Fox’s Status Upgraded

Stan Fox has regained consciousness and can follow a few commands after being in a coma the past five days with injuries sustained in a crash at last Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, doctors said.

Fox, who underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain after crashing on the opening lap of the race, was upgraded to fair condition at Methodist Hospital, where he is being treated in the neurocritical care unit.

Jeff Gordon, whose 153.669 mph lap gave him the pole for Sunday’s $1.25 million Miller Genuine Draft 500 at Dover (Del.) Downs International Speedway, said he was “embarrassed” by the turn of events the previous weekend.

Gordon’s crew chief, Ray Evernham, was fined a NASCAR-record $60,000 for having unapproved devices on the team’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo. That came after a wheel fell off the car during the running of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, N.C.

Team Penske was right up front again as practice began for the Miller Genuine Draft 200 at Milwaukee.

Emerson Fittipaldi was quickest around the 1-mile oval with a lap at 158.079 mph in one of the 1995 Penske-Mercedes cars that were such a disappointment at Indy.

Tracy Leslie claimed the inside of the front row for today’s Busch Grand National Goodwrench-Delco Battery 200 at Dover with a speed of 147.832 mph in qualifying. Spokane’s Chad Little will start 27th after averaging 144.271 in his Ford.