Colton Herta, Marcus Armstrong Crash During Indianapolis 500 Qualifying

During the first day of 2025 Indianapolis 500 qualifying, drivers Colton Herta and Marcus Armstrong suffered serious crashes in Turn 1 amid challenging wind conditions. Herta's No. 26 car went airborne and flipped after losing control, hitting the wall cockpit first, but he was able to walk away and was cleared to drive if his backup car is ready. Armstrong also crashed hard, was taken off on a stretcher, but later returned to the track after medical clearance. Both drivers' teams are working intensely to prepare backup cars to help them avoid last-chance qualifying and secure their spots for the race. These incidents underscored the importance of modern safety measures like the aeroscreen, which helped protect Herta during his frightening crash. As qualifying continues, fans and teams await to see if Herta and Armstrong can recover and compete in the prestigious event.