Heartbreak As Scott McLaughlin Crashes Out Of Indy 500 On Pace Laps
McLaughlin came into the race as one of the favorites
The Indianapolis 500 was slightly delayed by some rain on a mild, overcast day in Indiana, but green flag running was delayed further thanks to a heartbreaking moment involving one of the favorites, Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin.
After a crash ahead of Fast 12 qualifying and some penalties to his teammates Will Power and Josef Newgarden, McLaughlin started the race in 10th, which is a bit farther back in the field than he likely would've had he been able to take part in the second day of qualifying.
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Still, the win was very much in play for the driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet, decked out in the iconic "Yellow Submarine" Pennzoil livery. But unfortunately, his day was done before the green flag ever waved.
After some pace laps accompanied by a pair of Apache helicopters to celebrate 250 years of the United States Army, the broadcast cut to the No.3 stuck on the inside of Turn 1.
McLaughlin was trying to get some heat into his tires on the front stretch when he suddenly lost control of the car and hit the pit wall.
Absolutely heartbreaking for Scotty Mac, for the team, and the fans.
It has happened before at Indy and other major races. Roberto Guerrero did it in 1992 on a similarly cold track. It will happen again, but it's brutal to see a favorite go out like that.
McLaughlin described the incident as the "worst moment" of his life, but that wasn't the end of the early retirements.
Rookie Robert Shwartzman handled the start brilliantly, but the field didn't get through one corner before the caution flag came out for a crash involving Marco Andretti.
That's another gutting retirement as the 500 is Andretti's only race of the year, and he didn't even get through Turn 1.
Wild start to this year's race.