As some of you will know, Dan Wheldon was brutally and tragically killed in a 15 car pile-up during the indy 300 today. I’m well aware this may break the forum rules but in his tribute, to his fans and those who watched him progress, please let it be in his honour.
A very talented English driver, who twice won the Indy 500, and the Indy Car Series in 2005.
Any Englishman who crosses the pond and does that deserves respect, you just have to look at his fellow British drivers who have had that kind of success over there, a very exclusive club. Dan Wheldon would make you proud to say your English if you were in the States.
A tragic loss.
Dan Wheldon RIP Top Man. Many condolences to his wife and children and of course hi family and friends
I have to admit I didn’t really know a lot about Dan Wheldon, (although I’d heard his name plenty of times round the circuits) and Indy racing always seemed to be a far away sport, until I heard some of the other names of those involved. Drivers I knew or had even had worked with in the past.
Hearing those names suddenly made this tragedy feel very close to home.
My thoughts go out to all that knew him especially his family.
RIP Dan Wheldon
A Reason more to take next Sunday off,and if i watch the Mass(Generally) just on TV
Yes, very sad, very much of a shock as I watched it unfold, but now we have the do-gooders and non followers of motorsports wanting to ban everything.
Jeremy Vine was on his bandwagon today.
Nascar is fast, Indy is faster, the tracks are banked and busy. It makes for good racing, for the drivers and the fans.
Were there too many cars? maybe, when was the last time a driver was killed in Indy?
Dan Wheldon was the first driver killed during a race, three have been killed in practice since 1996
Indy, CART and CHAMP is fast, it is a different skill to F1 using the banking to dive under someone.
^click the link please.^
This quote is taken from a 15 minute telephone interview last weekend.
He appreciated everyone who covered the sport, he appreciated those who spread the gospel of IndyCar speed. And the fans, he really appreciated the fans most of all.
Racing is a sport that defies categorisation. It is not easy to understand. It deals out the highest highs and calls in the markers in the cruelest possible way.
When I think about that conversation last week, and some of the others that I had with Dan through the years, I think of the way in which he had learned to give himself so unselfishly to the sport he loved.
And now, I must also think of the way the sport selfishly took him from his family, friends and all of us who enjoy racing.
I wish I could give him back those 15 minutes to play with his kids. Or tell his wife that he loves her. Because he did.
Godspeed, Dan.
Wheel Nut:
Yes, very sad, very much of a shock as I watched it unfold, but now we have the do-gooders and non followers of motorsports wanting to ban everything.Jeremy Vine was on his bandwagon today.
Nascar is fast, Indy is faster, the tracks are banked and busy. It makes for good racing, for the drivers and the fans.
Were there too many cars? maybe, when was the last time a driver was killed in Indy?
Dan Wheldon was the first driver killed during a race, three have been killed in practice since 1996
Indy, CART and CHAMP is fast, it is a different skill to F1 using the banking to dive under someone.
I know that a lot of miss informed people will be asking the same old questions, but I do think questions must be asked. I beleive there were concerns about this circuit and the amount of cars racing there before the race.
As you know I work in Motorsport and nothing is worse than when some body gets hurt, it’s gut wrenching waiting in the pit lane for some sort of of news. I understand the underlying dangerous of Motorsport and I’m constantly thankfull for all those that didn’t accept it was they way it is and fought to improve safety of racing, but we should never be complacent and always look to improve it.
As I said I knew some of the driver involved, including Ernie Viso, he was one of our driver in 2006 and a great personalty in the GP2 paddock. Ernie survived a similar accident at Magny Cours in 2007, but it was nearly an hour before they removed him from the car and took him to hospital, in that time we had no idea if he was dead or alive. You always know it’s bad as they stop show the replays of the incident.
(The mechanic was also okay, just a few bruises, I used to hate the Magny Cours pit lane far to small to work in when a load of cars come in for pit stops. really had to keep you wits about you).
Some how he walked back into the paddock the next day with nothing more to show for the collision than a neck brace brace, to say I was relieved would be an understatement. His survival was down to a great deal of luck and years of work to improve both track and cars safety.