IndyCar: Extent of Wickens’ spinal cord injury still unknown

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — IndyCar said Friday that Canadian driver Robert Wickens underwent surgery this week on his right arm and lower extremities and tests found no additional injuries from his crash at Pocono last weekend.

Wickens has had titanium rods and screws placed in his spine to stabilize a fracture associated with a spinal cord injury. IndyCar said the severity of the spinal cord injury is still unknown and Wickens will require additional corrective surgery and rehabilitation. He remains hospitalized in Pennsylvania.

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports will not field his car in Saturday night’s race at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis.

Wickens’ car sailed into the fence at Pocono when he and Ryan Hunter-Reay made slight contact on Sunday. Hunter-Reay’s car spun and Wickens’ car launched over it and into the fence. A large hole was torn into the fence, causing a two-hour delay for repairs.

The 29-year-old Wickens is a rookie in IndyCar but a championship driver in touring cars in Europe. He left that series this year to try IndyCar alongside James Hinchcliffe. The two Canadians became friends racing against each other in the junior ranks and Hinchcliffe lured Wickens back to North America.