Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia

Flashback: The story behind Dixon’s wild Indy crash

Photographer Michael C Johnson tells the full story of how he caught the massive Scott Dixon/Jay Howard crash in this year’s Indianapolis 500…

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

This was my 36th Indianapolis 500. I have shot from every corner, and the end of the front straight, but never have I had an experience like this year.  

I decided since the Vice President, Mike Pence, was attending, and that photographers were not allowed on the roof of the Turn 2 suites, I would shoot from the top of the Turn 2 grandstands. I might be able to get a unique shot of the VP watching the start of the race. 

The race had settled into a rhythm and I noticed that the snake-pit stage had flames shooting out that I could see from Turn 2. I would have actually have missed this entire sequence if I had focused on trying to get the fire shot a couple of laps later...

As chance would have it, I got the fire shot I wanted and was actually waiting on Scott Dixon to come through Turn 1 and the south short chute, as I wanted a close shot of him coming into Turn 2.

I was using a Canon 100-400mm lens and caught Jay Howard sliding toward the wall in the viewfinder.  Dixon was coming into Turn 1, so I focused on Dixon to see if he could miss Howard and before I knew it, the entire sequence had happened. 

When the car became airborne I knew that this could be really big.  The entire time I just kept telling myself, “I hope this is in focus, I hope this is in focus!” 

I took 105 images in the entire sequence.

Immediately after the accident I wanted to make sure that both drivers had exited their cars. Once I saw everyone was OK, I made my way out of the Turn 2 grandstands and walked as fast as I could to the media center. 

When I downloaded the images I knew that it was indeed the experience of a lifetime in all my years of shooting at Indy...

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda involved in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda involved in a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, involved in a huge crash, Helio Castroneves, Team Penske Chevrolet avoids carnage

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, involved in a huge crash, Helio Castroneves, Team Penske Chevrolet avoids carnage

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda crashes, Helio Castroneves, Team Penske Chevrolet passes

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda crashes, Helio Castroneves, Team Penske Chevrolet passes

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda involved in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda involved in a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda involved in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda involved in a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda involved in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda involved in a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda involved in a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda involved in a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, gets out the car after a huge crash

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, gets out the car after a huge crash

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson / Amarillo Globe News

13

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Saavedra to race for Schmidt Peterson at Pocono, Gateway
Next article Why IndyCar needs proactive fans to revive its mass appeal

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia