Esteban Gutierrez’s Attendance Is Questionable For Sunday IndyCar Race After Crash
Gutierrez hit the wall hard in qualifying and has yet to be cleared by the track medical center.
In qualifying for the IndyCar's street race in Toronto, Esteban Gutierrez hit the wall hard. He went wide in turn 11, hitting the outside wall with the right side of the car. After the car came to rest down the track, the rear erupted into flames, most likely the result of oil lines getting damaged in the impact. Besides the fire, the entire right side of the car sustained heavy damage.
Gutierrez was quickly out of the car and the track safety crews were on site within a few seconds. While Gutierrez didn't seem to be injured and was released by the track medical center, he has not been cleared to race tomorrow.
In a press release tweeted out from IndyCar, it's said that Gutierrez was "experiencing concussion-like symptoms" following the crash. He will be re-evaluated Sunday morning before a decision is made on if he can race or not.
Sadly, for Dale Coyne Racing, this is yet another accident in what might be the most expensive racing season, as far as parts and repairs are concerned. Gutierrez is sitting in for the injured Sebastien Bourdais who crashed in qualifying for the Indy 500. Since then, several other Coyne cars have been heavily damaged in accidents, with one pretty much considered a total loss.
Dale Coyne Racing is the little team that could and had been taking the fight to the big teams this year until the Bourdais accident. In racing, these things happen, but it seems to be happening more often than not to the Coyne cars. As always, they'll find a way. The IndyCar paddock is a much more friendly an open environment that other race series, so maybe if they are in need, someone will leave them a gift basket of parts in the pits tonight.
