Ryan Hunter-Reay’s challenging month of May took another step in the wrong direction on Carb Day, as a fire at the rear of his No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold/Cusick Motorsports Chevy forced the 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner into using a backup car for Sunday’s race.
According to the team, which was continuing to evaluate the cause of the fire, the flames caused enough damage to the Dallara DW12 safety cell – the tub that carries the driver – to necessitate the switch to a spare chassis. Per IndyCar’s rulebook, Hunter-Reay will retain his 25th-place qualifying position after the new No. 23 Chevy is readied to compete.
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Hunter-Reay made a pit stop during the final practice session ahead of the big race and pulled away from his pit box with a small fire emanating from the car. He’d leave pit lane, round and enter the back straight, and hoped to have the rushing wind extinguish the fire, but they persisted and he drove into pit lane and stopped, where safety personnel put out the flames.