LOS ANGELES -- Finnish RallyCross driver Toomas "Topi" Heikkinen broke his left ankle and suffered abdominal injuries in a crash into the metal jump ramp on the X Games RallyCross course Friday during practice runs.
Heikkinen, 21, came up short on the 50-foot gap jump, taking a head-on impact and dropping upside-down into the gap on the RallyCross course. He crawled from his car after the accident and was treated for the ankle injury and abdominal pain, according to X Games medical staff. X Games medical staff reported he was awake and alert and after through examination of his head, chest, abdomen, pelvis and back, his injuries were limited to his ankle.
The front end of his Ford Fiesta rally car sustained significant damage in the crash and fluids from the car caught on fire after he had left the vehicle. Jump practice was canceled after the crash. Heikkinen is not expected to compete in Sunday's finals.
In March, Heikkinen completed his Finnish military service and signed with the Olsbergs Motor Sport Evolution rally team. The former kart racer and Formula Renault racer is an X Games rookie but was the Finnish Rallycross champion in 2010 and finished sixth overall in the 2011 European Rallycross Championship.
He has been competing this year in the Global RallyCross Championship, driving a 2012 Ford Fiesta alongside Ford Rally teammates such as Tanner Foust, Brian Deegan, and Marcus Grönholm. He finished in 10th place at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and 18th place last month at Texas Motor Speedway.
The X Games RallyCross competition will air from 3 to 5 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPN.
