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Patrick Hits Crewman From Another Team

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A Tribune wire report

Published: May 10, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - Danica Patrick's car struck Dale Coyne Racing chief mechanic Chuck Buckman during a practice session Friday for the Indianapolis 500.

Patrick was pulling her No. 7 Dallara/Honda into her pit box when she hit Buckman, who was tossed into the air and appeared to strike his head on the left rear tire of Patrick's car and then the pavement.

Buckman was taken to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, suffering from a concussion, scalp lacerations and facial cuts, said a Speedway spokesman.

After a review of tapes of the incident, it was apparent Patrick's line of vision was obscured by another race car parked in front of her pit box.

"I really don't remember how it happened," Buckman said. "All I remember is I was talking with someone on Marco Andretti's team, and then everything is blank from that point. I will be OK and hopefully back at work in a day or two."

NATIONWIDE: Two-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart had never won at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in 19 previous races, four of them Nationwide events, dating to 1996. Yet, Stewart was dominant throughout in gliding to victory in the first race on Darlington's slicker, repaved surface Friday night.

He was about the only one who got away unscathed. Fellow Sprint Cup stars Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin had their nights ended by wrecks.

Stewart made it through eight cautions, two off the Nationwide's Darlington record, and a green-white-checkered finish for his fourth series victory this year, and Joe Gibbs Racing's sixth straight.

SPRINT CUP: On a fast new surface, 41 of 44 drivers broke the qualifying record at Darlington Raceway.

But it was Greg Biffle who set the pace, turning a blistering lap of 179.442 mph Friday night to win the pole at Darlington. He shattered the previous record of 173.797 mph set by Ward Burton in 1996.

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