FORMER Appleton School pupil Jay Howard has survived a horror crash racing in the Indianapolis 500.

Howard, who grew up in Basildon before moving Stateside, endured an horrendous collision with 2008 winner Scott Dixon on lap 53.

In attempting to let 2014 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay pass, Howard was forced wide and hit the perimeter wall before he careered into the path of Dixon.

The impact sent Dixon’s car airborne before it landed on the safety barrier and came to rest with three tyres missing and the back end completely destroyed.

Miraculously both drivers walked away unscathed, although the incident prompted a red flag and a delay while the wreckage was cleared from the track.

The highly publicised race also saw Fernando Alonso’s decision to temporarily ditch Formula One fail to pay dividends as engine failure forced him out of the race.

The Spaniard, who opted to skip the Monaco Grand Prix to compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway circuit, had spent time leading but found himself slightly off the pace when his car let him down with 22 laps remaining.

Japanese driver Takuma Sato eventually took the chequered flag, with Helio Castroneves second and Britain’s Ed Jones completing the podium but a series of yellow and red flags affected the race.