Colton Herta Crashes Heavily in Indy 500 Qualifying, Hours After Marcus Armstrong’s Practice Wreck

Credit: Indianapolis 500

INDIANAPOLIS 500

Author: Hoosier EnquirerPublished: 03:35 PM EDT May 17, 2025Updated: 03:44 PM EDT May 17, 2025

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis 500 qualifying session took a dramatic turn on Saturday as Colton Herta suffered a heavy crash in Turn 1, just hours after Marcus Armstrong was involved in a frightening practice wreck at nearly the same spot on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Both incidents highlighted the challenging conditions drivers faced, with gusting winds and high speeds contributing to the high-stakes drama.

Herta’s crash occurred just over an hour into the nearly seven-hour qualifying session. His No. 26 Andretti Global car slammed into the outside wall in Turn 1, flipped onto its side, and slid into the short chute before coming to a stop. Safety crews worked quickly to upright the car, allowing Herta to climb out. Visibly shaken, he required assistance to walk to a medical vehicle, which transported him to the infield care center for evaluation.

The incident followed a similar accident earlier in the day involving Marcus Armstrong. During a morning practice session, Armstrong’s No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing car also lost control in Turn 1, crashing heavily into the wall. Armstrong managed to exit his car but was immediately placed on a stretcher. He gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as he was loaded into an ambulance and taken to the infield care center, where he was released approximately 90 minutes later.

“He is awake. He is alert. He’s doing well,” said Dr. Julia Vaizer, the medical director for IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, providing an update on Armstrong’s condition.

Both crashes underscored the tricky conditions at Turn 1, where winds gusting up to 30 mph shift suddenly as drivers exit the front stretch. The grandstands block much of the wind down the straight, but the airflow changes dramatically in the corner, catching drivers off guard. “Just glad that everybody has been getting out OK. Those are some big hits,” said 2008 Indy 500 champion Scott Dixon, who posted one of the fastest four-lap qualifying times earlier in the day. “It’s a bit sketchy.”

For Herta and Andretti Global, the crash left the team in a race against time. With the qualifying session ongoing, the team needed to assess the damage to Herta’s car and determine whether repairs could be made in time to return to the track. Additionally, Herta would need medical clearance to drive again. If unable to qualify on Saturday, Herta’s best hope would be to compete in Sunday’s last-chance qualifying, where he would vie for one of the final spots on the 33-car grid, potentially starting from the last row.

Meanwhile, Meyer Shank Racing faced its own challenges following Armstrong’s wreck. The team immediately began preparing Armstrong’s backup car, with assistance from Chip Ganassi Racing, a fellow Honda-powered team with a close partnership. However, it remained unclear whether Armstrong would be cleared to qualify the No. 66 car, which was withdrawn from its guaranteed qualifying attempt.

Options for a replacement driver were limited. Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 winner, is the only driver to have completed the refresher course, but his role as team principal for Arrow McLaren and the team’s Chevrolet affiliation create a conflict of interest with the Honda-powered Meyer Shank Racing. Other potential backup drivers could complete the refresher course on Sunday, but without a Saturday qualifying run, they would be limited to competing for the final three grid spots.

“It looked a bit weird, to be honest,” said Armstrong’s teammate Felix Rosenqvist, commenting on the crash. “I haven’t seen any updates or anything. I just tried to look at the screen while I was sitting in the car. Hopefully they can bounce back quickly.”

The crashes cast a shadow over an otherwise intense qualifying session, with teams and drivers pushing the limits to secure a spot in the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, scheduled for May 25. As the day continued, all eyes remained on the infield care center for updates on Herta and the decisions facing both Andretti Global and Meyer Shank Racing.

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