Conway is out for the summer

[Mark in Oshawa]

Homer..that is assuming Bourdais would take the ride. If he is coming back to Indycar, would he want to come back this way? No.....I suspect it is either Rahal or Scheckter...

[anthonyvop]

hello?!

Another extreme wreck that the driver survived at all!
(the car could have easily killed RHR as well, so in fact two that where lucky)

to ask when such injuries will stop is asking when racing (at such speeds in ovals) will stop. Whenever a car at such speed hits something, the body is the weakest part of the chain. Bones just break on G forces.

Foot and leg injuries are common in all formula car series due to the basic layout and they have done much to prevent it.

While I realize that injuries happen in racing the fact that compression spine fractures are basically unique to Indy Car and rare in other series says a lot.

[dataman1]

Foot and leg injuries are common in all formula car series due to the basic layout and they have done much to prevent it.

While I realize that injuries happen in racing the fact that compression spine fractures are basically unique to Indy Car and rare in other series says a lot.

If my memory serves me well, I would add that it seems more prominent in the Dallara than we saw in Lola's and Reynards going faster pre-split.

[anthonyvop]

Indy car is the only rear engine OW series that runs on high speed ovals. You don't see these kinds of injuries on the road courses they run on.

When Champ Car ran ovals compression spine injuries were rare. The only one I can remember happened to Paul Tracey at Long Beach and that had mitigating circumstances.
In F-1 they approach speed equal to Indy Car and yet i cannot recall a single incident of compression spine injury.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Indy car is the only rear engine OW series that runs on high speed ovals. You don't see these kinds of injuries on the road courses they run on.

Starter, I think the Lola's and Reynards of CART didn't hurt the backs of their guys. I think Tony's point would be worth investigating. The Dallara and G-Force's of the earlier days of this formula were back breakers and the attenuator on the transmission was added to help, but I think the number of back issues after crashes are still maybe high. I suspect there is a study being done somewhere that will prove or disprove this. If not, there should be. I wonder what Dr. Steve Olvey and Dr. Terry Trammel think of all this...

[Mark in Oshawa]

I lot of this is speculation since none of us are experts in the area. You're correct that there weren't as many back injuries in CART, however how many very serious foot and leg injuries happened there? Quite a few. My point was more toward the nature of the racing. In F1 or CART/IRL (on road courses) the great majority of the time is not spent in the 180 MPH and higher area at all. Further, on more modern tracks, the things that you can hit are farther away. Running ovals, especially Indy, the cars spend nearly 100% of the lap at speeds in excess of the TOP speed of an F1. The faster you go the more energy there is that needs to be disapated in a VERY short (fractions of a second) time frame. It's the nature of the beast.

Oh very true, but once upon a time CART did race on ovals with cars not that much different than what was used up to the CCWS days...and I wonder if back issues were as common then as they are now.....or is there any way to really analyze the numbers scientifically. Considering the small sample size, likely not...

[nigelred5]

Are they still running the longitudinal gearbox, I mean battering ram, the attenuator was supposed to help with? I agree to an extent it's the nature of oval racing, however there must be something about the seating position and design of the Dallara making them more common as well.

[DanicaFan]

If they want to compete i'd stick Bourdais in the car but it will probably be Rahal

If they want to compete, that is hysterical...

Negative, they would be better off putting Graham Rahal in the car. He would be more competitive than anyone else that is available.

[Phoenixent]

Negative, they would be better off putting Graham Rahal in the car. He would be more competitive than anyone else that is available.

That is one funny statement especially after watching him drive at Indy. I would put any of these drivers Paul Tracy, Bruno Junqueria, Oriol Servia, Sebastien Bourdais before I would but Rahal in the car.

[I am evil Homer]

If they want to compete, that is hysterical...

Negative, they would be better off putting Graham Rahal in the car. He would be more competitive than anyone else that is available.

Really? Graham "one win by 3.2 seconds" Rahal or a 4 time champion? Or is it because he can turn left and right successfully unlike many others in the field?

Although I agree with Mark I doubt Seb would come back in this manner.