Gommendy crash ends qualifying early

UPDATE Gommendy has been released from the hospital and will be checked in the morning by doctors but will probably be cleared to drive. However, he hit the wall head-on at 40mph and damaged the tub of the car so it has to go back to Panoz in Georgia to be repaired. The team has a backup car, but Gommendy may be too sore to drive in the morning as he was complaining of a sore neck and back. A 40 mph hit straight on is a fairly violent stop.

07/20/07 Today's Champ Car qualifying session was halted five minutes early after Tristan Gommendy required medical attention out in Turn 7. The only way to access that scene was for the ambulance to go out onto the racetrack. We'll have an update on his condition as soon as we can. Preliminary reports are just slight back pain.