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Dan Wheldon dies in huge crash at IndyCar finale
LAS VEGAS (AP) – IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon has died from injuries after his car went sailing through the air during a massive 15-car wreck early in Sunday's Las Vegas Indy 300.
Wheldon was 33. Drivers were told of Wheldon's death in a meeting about two hours after the fiery, smoky crash that many drivers said was the worst they had ever seen.
He won the Indianapolis 500 twice, including this year. Wheldon was injured when his car flew over another during the wreck on lap 13.
IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said Wheldon sustained "unsurvivable injuries." The race was canceled, and drivers were set to drive a five-lap salute in Wheldon's honor.Wheldon had to start in the back of the field as part of the promotion and had quickly worked his way through the 34-car field before the big wreck.
Drivers had been concerned about the high speeds on LVMS' 1.5-mile oval after they reached 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."
Wheldon was replaced by Hildebrand at Panther Racing at the start of this season, and failed to land another ride.
He put together a deal for the Indianapolis 500 with Bryan Herta Autosport, then won the race in dramatic fashion when Hildebrand wrecked going into the final turn. Wheldon sailed past for his second Indy 500 victory.
Despite the win, he was unable to put together anything for the rest of the season and spent the last several months doing television work and helping Herta Autosport test the prototype car the team will use next season.
The accident also collected championship contender Wil Power, who sat for a long time in his car in disbelief.
Points-leader Dario Franchitti avoided it, and seemed stunned as he waited out the clean-up on pit road.
Franchitti clinched his third straight title and fourth overall after Power went out.
Article from: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/moto...16/las-vegas-300-dan-wheldon-crash/50795256/1
LAS VEGAS (AP) – IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon has died from injuries after his car went sailing through the air during a massive 15-car wreck early in Sunday's Las Vegas Indy 300.
Wheldon was 33. Drivers were told of Wheldon's death in a meeting about two hours after the fiery, smoky crash that many drivers said was the worst they had ever seen.
He won the Indianapolis 500 twice, including this year. Wheldon was injured when his car flew over another during the wreck on lap 13.
IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said Wheldon sustained "unsurvivable injuries." The race was canceled, and drivers were set to drive a five-lap salute in Wheldon's honor.Wheldon had to start in the back of the field as part of the promotion and had quickly worked his way through the 34-car field before the big wreck.
Drivers had been concerned about the high speeds on LVMS' 1.5-mile oval after they reached 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."
Wheldon was replaced by Hildebrand at Panther Racing at the start of this season, and failed to land another ride.
He put together a deal for the Indianapolis 500 with Bryan Herta Autosport, then won the race in dramatic fashion when Hildebrand wrecked going into the final turn. Wheldon sailed past for his second Indy 500 victory.
Despite the win, he was unable to put together anything for the rest of the season and spent the last several months doing television work and helping Herta Autosport test the prototype car the team will use next season.
The accident also collected championship contender Wil Power, who sat for a long time in his car in disbelief.
Points-leader Dario Franchitti avoided it, and seemed stunned as he waited out the clean-up on pit road.
Franchitti clinched his third straight title and fourth overall after Power went out.
Article from: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/moto...16/las-vegas-300-dan-wheldon-crash/50795256/1
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