Sports Illustrated (SI.com)
April 14, 2007
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) -Former Champ Car champion Paul Tracy will miss at least one race after sustaining a compression fracture to his back Saturday in a crash during practice for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
The 38-year-old Tracy lost control and his car slid nose-first into one of the concrete barriers lining the downtown street course.
The oldest and winningest active driver in the Champ Car World Series was taken to nearby St. Mary's Hospital after complaining of back pain. Tests confirmed a compression fracture to Tracy's first lumbar vertebrae.
Forsythe Championship Racing said Oriol Servia would replace Tracy in the No. 3 car for at least the rest of the weekend. No timetable was given for Tracy's return.
Servia, a regular in Champ Car the past few seasons, has been without a ride in 2007.