Wickens airlifted to hospital after vicious shunt at Pocono
Robert Wickens was awake and alert when he was airlifted to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest after a vicious shunt in the opening laps of the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway. He was admitted with unspecified orthopedic injuries.
The Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver was challenging Ryan Hunter-Reay’s Andretti Autosport-Honda for fourth place through Turn 2 when his right-front wheel made contact with the left-rear of the Andretti machine.
The light impact was still enough to push the Andretti car up the track and hard into the wall, while Wickens’ car launched off the the rear of Hunter-Reay’s machine, and spun viciously along the top of the SAFER barrier, tearing up the catchfence and leaving parts of sidepod and a wheel in the fence as it went.
The SPM machine appeared to stay upright throughout, but was shedding debris all across the track, and the race was red flagged for almost two hours.
Robert Wickens, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, James Hinchcliffe, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport Honda, Pietro Fittipaldi, Dale Coyne Racing Honda crash
Photo by: Todd Dziadosz / Motorsport Images
Robert Wickens, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, James Hinchcliffe, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport Honda, Pietro Fittipaldi, Dale Coyne Racing Honda crash
Photo by: Todd Dziadosz / Motorsport Images
Robert Wickens, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, James Hinchcliffe, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport Honda, Pietro Fittipaldi, Dale Coyne Racing Honda crash
Photo by: Todd Dziadosz / Motorsport Images
Robert Wickens, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, James Hinchcliffe, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport Honda, Pietro Fittipaldi, Dale Coyne Racing Honda crash
Photo by: Todd Dziadosz / Motorsport Images
Robert Wickens, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, James Hinchcliffe, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport Honda, Pietro Fittipaldi, Dale Coyne Racing Honda crash
Photo by: Todd Dziadosz / Motorsport Images
Robert Wickens, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, James Hinchcliffe, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport Honda, Pietro Fittipaldi, Dale Coyne Racing Honda crash
Photo by: Todd Dziadosz / Motorsport Images
Robert Wickens, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, James Hinchcliffe, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport Honda, Pietro Fittipaldi, Dale Coyne Racing Honda crash
Photo by: Todd Dziadosz / Motorsport Images
Robert Wickens, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, James Hinchcliffe, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport Honda, Pietro Fittipaldi, Dale Coyne Racing Honda crash
Photo by: Todd Dziadosz / Motorsport Images
Robert Wickens, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, James Hinchcliffe, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport Honda, Pietro Fittipaldi, Dale Coyne Racing Honda crash
Photo by: Todd Dziadosz / Motorsport Images
Aside from IndyCar reporting that he was awake and alert upon arrival at the medical center, the team then issued a statement that read: "Robert Wickens has been admitted to Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest Hospital in Allentown with orthopedic injuries. He is still being evaluated."
Other drivers involved included Wickens’ teammate James Hinchcliffe who spun to avoid him but was struck hard by the Dale Coyne Racing-Honda of Pietro Fittipaldi who subsequently reported feeling pain from his right ankle, which has recently recovered from a WEC shunt.
Takuma Sato was sprayed by oil from the stricken machines and shunted into the wall.
Hunter-Reay, Hinchcliffe – apparently in pain, but later discharged from the medical center with the all-clear – Fittipaldi and Sato all emerged from their stricken cars under their own power.
Previous article
Texas oval on 2019 IndyCar schedule, despite COTA talks
Next article
Pocono IndyCar: Rossi dominates for third win of season
About this article
| Series | IndyCar |
| Event | Pocono |
| Author | David Malsher-Lopez |
Barber IndyCar: Palou wins at Birmingham
Motorsport.tv Live: IndyCar Alabama GP
Barber IndyCar: Lap 1 Crash
Opening day of Indy500 testing
Preview: Why IndyCar in 2021 is too close to call
The fight for supremacy in the NTT IndyCar Series will be as intense as ever. David Malsher-Lopez is your guide to the main contenders and six intriguing sub-plots.
Is Arrow McLaren SP ready for IndyCar’s title fight?
With Patricio O'Ward and Felix Rosenqvist leading its line-up, 2021 could be the year Arrow McLaren SP-Chevrolet joins the IndyCar elite, writes David Malsher-Lopez.
Dale Coyne picks the Top 10 drivers in his giant-slaying team
Over 37 seasons, Dale Coyne has run no fewer than 80 Indy car drivers – including himself! Ahead of his first season running Romain Grosjean, we asked Coyne to pick the best 10 drivers ever to compete for him. By David Malsher-Lopez.
Why enigmatic Marco Andretti will be missed
Last Friday, Marco Andretti announced he is withdrawing from fulltime IndyCar racing. David Malsher-Lopez explains how this third-gen racer was a puzzle in the car, but a straight shooter off-track.
Why Roger Penske is an American motorsport icon
In this exclusive one-on-one interview, Roger Penske reveals the inner drive that has made him not only a hugely successful team owner and businessman but also the owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar. He spoke to David Malsher-Lopez.
Is the mighty McLaren M16 the greatest ever Indy car?
When founder Bruce McLaren died in June 1970, his team could have folded. Instead, his loyal band rallied to produce a string of winners - including an Indy car game-changer that won three Indy 500s in six years.
How Newgarden delivered his best season, yet still lost
Josef Newgarden was our pick as top IndyCar driver of 2020 but his finest season-long run of performances failed to yield the championship. David Malsher-Lopez explains why.
2020 IndyCar Review and Top 10 drivers of the year
David Malsher-Lopez explains how the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series was unlike any other, and why it featured familiar and unfamiliar faces competing for glory.
