Paddock Buzz: Colton Herta Salvages Deep Starting Spot after Huge Crash

Fox Sports

18-05-2025

INDYCAR
Colton Herta had a dramatic and harrowing crash during Saturday's PPG Armed Forces Qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
While attempting his first qualifying run, Herta lost control of his No. 26 Gainbridge Honda in Turn 1. The car half-spun and slammed into the SAFER Barrier, then flipped over and slid on its top before striking the Turn 2 barrier again – this time with the top of the car making contact.
Despite the severity of the crash, Herta was able to climb out of the car on his own after the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team gently turned it right-side up and was uninjured. The incident highlighted both the dangers of pushing the limits at IMS and the effectiveness of modern safety measures like the SAFER Barrier and INDYCAR's reinforced cockpit structures, including the aeroscreen.
'I'm fine,' Herta said. 'Luckily, nowadays, these crashes look a lot scarier than they feel. Not to say that that one felt good. There was kind of no real signs leading to it. We were super happy with the car this morning and go out and just loose.'
Herta's Saturday was a striking display of both the perils and perseverance that define NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing.
After suffering the hardest crash of the week at 12:05 p.m. ET, Herta's participation in qualifying appeared in serious doubt. Herta initially questioned whether the Andretti Global team could even prepare a backup car in time for the 5:50 p.m. ET checkered flag of the first day of time trials.
But in a remarkable turnaround, Andretti Global's crew pulled off a near-miracle. Starting with little more than a bare chassis and the salvaged engine from the wrecked car, they rebuilt the backup machine in just a few hours.
Herta roared back onto the track by 4:45 p.m. ET, and despite 30 mph wind gusts and zero seat time in the new car, he delivered four laps all over 230 mph, averaging 230.192 mph and placing him 29th on the grid and safely into the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
'It sucks,' Herta said afterward. 'We're not happy just making the show. We want to fight for the pole; we want to be in the Fast 12. When we don't get the chance to do that, it's pretty disappointing.'
Though frustrated with the lost opportunity to contend for a top spot, Herta was effusive in his praise for his team's heroic effort under intense pressure.
'I got a lot of trust in my guys,' Herta said. 'This place doesn't scare me. I don't have a problem hitting the wall here and having big ones like today. It doesn't feel good and it sucks, but it doesn't scare me when I get back in the race car.'
Shwartzman Displays Speed, Makes Fast 12
Robert Shwartzman has emerged as one of the most compelling surprises of the week. Driving the No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet, the '500' rookie turned heads by posting a blistering four-lap average of 232.584 in qualifying — good enough for sixth-fastest Saturday and a spot in the Fast 12 Qualifying session Sunday that will whittle the field to the Firestone Fast Six drivers who battle for the NTT P1 Award.
This impressive performance came on the heels of a strong showing during Fast Friday presented by Turtle Wax, where Shwartzman logged the 13th-fastest speed. It's a remarkable feat for a driver making his oval-racing debut at the Brickyard, not only navigating a new car and team but also the uniquely intense atmosphere of Indy 500 qualifying.
'I was quite nervous before the run,' Shwartzman said. 'We haven't driven in these conditions. Everything is new to me. I was like, 'Listen, it's one chance, it's my first qualifying, I have to go for it.' I floored it and went flat.'
The first two laps were smooth and fast, but the latter half of the run was a true test. As tire wear set in and the car began to shift unpredictably, Shwartzman showed poise under pressure.
'From Lap 3 on, I had some deg (wear) on the rear tires, and the car started to move,' he said. 'So, the last two laps honestly were on edge, and I was trying to hold on to it. I was on the limit at 240 mph – that's crazy! It's a new experience.'
Despite thinking he left some speed on the table in the final laps, Shwartzman's combination of raw pace and level-headedness is making PREMA Racing's debut a standout story. Though he dialed it back slightly when the car got unsettled — prioritizing a safe, clean run over pushing beyond the limit — the potential is clearly there.
'I tried to take a more cautious approach,' he said. 'If I had more experience, I would probably do a better job in the last two laps.'
Heading into Sunday's final day of qualifying, Shwartzman is not only a rookie to watch – he's a real contender to make the Firestone Fast Six.
'Obviously, we still need to do some work to catch the top guys,' Shwartzman said. 'I want to believe that we can battle for the top six tomorrow.'
Top 12 qualifying begins at 4 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network. The qualifying order is based on Saturday's times, slowest to fastest. Each car is guaranteed one attempt. The fastest six advance to the Firestone Fast Six that begins at 6:25 p.m. ET to determine the top two rows.
Andretti Falls into Last Chance Qualifying
Marco Andretti finds himself in a frustrating position heading into Last Chance Qualifying, on the outside looking in, by the slimmest of margins.
2020 '500' pole winner Andretti's four-lap average of 229.859 in the No. 98 MAPEI/Curb Honda came heartbreakingly short of locking him into the field. He was edged out by Graham Rahal, who posted a nearly identical 229.863 in the No. 15 United Rentals Honda, a gap of just 0.004 mph — or roughly a few feet over 10 miles.
'I don't know what else to do,' Andretti said after the run. 'I think tomorrow is ours to lose. We need to just not be dumb tomorrow and do four solid ones, and we should be OK. Just the fact that we're running tomorrow is a bummer.'
That bummer is Last Chance Qualifying, where four drivers will fight for the final three spots in the 33-car grid. That starts at 5:15 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network. Each car is guaranteed one attempt and may make multiple attempts until time expires.
Andretti is competing with Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian and Dale Coyne Racing teammates Rinus VeeKay (No. 18 askROI Honda) and Jacob Abel (No. 51 Miller High Life Honda). One driver will miss the show.
Armstrong Rallies after Big Morning Crash
Armstrong's Saturday was a gut punch filled with frustration, grit, and what-ifs.
Just 11 minutes into the morning's pre-qualifying practice, Armstrong lost control of his No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda in Turn 1, spinning and making heavy rear and left-side contact with the SAFER Barrier. The car then slid into Turn 2, making secondary left-side contact — a violent crash that brought an abrupt halt to his momentum and cast doubt over whether he'd be able to continue.
Armstrong was conscious and upright when he was loaded into an ambulance by the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team and, after medical evaluation, was cleared to return to the car around 2 p.m. ET. Remarkably, by 5 p.m., he was back on track in a hastily rebuilt backup car, using the team's road course chassis.
His first qualifying attempt, however, was short-lived. After just two laps – at 225.904 and 226.172 – the run was waved off. He tried again late in the session, with eight minutes remaining, putting together two stronger laps (229.599, 229.520) before a major drop-off to 222.691 prompted another wave-off.
'It's obviously hugely disappointing what happened this morning,' Armstrong said. 'We had a very fast car. I think Felix (Rosenqvist) demonstrated that. I think he got the quickest lap of the day. I think him and I were pretty much the same.'
The crash left Armstrong questioning the balance and grip levels under Saturday's challenging, gusty conditions, a recurring theme for several drivers caught out during high-speed qualifying simulations.
'I don't know why honestly I lost the car so suddenly,' he said. 'You could argue a bunch of things. Ultimately, we put a setup on the car that we thought was going to be reasonably conservative for the conditions, but ultimately that wasn't the case.'
Odds and Ends Chip Ganassi Racing entered a pair of full-time INDY NXT by Firestone cars for the first time since 2007. An underrated benefit to doing that is even though the series doesn't race until June 1 on the streets of Detroit, the crew members were put to work Friday helping put together Kyffin Simpson's backup car after he crashed in practice. INDY NXT by Firestone points leader Dennis Hauger grew up a massive Jeff Gordon fan. The two met during qualifying for the '500' after Kyle Larson's second qualifying attempt. Nolan Siegel was bumped from last year's field but avoided heartbreak this time, qualifying 26th in his No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. This is the third-straight year the No. 51 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing is in the Last Chance Qualifying session. Sting Ray Robb (2023) and Katherine Legge (2024) each made the race those years, both qualifying 31st. Alexander Rossi (14th), Ed Carpenter (16th), and Christian Rasmussen (20th) ended Ed Carpenter Racing's 12-year streak of making the pole shootout.
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