Snake on track struck by IndyCar drivers on Fast Friday

A snake was hit by oncoming IndyCar drivers during Fast Friday.

The unexpected visitor slithered onto the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track to shock drivers who were running through their qualifying sims.

• IndyCar results: 2024 Indianapolis 500 - Fast Friday

Alexander Rossi was forced to abort his first qualifying simulation when he saw what he thought was a drive shaft that had fallen off another car.

"It was kind of sketchy, because I didn't know what it was," Rossi said.

But, it was a snake.

"Then I hit it, and nothing bad happened, so I kept going," Rossi said.

Rossi then clocked 232.916 mph in an uninterrupted qualifying run.

"First real one without any snakes, so that's nice," was his reaction.

Scott McLaughlin later appeared to drive over the snake, too.