Twelve people injured in pit road wreck

Jaime Aron

Sunday, Oct. 17, 1999 | 1:31 a.m.

FORT WORTH, Texas - Twelve people, including nine members of Tyce Carlson's crew, were injured Saturday when rookie Niclas Jonsson lost control of his car on pit road during practice for the Indy Racing League's Mall.com 500.

None of the injuries were considered life-threatening. Jonsson sustained a slight concussion and was among 10 people who were hospitalized. Carlson wasn't injured, but his father, Richard Carlson, who has a heart problem, was hospitalized as a precaution.

The accident occurred with only a few minutes left in the post-qualifying "happy hour" practice. Jonsson was heading back onto the track after a pit stop when his car jerked left, hit the retaining wall and smacked into Carlson's parked car.

Carlson's crew was working on an electrical problem. They never saw or heard Jonsson coming. The Swede had been building up speed for about 50 yards.

"There was no screeching at all - just bam!" witness Jeff Ross said. "They had just pulled the cover off the car and were looking at the motor. I was looking right at the car and saw the car go and the people go with it.

"One guy went flying in front, one guy ended up on top of the two cars and another guy came hopping over the wall where I was."

Jonsson will miss Sunday's season-ending race, which would have been only his second on the circuit.

Carlson, who qualified ninth, was going to decide whether to compete on Sunday.

Team owners Blueprint-Immke Racing want to try and other teams have offered "whatever we need," including crew, said Carlson's team manager, Rob Yankauskas.

In addition to Jonsson and the elder Carlson, the other eight people who were hospitalized included Speedway Motorsports Inc. employee Brian Figg and seven members of Carlson's crew.

The conditions of Figg and the crew were not immediately available. The injured crew members were: Tracy Hash, Tom Bose, Jeff Howerton, Mike Alessi, Tom Beaudry, Greg Height and Bill Dyer.

Two members of Carlson's crew, Jason Beck and Derek Branch, were treated and released at the infield car center.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known. Jonsson was too shaken up to discuss what happened.

"I am willing to bet money he pushed the wrong button and deactivated it," said driver Eddie Cheever, who was three pits away.

The 32-year-old Jonsson was the 27th and last qualifier. Even if he felt well enough to drive Sunday, the damage to his car would keep him out of the race.