Kanaan

INDIANAPOLIS -- IRL driver Tony Kanaan was released Wednesday from Methodist Hospital after surgery on his broken left arm.

He could return to his race car during the first week of practice for the Indianapolis 500. Kanaan was injured in a crash Sunday with Scott Dixon at the Japan Indy 300.

A 2-hour, 35-minute operation Tuesday night "went exceptionally well,'' surgeon Terry Trammell said. "He is feeling better and better.''

Indy 500 practice begins May 4.

Kanaan is wearing a cast with padding and next week will have a brace put on the arm for a test drive in a go-kart, Andretti Green Racing spokeswoman Carol Wilkins said.

"The best-case scenario is for him to be in a race car in three weeks, and that's based on a couple of ifs: If he can tolerate the pain, if he can tolerate the brace when driving the go-kart,'' Wilkins said.

A three-week recuperation would mean the earliest Kanaan could begin practicing for the Indy 500 is May 7, just three days before the start of qualifications. The three days of time trials, on May 10-11 and May 18 will determine the 33-car starting lineup for the race May 25.

Kanaan also sustained a cut and bruise to his upper thigh and still has a difficult time sitting, Trammell said.

"Like any other laceration and bruise, it will be three weeks before he is feeling better,'' he said.

Trammell also examined Kanaan's teammate, Dario Franchitti, who broke a bone in his lower back when he crashed his motorcycle April 4 in Scotland. Franchitti missed the race in Japan because of his injury. There is no timetable for his return, Wilkins said.

Andretti Green is co-owned by Michael Andretti, who plans to retire as a driver after the Indy 500. Rookie Dan Wheldon, who subbed for Franchitti in Japan, also is entered at Indy and will replace Andretti as a full-time driver for the team the rest of the season.