Team Penske driver Josef Newgarden has been flown to hospital for precautionary checks after he collapsed and suffered a head abrasion.
An hour earlier, the two-time IndyCar Series champion crashed out of the Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 at Iowa Speedway while leading.
Newgarden was checked following the incident and cleared by the onsite medical team before giving a teary interview.
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However, shortly thereafter, the 31-year-old was returned to the medical centre after fainting and hitting his head.
According to IndyCar director of medical services Dr Geoffrey Billows, the American was conscious upon arriving at the medical centre before being taken by helicopter to hospital.
Although the use of a helicopter is usually reserved for serious incidents, post-race concert traffic was cited as a contributing factor.
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Asked if Newgarden had concussion-like symptoms, Dr Billows couldn’t say definitively one way or another.
“That’s the thing that makes it confusing. He crashed and he was evaluated here after the crash and he was fine,” Dr Billows explained.
“We actually went and talked to him afterwards. Apparently, after we talked to him he exited his hauler and either passed out or fell and hit his head.
“In the abundance of caution, we want to make sure he doesn’t have any kind of head injury.”
Newgarden won the first leg of IndyCar’s double-header at Iowa Speedway a day earlier, leading most of the 250-lap race.
Pato O’Ward won the second race for McLaren SP ahead of Team Penske pair Will Power and Scott McLaughlin.
Marcus Ericsson leads the IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing while Power and Newgarden lie second and third respectively.
The IndyCar Series continues at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Gallagher Grand Prix on July 31 (AEST).
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