Colton Hertha Survives Crash During Indy 500 Qualifying

Colton Hertha experienced a frightening accident during the qualifying rounds for the Indianapolis 500 on Saturday. While speeding into turns 1 and 2 at an astonishing 236 mph, he lost control of his vehicle. The No. 26 car struck the wall on the backstretch, which sent it spinning backward and ultimately flipping into the air.

As the car careened down the backstretch into turns 3 and 4, it finally came to a halt after scraping against the wall. Fortunately, Hertha managed to exit the car unscathed after this shocking ordeal.

“I’m fine. Fortunately, these crashes often look worse than they feel,” he shared with a reporter from Fox Sports after being cleared at the medical center. “I’m not saying it was pleasant, but the team is working hard to prep a backup car. I guess it won’t be ready for today.”

“It’s terrifying when something like this happens. We were pleased with our performance earlier today, and then, just like that, we couldn’t even make it through lap one,” he added.

As for the Indy 500, Hertha was a 16-1 shot to win. Throughout his IndyCar career, he has amassed nine victories, finishing the previous season with three top-10 finishes and one top-5. Currently, he ranks ninth in points heading into the Indy 500, having placed seventh in last year’s event.

This year’s race will be broadcasted on Fox on May 25, with coverage starting at 10 AM. Viewers can also stream it live through various platforms.