INDYCAR: Wilson out – Pagenaud in for Mid Ohio race

Sufferin’ Succotash... Err YIKES! As shockingly the Indycar.com “live” webcast actually worked after I entered my email address and stumbled upon a Play button whilst the website’s banner proclaimed there’s NO action on track... When wallah – mystically Mike “Yippee-Kye-Eh” King’s voice crackled thru the speakers... Although once again the sound quality was MISERABLE! But I digress...

Thus I found it very ‘kOOL that the Indy Car Series drivers banded together to help a fellow competitor, especially since “Symone Pagenoe” (Simon Pagenaud) wasn’t expecting to compete this weekend, albeit having tested for Sam Schmidt Motorsports the week previously during the Big Boyz open IndyCar test...

Unfortunately Dreyer & Reinbold’s lead driver Justin ‘BIG UNIT Wilson suffered a crash during Saturday morning practice, complaining of  lower back pain and was taken on back board to a nearby Hospital for further examination.

And I’m not quite sure why Pagenaud was on hand at Mid Ohio, perhaps trolling the Pitlane for future employment? Although it seems Simon is a likely candidate for a second seat at Schmidt next year – now that they’ve become a Honda engine team.

The rub to Simon being in street clothes was he had NO seat or driving equipment with him, as obviously Justin’s seat is too BIG for him... So I found it really cool that Vitor Meira of AJ Foyt Enterprises loaned him his spare seat. Fellow countryman le ‘Hamburgular, nee ‘SeaBass, aka Sebastian Bourdais loaned him a spare driving suit; SeaBass’s Dale Coyne Racing teammate James Jakes loaned him a spare HANS device and Simon used Justin Wilson’s helmet to complete his driving apparel as he was inserted in the No. 22 Dallara Just-in-Time to go out for qualifying session two; CRIKEYS!

Yet Symone did a very respectable job and wound-up P18 on the starting grid for tomorrow’s race with 27 competitors. Heck, he even qualified ahead of Ahem; Danica Patrick...

Good luck tomorrow Symone and get well soon Justin!

UPDATE

Watched the tape delayed Versus ‘Qualie show at 3PM Pacific today to see if there would be any further news upon Wilson’s condition... Nothing was reported there – as just minutes prior I learned via duh Internetz Justin had broken his back, as IndyCar medical director Dr. Michael Olinger announced that Wilson has broken his fifth vertebra and will be transferred to Indianapolis Sunday for further evaluation.

Thus, I’d assume that the likeable Brit is done for the season, as its been a rough slog for Wilson – having started off the season with a broken bone in his wrist, as ironically it was Simon Pagenaud who filled in for Ana Beatriz when she too broke her wrist earlier this year.

But I did gleam from the broadcast via Robin Miller that Simon was using a pair of J.R. Hildebrand’s racing boots – as apparently Bourdais feet were too small...