Dan Wheldon dies after massive crash

Pokerking88 · Oct 16, 2011

http://news.yahoo.com/wheldon-dies-massive-crash-vegas-220813739.html

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after his car became ensnarled in a fiery 15-car pileup on Lap 13, flew over another vehicle and landed in a catch fence just outside turn 2.
The 33-year-old racer was a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, including this year's race.
Three other drivers, including championship contender Will Power, were hurt in the pileup.
Weldon was airlifted from the track to University Medical Center; about two hours later, his colleagues were told of his death.
"IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries," IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. IndyCar, its drivers and owners, have decided to end the race."
In his honor, drivers took part in a five-lap salute around the oval.
IndyCar has not had a fatality since Paul Dana was killed at Homestead in 2006. He died after a crash in a morning warmup.
Sunday's wreck left Townsend Bell upside down while smoldering cars and debris littered the track nearly halfway up the straightaway of the 1.5-mile oval.
The track was red-flagged following the accidents while crews worked on fences and removed smashed cars.
Wheldon started in the back of the pack but quickly worked his way through the 34-car field before the wreck.
"It was like a movie scene which they try to make as gnarly as possible," said Danica Patrick, making her final IndyCar start. "It was debris everywhere across the whole track, you could smell the smoke, you could see the billowing smoke on the back straight from the car. There was a chunk of fire that we were driving around. You could see cars scattered.
Drivers had been concerned about the high speeds at the track, where they were hitting nearly 225 mph during practice.
Their concerns became reality when contact on Turn 2 sent cars flying through the air, crashing into each other and into the outside wall and catch fence.
"I'll tell you, I've never seen anything like it," Ryan Briscoe said. "The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from Terminator or something. I mean, there were just pieces of metal and car on fire in the middle of the track with no car attached to it and just debris everywhere. So it was scary, and your first thoughts are hoping that no one is hurt because there's just stuff everywhere. Crazy."
It was Wheldon's 134th career start, but only the third of the season for the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.
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http://espn.go.com/racing/indycar/story/_/id/7111712/dan-wheldon-dies-following-indycar-crash-vegas

LAS VEGAS -- Dan Wheldon, the 2011 Indianapolis 500 winner and one of the most popular drivers in open-wheel racing, died Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in a horrific multi-car crash only 11 laps into the IndyCar Series season finale.
Dan Wheldon (77) goes airborne during a fiery 15-car wreck during the IndyCar race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Wheldon died following the accident.
Officials decided to call the race, but the drivers planned a five-lap tribute to Wheldon. IndyCar Series CEORandy Bernard made the officials announcmeent of Wheldon's death without further comment.

"IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries," Bernard said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. IndyCar, its drivers and owners, have decided to end the race. In honor of Dan Wheldon, the drivers have decided to do a five-lap salute to in his honor."

Wheldon, 33 and the 2005 series champion from Emberton, England, was competing in only his third IndyCar race of the season, trying to win the event and earn a $5 million bonus that was part of a league promotion for drivers who didn't compete full-time in the series this year.

Wheldon was the only driver to accept the challenge. This year's Indy 500 was the second time Wheldon had won the prestigious event. He also won it in 2005.

Wheldon was expected to replace Danica Patrick next season in the Go-Daddy-sponsored car for Andretti Autosport.

Patrick is moving to NASCAR full-time in 2012.

Wheldon raced for Michael Andretti's team previously from 2003 through 2005 when he won the championship. Wheldon won 16 races in his nine-year IndyCar career.
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Very very sad news.
I feel terrible for his wife, has 2 small children :'(

RIP Dan Wheldon

Dave. · Oct 16, 2011

Very sad man always sad to see anyone from your home country die <3

Pokerking88 · Oct 16, 2011

Video of the crash.

NAG · Oct 20, 2011

Wow, my dad told me about this, that sucks

sp_da_ghost · Oct 20, 2011

very tragic.. r.i.p dan wheldon

chic_raw · Oct 24, 2011

i was sad when i first heard about this

TheBailey · Oct 24, 2011

Yeah the crash was bad man F1 is so much safer then that but more boring He was a good pilot but i honestly didnt ha about him until he died ;(

beethirteen · Nov 13, 2011

A lot like that guy that died from the tire bopping him in the head going 100+

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Dan Wheldon dies after massive crash

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