INDIANAPOLIS – A photographer attempting to capture a crash at the Indianapolis 500 was struck by debris Sunday.
At turn 2 IndyCar driver Scott Dixon’s car struck a wall and hit Jay Howard’s vehicle before going airborne. Photographer Ron Graphman was behind the safety wall, but hit by debris.
“As the car approached, I stayed with it, up to the point of impact of the fence,” said Graphman. “A ton of debris was coming at me. I was using my arms and my hands to block my face and my body."
The photographer sustained cuts and bruises and was taken in my medics at the race. Graphman’s wife said right after the crash, she checked on her husband.
“I was texting him asking to see if he had seen the wreck,” said Beverly Graphman. “He texted back and said ‘yeah I got hit. I'm on my way to the infield hospital.’ I texted him back and said ‘are you serious?’”
Graphman said Sunday’s hit wasn’t his first as he had a similar situation happen in 2011 while he was standing in the same spot at turn 2.
Despite his second hit, Graphman said he will return for the 102 running of the Indy 500.
RELATED | Takuma Sato wins the 101st Indianapolis 500 | Race fans line up to buy tickets for 2018 Indy 500 | Nearly 200 cited, arrested at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during Indy 500
