The idea of driving at a great speed might be thrilling to all. But everyone forgets the amount of risk it carries with it, irrespective of being an amateur or experienced. And there have been innumerable instances in the world of motorsports when things turned out to be catastrophic for the drivers during the race itself.

To cite an instance, it was Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports who suffered from a fractured vertebra during a sprint car racing recently. This led to the driver missing three weeks of racing, along with physical harm. And apparently, a similar incident now came to haunt the world of IndyCar.

The past comes back to haunt the Wilson family at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The horrors of the past were once again being repeated in front of the eyes of the Wilson family on Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The scars are still afresh for Wilson’s family after losing their elder son and brother Justin Wilson, back in 2015 due to an on-track accident. 

While still coming to terms with the earlier tragedy, another catastrophe befell the family on Monday. And it was Cusick Motorsports’ Stefan Wilson who fell victim this time. The Brit suffered from fractured thoracic vertebrae. The cataclysmic event took place during the practice session on Monday afternoon, with 50 minutes left in the two-hour practice. 

The accident took place when Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Katherine Legge made contact with Wilson, at Turn 1. The left-front wheel of the No.44 Honda rammed into the rear of Wilson’s car. This resulted in the spinning of both cars before colliding.

While Legge was able to come out of the wreck on her own accord, her fellow Brit driver required medical assistance. The 33-year-old driver was placed on a stretcher before being transferred to the hospital for further evaluation. But before being loaded into the ambulance, the Chevrolet driver gave a thumbs up. 

A press release by the team on Twitter revealed the condition of their driver. It stated, “Wilson suffered a fracture of the 12th thoracic vertebrae and will stay overnight at the hospital for further tests and observation. Based on this type of injury, Wilson will not be allowed to compete in this Sunday’s 107th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. The Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports team will have more information in due course.”

It must be devastating for the driver to miss one of the biggest races in the IndyCar calendar.

After a primary checkup, Katherine Legge was termed fine. She also disclosed the facts about the crash to NBC Sports. She said, “The cars in front were all checking up. I lifted as much as I could and downshifted, hit the brakes, but it wasn’t enough as they were checking up. So I ran into the back of Stefan, and we both ended up in the wall.” 

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Motorsports enthusiasts shower their good wishes on Stefan Wilson

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After the mishap, the motorsports enthusiasts came forward to share their good wishes for Wilson and also wished for a speedy recovery. 

One wrote, “Absolutely gutted for Stefan. Hope he has a speedy recovery!”

“Absolutely gutted for Stefan. Guy has worked so hard to get here just to have it taken away. Hoping to see him back in Indy next year! We are rooting for you Stefan!!!”

“That’s a real bummer. So glad he’s going to be okay, but what a heartbreak”

Others wrote, “Crushed. So much time, energy and effort, all undone by another’s doing. Recoup, recover, and come back a Badass”

“Absolutely heartbreaking for Stef!”

It surely is a heartbreaking moment for the motorsports community. Hope this young driver recuperates quickly with proper medical assistance and bounces back to his original form.

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