INDIANAPOLIS -- Paul Tracy, driving a powerful Penske/Mercedes Benz V8, crashed during afternoon practice yesterday and was admitted to Methodist Hospital.

Tracy sustained a concussion, a bruise to his left foot and a sore neck during practice for the 78th Indianapolis 500.

Dr. Tom Leipzig, a neurosurgeon, said Tracy is in good condition. He will be examined today to determine if he can take part in Pole Day qualifying, which begins at noon EDT.

Before the crash, the Penske cars of Tracy, Emerson Fittipaldi and Al Unser Jr. were favored to battle for the pole and sweep the front row.

The back end of Tracy's car, whose best run yesterday was 228.698 mph, broke loose coming out of the third turn. The car spun and rolled backward through the grass, hit the infield fence and then shot back up the track, where it bounced hard off the outside of the Turn Four wall.