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Indy pole-winner crashes backup car

http://sports.yahoo.com/irl/news?slug=ap-irl-indy-hornishcrash&prov=ap&type=lgns

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Indianapolis 500 pole winner Sam Hornish Jr. escaped injury Sunday when he crashed his backup car during a practice session.

Hornish was working on race setup and had just turned his fastest lap of the day at 226.256 mph when he crashed. He was following close behind Danica Patrick through a turn when his car skidded sideways. It appeared the two-time IRL IndyCar Series champion almost got the car back under control, but he eventually slid down the track and bounced off the wall.

Hornish got out of the car under his own power and walked to the safety car for the mandatory ride to the infield medical center.

The Marlboro Team Penske driver, who has been fastest for all but one day the cars have run since practice opened May 9, qualified on the pole Saturday with a four-lap average of 228.985 for next Sunday's race.

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It is Bump Day, after all.

Good thing it was the backup.

Sparks fly as Indy Racing League driver Sam Hornish Jr. slides along the south short chute after spinning in the first turn during practice on the final day of qualifications for the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday, May 21, 2006, in Indianapolis. Hornish qualified on the poles Saturday with an average speed of 228.985mph. This was a backup car and not the car qualified for the race. (AP Photo/Tom Hemmer)

The starting field for the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 to be held May 28, 2006. Row 1: Sam Hornish Jr., Helio Castroneves, Dan Wheldon. Row 2: Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Vitor Meira. Row 3:Kosuke Matsuura, Scott Sharp, Marco Andretti. Row 4: Danica Patrick, Tomas Scheckter, Ed Carpenter. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

The starting field for the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 to be held May 28, 2006. Row 5: Michael Andretti, Buddy Rice, Townsend Bell. Row 6: Bryan Herta, Dario Franchitti, Max Papis. Row 7: Eddie Cheever, P.J. Chesson, Felipe Giaffone. Row 8: Jeff Bucknum, Larry Foyt, Jaques Lazier. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

The starting field for the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 to be held May 28, 2006. Row 9: Buddy Lazier, Jeff Simmons, Al Unser Jr. Row 10: Roger Yasukawa, Airton Dare, Stephan Gregoire. Row 11: Arie Luyendyk Jr., PJ Jones, Thiago Medeiros. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)