On the final lap of the second race of IndyCar’s double-header from Iowa Speedway, a dramatic crash sent Sting Ray Robb flying into the air.
As the podium finishers were crossing the finish line and securing their results, the chaos was unfolding on the back stretch.
Alexander Rossi had run out of fuel halfway through his final lap, with the team’s short fill on the final pit stop not quite lasting the 49 laps he needed.
The sudden slowdown from the #7 Arrow McLaren Chevy caught Robb off guard, and he plowed into the back of the slowing car. Robb was launched into the air, and he landed on the track upside down before tumbling further down the back stretch.
He slid to a halt near the entrance to Turn 3, and was attended to by the responsive AMR safety crew within seconds.
The safety team gently flipped the AJ Foyt Racing #41 upright and was able to extract Robb from his car.
He was placed on a stretcher and wheeled into an ambulance, but was feeling well enough to give a thumbs up to the cameras along the way.
Robb was taken to a local hospital “for precautionary measures to get some advanced imaging. He’s going to go by air just because of the location, but he’s in good spirits,” explained the head of IndyCar’s medical team Dr. Julia Vaizer.
Later Sunday evening, AJ Foyt Racing confirmed that he had been released from the hospital following his evaluation.
“After further assessment at Mercy One Des Moines Medical Center, Sting Ray has been released,” read the statement.
“Sting Ray’s family and AJ Foyt Racing would like to extend our gratitude to the AMR Safety team for their quick response, to INDYCAR medical staff for their thorough care and INDYCAR for the high safety standards of our race cars that allowed Sting Ray to walk away from a horrific accident today.
“Thank you to everyone for your well wishes. We appreciate your support.”
Robb had been running in 19th, one lap down before the incident. Other drivers had been warned that Rossi was in extreme fuel save mode and would be driving slowly, but his sudden slowdown when the engine was starved of fuel was still unexpected.
Rossi’s Arrow McLaren team took blame for the fuel miscalculation, with the 32-year-old dropping from eighth to 15th as a result.
