Motor racing: Driver injured in Toronto crash

The young American driver Bryan Herta was injured yesterday in a crash on the main straight during practice for today's Toronto Molson-IndyCar race. Doctors at the track said that the 24-year- old from Dublin, Ohio, possibly suffered a fractured right femur. Herta, who races for the veteran driver A J Foyt's team and is currently 17th in the championship, was taken to hospital for further treatment. The accident occurred when Herta's speeding Lola came upon a slow-moving safety vehicle on the tight 1.78-mile temporary circuit. The safety truck was apparently heading back to its station after helping a stalled car off the course. Nigel Mansell, driving a Lola Ford, held provisional pole position until halfway through the first 30-minute session. Then his car slid into a tyre barrier in turn eight, a fast right-hand turn, repeating a similar incident here last year. The 40- year-old reigning IndyCar champion bruised the thumb and forefinger of his left hand, but was otherwise uninjured. The American Robby Gordon, 25, is on pole position for today's race, driving another Lola Ford Cosworth. Mansell was second fastest in yesterday's final qualifying session, and will start next to Gordon on the front row. In Austria yesterday three track officials were killed and a fourth injured when a touring car crashed over a barrier during practice for a championship race at the Salzburgring circuit.

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