Alexander Rossi's Indy 500 Pit Fire Ends Contender's Race

During the 109th Indianapolis 500, Alexander Rossi's promising run ended abruptly when his car suffered a gearbox failure that caused a fire in the pit lane. The fire erupted while Rossi was stopped, with flames touching several pit crew members, including fueler Mike Miller, who was briefly on fire but later cleared of serious injury. Rossi expressed deep disappointment, emphasizing the high stakes and the need for flawless execution at Indianapolis, lamenting the lost opportunity with a car that had strong winning potential. The incident added to an already chaotic race day marked by multiple crashes and mechanical issues. Safety crews quickly extinguished the flames, and Rossi exited his car unharmed. This setback removed one of the more experienced contenders from the race, which continued to unfold with drama and challenging track conditions.