Photo Credit: Joe Skibinski/IndyCar
The racing world can take a collective sigh of relief after INDYCAR’s Vice President of Communications Curt Cavin confirmed that rookie sensation Robert Wickens is “awake and alert” after a massive impact with the catchfence at Pocono Raceway.
A crash occurred on Lap 6 of the 200 lap race when Wickens and Ryan Hunter-Reay made contact while racing for position and the two were sent spinning. Wickens lost control of his No. 6 Lucas Oil Honda and was sent flying into the catchfence. A scattered debris field caused more calamity as Wickens’ teammate James Hinchcliffe, Takuma Sato and Pietro Fittipaldi piled into the crash. Hinchcliffe, Sato, Hunter-Reay and Fittipaldi were all checked, released and cleared to drive from the medical centre.
Wickens has been airlifted to Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest in Allentown, Pa., for further medical evaluation.
Hinchcliffe, teammate and friend to Wickens, was the last driver to exit the medical centre. He left with a splint on his finger, but was okay. Hinchcliffe declined to speak to the media in a show of respect to his teammate and in an effort to make it to the hospital to visit his fellow Canadian.
Updates on Wickens’ condition will be posted once more information is made available.
