Defending champion Buddy Rice was released from the hospital on Thursday, a day after a crash in practice ended his hopes for a second straight start from the pole in the Indianapolis 500.
Rice was hospitalized overnight with a severe bruise to his back and a concussion from the crash just 16 minutes into practice on Wednesday.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials said several hours later that Rice won't be cleared to drive until at least next week -- meaning he cannot qualify this weekend.
"He's frustrated and I know he's angry," said team co-owner Bobby Rahal, the 1986 Indy winner. "But you've got to make sure he's right. You don't want a problem on the track."
Rahal's most immediate concern is getting Rice healthy in time for the second qualifying weekend and then the race on May 29. Qualifying resumes on May 21. The last of four qualifying days is scheduled for May 22.
Rice will be the fourth defending champion since 2000 to miss a pole qualifying attempt. Kenny Brack won the race in 1999 and Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000, but neither returned to defend his title. Gil de Ferran won it in 2003 and retired after the season.
On Wednesday, Rice's No. 15 car spun in the second turn and the back end slammed into the outside wall, scattering debris across the track. The car spun several times as it slid down the track before rolling to a stop.
Rice remained in the smoking car for several minutes before track workers helped him out. He walked away from the wreck but was sent to the hospital for further examination.
Now, he probably will have to defend his Indy win from near the back of the 33-car field. The top 22 spots are expected to be filled in this weekend's qualifying.
"Unfortunately, this stuff happens," Rahal said. "But he's healthy. Where he starts, I think, is irrelevant."
It was a big blow for the Rahal team.
Through rookie orientation and the first two days of practice, Rahal's stable of drivers had been among the fastest on the 4km oval. Danica Patrick was the fastest driver on Sunday and Monday in rookie orientation, topping 222mph (357kph) on the second day. Brazil's Vitor Meira was 10th fastest on Tuesday with a speed of 224.172mph (360.692kph).
Patrick and Meira finished among the top 10 on Wednesday. Patrick was second-fastest at 226.944mph (365.152kph). The only driver who was faster was IRL champ Tony Kanaan of Brazil at 227.453mph (365.971kph). Meira was ninth.
But the crash dampened the mood in Rahal's garage.
"That's awful," Patrick said. "I know what it's like to crash. It took me almost two weeks to recover from the one in Homestead."
Patrick had a concussion in the first race of the season but has finished 15th, 12th and fourth in the last three. And now she has one of the fastest cars at Indianapolis.
The big question, though, was what happened to Rice, who has completed all but one lap in his first two Indianapolis 500 starts. He finished 11th in 2003 after starting 19th.
Rahal said there was no indication anything broke and that replays didn't show any fluid leaking before the crash.
"It's odd where it happened," he said.
"I'm afraid it's one of those situations that you'll never know what caused it."
The driver with the best view might have been Kosuke Matsuura of Japan, who was following Rice and spun out to avoid the wreck. His car was towed in, but Matsuura was not seriously injured.
Matsuura thought Rice was trying to do too much too quickly, saying he was passed by Rice in the pits and that Rice then tried to pass two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and Sam Hornish Jr., drivers for Roger Penske's team.
Rice won a rain-shortened Indianapolis 500 last year, and finished third in the points behind Kanaan and England's Dan Wheldon.
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