Race and classic pictures

Robb unscathed after scary airborne crash in Iowa

IndyCar's double-header in Iowa last weekend was marked by a spectacular last lap crash in Sunday's event that saw Sting Ray Robb’s car get airborne.

Robb was on the backstretch heading to the checkered flag when he ran over the rear of Alexander Rossi’s slow-moving #7 Arrow McLaren that was running out of fuel.

The contact catapulted Robb’s car high in the air vertically before it came crashing down on the track.

It was a terrifying joy ride for the AJ Foyt Enterprises driver who, despite giving a thumbs up after exiting his mangled machine, was airlifted to Mercy One Des Moines Medical Center where he was examined and eventually released.

Unfortunately, the contact between Robb and Rossi created a chain reaction behind that sent the cars of Ed Carpenter and Kyle Kirkwood spinning.

“Rossi was out of fuel, and I was told about it a lot earlier than that,” Kirkwood said. “Super unfortunate. I don’t understand why he (Rossi) was still online, (the racing surface) at that. Obviously, he’s trying to protect as much as he possibly can.

“I also don’t understand why Sting Ray (Robb) didn’t pass him. Obviously, the closing rate was big and late in the race you’re starting to lose a little bit of reaction timing. So maybe that has something to do with it. But it was a very scary incident.”

Overall, it was very much a Team Penske dominated weekend, with Scott McLaughlin putting himself back in the hunt for the championship with a win on Saturday - his first on an oval - and a third-place finish the following day, while his teammate Will Power collected his first career win at Iowa on Sunday after an impressive charge through the field.

©IndyCar

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.