Scott McLaughlin’s Car Flips in Dramatic Indy 500 Practice Crash

In a dramatic and honestly pretty terrifying moment, IndyCar driver Scott McLaughlin crashed hard during a practice run for the Indianapolis 500. This happened just before Pole Day qualifying, with McLaughlin’s car slamming the wall and flipping into the air. Fans and crew just froze.

Thankfully, McLaughlin climbed out of the wreck without any major injuries. Still, the crash put a big stamp on the 109th running of this iconic race.

The Incident: A Closer Look

On May 18, 2025, McLaughlin’s practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway suddenly went off the rails. He was coming through Turn 2 when his car lost control and smashed into the wall, launching it airborne.

Video shows the car skidding and spinning across the track before finally stopping. The left-rear wheel got absolutely wrecked, and there was a nasty gouge left in the racing line near Turn 2’s exit. Crews had to halt the session to fix the damage.

Impact on McLaughlin and Team Penske

Even after such a violent crash, McLaughlin managed to walk away and got checked out by medical staff. Not long after, he told fans and his team he was “fine,” though you could tell he was shaken.

He apologized to Team Penske, saying he should’ve backed off before things got out of hand. His car, which had been looking strong in practice, was hauled back to the garage for repairs. That’s racing, right?

Other Recent Crashes

McLaughlin isn’t the only one who’s had a rough week. Just before Pole Day, at least two other drivers had wild airborne crashes too.

Kyffin Simpson flipped over during Fast Friday, and Colton Herta went airborne during Saturday qualifying. These moments really drive home how risky IndyCar racing can be.

Safety Measures and Technology

Driver safety is always front and center in IndyCar, and these recent crashes just hammer that point home. McLaughlin thanked the SAFER Barriers, his team, and all the safety protocols for protecting him during the wreck.

The SAFER Barrier soaked up a lot of the impact and probably saved him from worse injuries. It got pretty banged up itself, so crews had to fix it before everyone could get back on track.

Implications for the Indy 500

This crash shakes up the Indy 500 for McLaughlin. He was last year’s pole-sitter and came in as a favorite.

Now, because of the accident, he won’t run in Fast 12 qualifying, so he’s stuck starting at No. 12 on the grid. Not ideal, but McLaughlin says he’s staying positive and keeping his eyes on the race ahead.

Broadcast and Coverage

The Indianapolis 500 is always a massive deal, and you can catch it all on May 25. FOX will broadcast the race, with pre-show coverage kicking off at 10 a.m. ET.

You can also stream it live on FOXSports.com or the FOX Sports app. Want more updates? Fox News Digital has coverage on X, and you can sign up for the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter if you’re into that sort of thing.

Scott McLaughlin crashed hard during a practice session for the Indianapolis 500. The moment was terrifying, honestly—a real wake-up call about just how dangerous motorsport can be.

Somehow, McLaughlin managed to walk away without injury. That says a lot about how much safety tech and new protocols have changed the game in IndyCar racing.

The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 is coming up fast. Fans and teams are watching closely, all hoping for excitement but, more than anything, a safe race for everyone involved.

For more details on Scott McLaughlin’s crash and other IndyCar news, check out the full article on Fox News here.