Brack 'awake' in hospital.

In a huge testimony to the safety standards of the current generation of IRL IndyCar chassis, Kenny Brack is awake and alert in a Dallas hospital following his horrific shunt in the closing laps of Sunday's Chevy 500 title decider at the Texas Motor Speedway.

Although the Swedish born Team Rahal driver is reported to have multiple fractures and is currently listed in serious but stable condition, the mere fact he survived one of the most violent impacts in IRL series history seems little less than miraculous.

While battling with Tomas Scheckter for third place on lap 188 of the 200-lap race, Brack's left front wheel touched Scheckter's right rear approximately half way down the back straight, sending both cars towards the outside wall with Brack quickly becoming airborne at more than 220mph.

The #15 Pioneer/Miller Lite Dallara-Honda struck the catch fencing almost head-on, the chassis instantly destingrating into three main sections, the engine, the gearbox and the cockpit. As the rest of the components exploded, tearing holes in the catch fencing with the force of impact, the chassis tub began a sickening series of mid-air cartwheels before spinning to a halt on the inside of turn three.

IRL safety crews were on the scene within seconds and were seen attending to Brack on the apron at the inside of turn three as the field still circulated behind the pace car. However it was soon decided that with damaged catch fencing, racing could not continue and the red flags were shown after 195 of 200 laps with Gil de Ferran leading new IRL Champion Scott Dixon.