Danica Patrick Runs Into Crewman At Indy, We're Checking To See If That's A First For A Woman



Danica Patrick, the current headline maker of the IndyCar Series has made yet another headline, this time it's not so much of the rah-rah-go-women type. In a practice round for the upcoming Indianapolis 500, she managed to run into Charles Buckman, the chief mechanic for Mario Moraes' Dale Coyne Racing team. Buckman suffered scalp and facial cuts as well as a concussion. We're not going to make stereotypical comments about women drivers, but we can't imagine what is going to happen when the Goodyear ad people find out, they're going to have a field day. [ESPN] (Images via AP; Video via ESPN)

http://jalopnik.com/389165/danica-patrick-...rst-for-a-woman

Just me - The crew chief need not be in the middle of a pit or get a better set of track shoes....

J

 

I hope he gets better.

 

oops

 

I agree he was at fault, but it is the pits so slow down.

 

saw it on the news, looked like a pretty nasty hit. hope he's okay.

 

I think she should be charged with reckless driving...

 

Officials monitor pit road speed every time the track is active so I have to believe she was at or under the pit road speed. What most teams do when their car comes into pit lane during practice is the driver comes in hot (pit road speed) hits their marks the air hose man raises the car, sometimes they continue this to include changing the tires. At Indy the fuel supply tanks are in the pits however they do not fill them until race morning, fuel fills are done at a pumping station located in gasoline alley (garage area). As a result you won't see a fuel fill on pit road during practice or qualifying.

Once this is all done the car is lowered, then in most cases they will pause for a debrief, make changes to the car or even exit the driver from the car. This is done to simulate a race speed pit stop. It is seen as an opportunity to "practice" for the team.

I would not blame Danica, she was doing her job, the real question is what was this guy doing walking thru someone else's pit when their car was on track. If you are going to be on the business side of pit wall your head better be on a swivel. I am also surprised that someone for her crew didn't give him a heads up, who knows maybe they did and he didn't hear them or see them, pit road is a busy, noisy dangerous place.

From all accounts this morning it sounds like the injured guy will be ok, facial cuts and a concussion. Could have been much worse.

 

What is pit road speed?

 

Much less than track speed. Sorry, Tim.

 

I believe it is 55 Mph, however she would have been on the brakes at the point where she turned in and struck the crew member.