“Really scary”: Fans react as Indy NXT produces terrifying crash at Mid-Ohio

The Indy NXT Mid-Ohio race featured a heart-stopping moment that left spectators peeking through their fingers, as a massive crash between Ricardo Escotto and Sebastian Murray sent a wave of concern through the series paddock. The incident, which saw Murray launched airborne, triggered a flurry of reactions from fans.

The dramatic crash occurred when the Andretti Cape teammates, who were battling for 11th spot on the fourth lap of the Ohio race, clattered into each other heading into Turn 4. Around the fast kink corner, Murray—who was ahead of Escotto—was sent hurtling into the barrier and subsequently launched airborne, with carbon fibre scattering across the track.

The race was immediately red-flagged, with the Indy NXT safety team rushing to the scene to check on both drivers and extract them from the wreckage. While both Andretti drivers would walk away from the incident largely unscathed, fans shared their reactions to the crash between the pair.

One fan commented:

“Really scary”

Another fan, who was glad about both drivers’ safety, also commented:

“Glad they are ok. Pieces of car everywhere.”

A third fan shared:

“Man, I’m glad they were okay. That looked BAD.”

A fan also chipped in on the safety of the fans—given the car went airborne—wrote:

“People in the flag stand got lucky! So glad everyone is okay.”

Another, who compared it to the Formula 1 incident at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, posted:

“Azerbaijan 2024 all over again!”

While the incident spelled the end of the race for both Andretti Cape drivers, it did not stop their teammate Dennis Hauger from clinching victory in the Indy NXT event. The Norwegian, who is in his rookie season in the open-wheel racing feeder series, has now claimed five race victories in his eight Indy NXT appearances so far.

How Sebastian Murray reacted after his Indy NXT crash with Ricardo Escotto

Sebastian Murray aired his thoughts in the aftermath of his crash during the Indy NXT Mid-Ohio event. The 18-year-old reflected on the high-speed collision that transpired in the lead-up to the crash.

The Scotland native was launched airborne after banging wheels with his teammate Ricardo Escotto as they both battled behind Chip Ganassi Racing driver Bryce Aron. Murray, who appeared to be the most affected by the crash, spoke after being discharged by the Indy NXT safety team.

Sharing his thoughts on the incident via IndyCar on FOX, he stated:

“It’s super unfortunate. Honestly, I am not really sure what happened—we have to look at the video when we get back—but I’m just glad everyone is OK.

"Massive thank you to the safety team. They did a great job and were on the scene very quickly. Also, apologies to the team. It’s been a good weekend so far—we were hoping to work our way up, but things happen. We’ll move forward and hopefully we can perform better,” he concluded.

The incident between Murray and Escotto significantly impacted the duration of the race, as what was scheduled to be a 35-lap event was changed to a timed race. The pair, who failed to get the desired results as they raced around the Ohio road course, will now shift focus to the upcoming Indy NXT oval race at the Iowa Speedway.