Sullivan Injured in Crash at Indy

Four years ago, Danny Sullivan did a 360-degree spin during the Indianapolis 500, never hit a thing, continued merrily on his way and won the race.

Thursday, he was not so fortunate.

Sullivan was running at 219 m.p.h. during practice for this year’s race when the engine cover flew off his Penske-Chevrolet as he approached the third turn at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The national champion appeared to have control of the sliding car as it started to spin, but suddenly the change in aerodynamics spun it completely around and flung the car into the outside wall with a tremendous impact. The right side of the $100,000 machine was wiped out.

Sullivan was cut out of the car and taken immediately to Methodist Hospital, where his injuries were diagnosed as a mild concussion, a broken right forearm and a bruised right foot. He underwent surgery and was to remain in the hospital overnight for observation.

Roger Penske, owner of the car Sullivan was driving, was optimistic that his driver could still drive in the 500 May 28.

“If Dr. (Terry) Trammell can put a plate in his arm, it wouldn’t be a problem for Danny to drive,” Penske said. “It would just be a matter of him getting used to some sort of arm cast.

“We have a backup car ready for him. If he is released, we’ll have him at best back in the car by this weekend and ready to qualify the second weekend.”

Qualifying will start Saturday and continue Sunday and next weekend to fill the 33-car field.

“Sullivan was awake and alert and in good condition,” Trammell said. “As of now, we are uncertain of his driving status, but that may be determined after an examination (Saturday) morning.”

Trammell is a specialist in patching together injured race drivers, among them Sullivan’s Penske teammate and defending 500 champion, Rick Mears, who badly injured both feet in an accident in August, 1984, outside Montreal.

After Sullivan’s crash, Mears carefully studied the skid marks in an attempt to determine the cause and effect of the incident. Mears, who had run 220.696 m.p.h. earlier in the day, did not return to the track.

Mears still has the fastest lap of the month, 225.733, set under ideal weather conditions last Monday. Gusty winds bothered drivers Thursday as Jim Crawford had the fastest lap of 221.021.

If Sullivan is unable to drive in the 500, speculation around the garage area was that Geoff Brabham, the International Motor Sports Assn. champion and driver of the Nissan GTP car in IMSA, would get the nod. Two years ago, after another Penske driver, Danny Ongais, was injured, Penske picked Al Unser to fill in for Ongais--and Unser won the race.

Thursday was the first time Sullivan had been injured in a racing accident in his 17-year career.