In immense pain, Jack Harvey had to throw in the towel in Iowa

Since last Saturday, a few hours before qualifying for the Mid-Ohio event, Jack Harvey has been going through a real ordeal. The Dale Coyne Racing driver woke up with intense pain in his neck and back. Pain which is managed as best they can by the pilot, his entourage and the medical team of theIndyCar. But if his presence at the finish of the first event of the hybrid era was an example of courage and self-sacrifice, the Iowa Speedway, an even more physical circuit, was too intense for the driver of the No. 18.

From Friday's practice, Harvey's discomfort was clear, given his difficulty getting in or out of his car. On Saturday in qualifying, completing two laps of the track was already a feat... and he had to do six in total, due to problems with his hybrid system, the IndyCar allowing him two additional runs! Jack Harvey never hid, explaining the ordeal he was going through. But the decision was made with his team, he would be able to take a breather by skipping the two races of the weekend, leaving his seat to Conor Daly.

The substitute cannot start

However, with a few hours between qualifying and the race, and a huge concert to put on in the pit lane and the main straight, Daly didn't have time to take part in an acclimatization session of a few turns. And IndyCar is formal, without any lap completed on the track, it is impossible to start a race. It is therefore up to Jack Harvey to strap himself into the No. 18 Dallara-Honda, and do as many laps as possible... The Briton wisely stopped his ordeal at the 20th of the 250 loops of the event.

“Honestly, we made the decision that Conor Daly was going to drive this Saturday in my place. I have a lot of respect for IndyCar, but they didn't allow him to take the track without participating in a practice, qualifying or acclimatization session. So that forced our hand a little, I had to start so that we could score points in the Leader Circle rankings”, he explained on NBC Sports.

The Leader Circle is a specific IndyCar ranking, based on the performance of each car in the season, not just the drivers. The first 22 in this ranking at the end of the season receive a scholarship estimated at more than a million dollars, while the others receive nothing at all. It is therefore crucial for teams like Dale Coyne Racing to secure part of this funding. With the rules stating that the Leader Circle is reserved for cars competing for the full season, Harvey had to drive that night, even though the pain was excruciating.

Harvey forced to throw in the towel

“I'm a very lucky person, I have the chance to make my passion my profession, but it's really agony in the car. I can't describe these pains. We did more laps than I expected, but I'm still a competitor, like everyone else, so it's depressing when you have to throw in the towel. The entire IndyCar medical team was fantastic, and they recommended that I not start. I have a lot of respect for Dale and the whole team, so I always wanted to play my role, and today my role was to start. »

Finally, Harvey appealed for the indulgence of observers, who cannot understand to what extent the former Indy Lights champion is in difficulty: “Even under Safety Car, it was painful. And I hope people have enough respect for me to understand that when I say it's painful, I'm not talking about a little pain or discomfort... I've been trying to fight for two weeks , and I can't anymore. »

Jack Harvey will be able to stop struggling this Sunday, with IndyCar confirming that Conor Daly will replace him for the second round at Iowa. The Briton has a few days left to get back into as good shape as possible before the Toronto event, on a very bumpy street circuit, and therefore very physical for the drivers as well...

ALSO READ > Iowa – Race 1: McLaughlin wins, Palou abandons