INDIANAPOLIS 500 DAILY REPORT : Concussion Lands Herta in Hospital

Bryan Herta, who had qualified in the sixth row for the Indianapolis 500, was hospitalized Tuesday with a concussion after a violent crash during practice. He had just lapped the track at 219.170 m.p.h.

Herta, who will turn 25 on May 23, was low in the second turn when his Reynard-Ford swapped ends and slid 450 feet backward before smashing into the wall on the left side. The car went airborne for 90 feet, then slid across the track into the infield grass along the backstretch.

He suffered a concussion and was taken to Methodist Hospital for overnight observation. He was awake and alert and his condition was good, according to Dr. Steven James.

Herta, who lives in Valencia, missed much of last season after severely injuring his legs in a crash at Toronto in July. He returned for the 1994 season with Chip Ganassi’s team and qualified for the 500 at 225.551 m.p.h.

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Roger Penske’s search for competitive race cars for defending 500 champion Al Unser Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi has reached new, frustrating heights.

First, he went to the basement of his Longo Toyota showroom in Downey to get last year’s winning car from his racing museum. It was the car Unser won with last year, but Fittipaldi could get only 220.745 m.p.h. out of it.

Next, he bought a 1994 Reynard chassis from the Pagan racing team. It had been a backup car for Roberto Guerrero, who qualified his primary car Sunday. It didn’t do the job, either. Unser took 44 laps in it and could do no better than 218.050.

In the meantime, Fittipaldi tried yet again with the ’95 Penske-Mercedes and ran 221.141 on the fastest of his 71 laps.

It is expected that speeds of 224 or better will be needed to qualify in the eight remaining spots this weekend.