Colton Herta Qualifies 29th After Indy 500 Flip Crash

During the first round of qualifying for the 2025 Indianapolis 500, Colton Herta experienced a harrowing crash when his car spun at Turn 1, flipped upside down, and hit the wall multiple times, damaging the aeroscreen and his vehicle extensively. Despite the severity of the crash, Herta was unharmed and quickly cleared by medical staff, expressing gratitude for modern safety measures but frustration over the timing and impact on his qualifying prospects. His team, along with support from sister cars, worked tirelessly to assemble a backup car in a few hours, allowing Herta to return to qualify 29th and avoid elimination. The challenging track conditions, including sudden wind gusts, contributed to crashes for multiple drivers, including Marcus Armstrong, who also crashed but managed to get a backup car ready for a last-chance qualifying shootout. Herta acknowledged the team's heroic effort but expressed disappointment at not contending for the pole position, emphasizing that merely making the race was not their goal. Qualifying continues with the Fast 12 and Fast 6 rounds, as well as last-chance opportunities to finalize the starting grid for the 109th Indianapolis 500.