hospital as a precaution for further evaluation.”
Well. That sucked. Thoughts & prayers for @sting_ray_robb
— Kyle M. Kirkwood (@KKirkwoodRacing) July 14, 2024
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