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Rosenqvist OK after wild ride in Pocono crash

AutoRacing, IndyCar

IndyCar driver Felix Rosenqvist was evaluated at a hospital and released after a big crash on the first lap of Sunday's race at Pocono.

Takuma Sato triggered the frightening crash when he tried to dart through an opening on a three-wide move in Turn Two and took out Ryan Hunter-Reay, James Hinchcliffe, Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi.

Rosenqvist's car dragged on its rear wheels against the wall before settling back on the track.

The incident had an eerily similar look to an accident early in last year's Pocono race that paralyzed driver Robert Wickens. Hunter-Reay was involved in last year's wreck.

"I can't even begin to understand how after last year Takuma thinks that's acceptable," Rossi said. "It's disgraceful."

Rosenqvist was grateful to have made it through the accident relatively unscathed.

Sato, the 2017 Indianapolis 500 winner, said he thought he was all clear as he tried to make an aggressive pass early in the race.

"I'm not really overaggressive,'' said Sato, who also said he wasn't sure why he was being blamed.

Rossi, who won at Pocono last year, saw his IndyCar championship hopes take a serious blow as he finished 18th after his team repaired the damage and got him back into the race. He entered just 16 points behind leader Josef Newgarden and now trails by 25 points. 

Wickens tweeted that IndyCar should no longer race at the 2½-mile track. IndyCar and Pocono do not have a deal for a 2020 race.

The race was red-flagged on Lap 4 following the crash, as crews were to repair damage to the fence and wall. The race resumed after a delay of just under an hour and was eventually halted due to lightning in the area with 72 laps remaining that prevented the medical helicopter from leaving the track in the event anyone needed to be airlifted to a hospital.

Will Power won the race, the 13th straight season he has won in the series.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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