INDIANAPOLIS - Three drivers crashed Thursday on the second day of open testing for next month's Indianapolis 500.
None of the drivers was seriously hurt, and all were cleared to drive again.
Buddy Rice hit the wall exiting Turn 1, then slid down across the track before stopping near the inside wall. Practice was stopped for about 40 minutes while track workers fixed a safety barrier.
Rice, who drives for Team Rahal, had completed just five laps with a top speed of 213.967 mph when he crashed.
Darren Manning of the Target Chip Ganassi team later crashed in the same turn, hitting the outside wall. The third crash, in Turn 2, involved Alex Barron of Cheever Racing.
BRACK IS OUT: Former winner Kenny Brack will not compete in next month's Indy 500 because he's still nursing injuries sustained in a horrific crash last fall, Team Rahal announced.
Brack, the 1999 Indy 500 winner, fractured his back, sternum, ribs, right leg and both ankles in the crash in October at Texas Motor Speedway. The announcement said Brack hopes to resume driving soon but gave no timetable.
The team co-owned by 1986 Indy winner Bobby Rahal and David Letterman will try to qualify three cars for the May 30 race. Besides Buddy Rice, in the No. 15, Roger Yasukawa will drive No. 16 and Vitor Meira No. 17.
Rice, Yasukawa and Meira all were rookies in last year's Indy 500, with Yasukawa finishing 10th, Rice 11th and Meira 12th.
STEWART SWAPS KUDOS: NASCAR driver Tony Stewart visited the Kansas Statehouse, trading souvenirs with the governor and donating autographed models of his No. 20 Chevrolet for a legislative charity auction.
Stewart said the 3-year-old Kansas Speedway in Wyandotte County has contributed to the growth of NASCAR and helped increase support for smaller tracks across the state.
Legislators and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius issued proclamations praising Stewart for his charitable work and driving accomplishments.
