Dan Wheldon dies in a massive pileup in the IndyCar 300 race, Las Vegas

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/16/us/indycar...?hpt=hp_t1

(CNN) -- Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died Sunday after he was involved in a multi-car wreck at the Las Vegas Indy 300. He was 33.

The rest of the race -- the marquee event of the IZOD IndyCar World Championships -- was canceled, said IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard. The drivers, many of whom were visibly emotional after emerging from a meeting with IndyCar officials, did a five-lap salute in Wheldon's honor.

"Amazing Grace" played as the drivers slowly wound their way around the track.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Dan and his family," Bernard said.

More than a dozen vehicles were involved in Sunday's fiery wreck. Video of the accident showed cars spinning out of control, bursting into flames, and shooting smoke and debris into the air.

Championship contender Will Power and Rookie of the Year candidate J.R. Hildebrand were also involved in the crash, according to the official Twitter page of the IZOD IndyCar Series.

Wheldon was in line to win $5 million if he had captured the checkered flag at Sunday's race.

After his second Indy 500 victory in May, Wheldon talked with CNN's "American Morning" about the intensity of the race track.

"We're doing speeds in excess of 225 miles per hour. With this race, you never know what can happen. It's about staying focused and you really don't ever let off the power unless you have to," he said in May.

Wheldon, who was born in Emberton, England, lived in St. Petersburg, Florida. He is survived by his wife.

I was outright horrified when I first heard what happened, then I was speechless once I saw the footage of the crash. An awesome, spectacular guy shouldn't have to die like this and leave the world so early. May he rest in peace. =(

[video=youtube;YcAZ7I_lk7M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YcAZ7I_lk7M[/video]

RIP dude. A hero and genius to the world. He changed how we live life.

Surely he will be missed.

RIP dude. A hero and genius to the world. He changed how we live life.

Surely he will be missed.

He's now an inspiration to hamburgers everywhere.

RIP dude. A hero and genius to the world. He changed how we live life.

Surely he will be missed.

Was all "hero and genius to the world...?" then I realized it was Mark.hehe.

didn't have my glasses and for a second i thought it said Joss Whedon

Of course the majority of SP turns a blind eye to the death of a car driver. He had a family too, guys.

Stay classy, SP.

Of course the majority of SP turns a blind eye to the death of a car driver. He had a family too, guys.

Stay classy, SP.

But but, he didn't make millions off other people work and claimed it as own. D:

Is this some kind of American wnb Formula 1 with a wide road and too much cars?

Anyway, I agree, like in Steve Jobs thread... I don't get why people are being asses over it. Sure, we don't make a huge headline about every death of a random John Doe, but do you really find this stupid or unfair? Well, if so, welcome to the cruel world. The fact is that these headlines sell and there's many who want to be informed about the deaths of certain people. The least everyone should understand is that outside what people appear in the media, they also have their "normal life". They are normal people too, with family, possibly small kids.

33 is young in my book for anyone's life to end. Despite I didn't know who he was until this thread, I wish his family and friends condolences.

Also... this shouldn't be a Steve Jobs thread... there's a good reason why both threads got closed. Too much controversy to even respect a man's death.

Is this some kind of American wnb Formula 1 with a wide road and too much cars?

Anyway, I agree, like in Steve Jobs thread... I don't get why people are being asses over it. Sure, we don't make a huge headline about every death of a random John Doe, but do you really find this stupid or unfair? Well, if so, welcome to the cruel world. The fact is that these headlines sell and there's many who want to be informed about the deaths of certain people. The least everyone should understand is that outside what people appear in the media, they also have their "normal life". They are normal people too, with family, possibly small kids.

The IZOD IndyCar series is the highest open wheel series in the US, so yes. If you follow open wheel racing even in the slightest, no matter where you live, you should know of the IndyCar series. Considering they race one of the most prestigious events in the world, The Indy 500.

I don't follow the IndyCar series myself, but I do follow other auto racing series, so as a fan of racing it's never a fun day to see someone die in a sport you like.

Also, am quite disappoint at some of the SP users after reading this and the Jobs thread..

I don't care about racing and honestly have no idea whether Mark is being sincere or just himself. TNo one is really being a plantain about this. Not commenting about someone you don't know dying is not at all disrespectful unless it's brought up in real life and you just shrug.)

I had no idea who Dan Wheldon was until last night but I've heard a lot about him since then and he seems to have been a pretty great person.

He's not part of my monkeysphere so I guess I'll be the only honest one here and say I don't care.

Dying at a young age is a terrible thing, but I am sure he knew the risks associated with racing. I wish his family the best.

I saw this live yesterday, the guy seems to have been a nice person, he said he would share his prize with one of his fans and about the crash, god it was very very impressive, at first i said 6 cars crash, but wow 15 cars in one crash? thats very crazy.

Just wondering something, how did he died? I thought those cars were pretty much cages, or the safety messures there are lighter than in the F1 (if you ask me I don't get the point in those oval tracks, it seems they cause too much trouble and are boring as hell)?

Aren't the crashes the only reason people watch NASCAR? I always assumed that; I live in KY, and it seems every time my family gets together to watch a big race, they only get excited when a huge crash happens.

In that case, my bigger question is this; why not just make the cars remote controllable so no one is in any danger? Crashes, the main highlight of the race, will still occur sometimes, but nobody will be hurt in them.

What do you mean, remote controllable?

Just wondering something, how did he died? I thought those cars were pretty much cages, or the safety messures there are lighter than in the F1 (if you ask me I don't get the point in those oval tracks, it seems they cause too much trouble and are boring as hell)?

The cars that are "pretty much cages" are the stock cars that are using the several different NASCAR series. This is the vehicle they race in the IndyCar series.

Aren't the crashes the only reason people watch NASCAR? I always assumed that; I live in KY, and it seems every time my family gets together to watch a big race, they only get excited when a huge crash happens.

In that case, my bigger question is this; why not just make the cars remote controllable so no one is in any danger? Crashes, the main highlight of the race, will still occur sometimes, but nobody will be hurt in them.

This was the IZOD IndyCar series, not part of NASCAR. No, that is not the only reason people watch NASCAR.

No, just no. The problem here wasn't that the cars weren't safe enough, in fact the cars raced in this series are regarded as safer than the stock cars raced in NASCAR. It was actually the track itself. The day before this race there, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series raced there and had a similar race that was a complete wreckfest because of changes made to the track. There was even a wreck where a truck went near airborne.

The cars that are "pretty much cages" are the stock cars that are using the several different NASCAR series. This is the vehicle they race in the IndyCar series.

I thought that type of cars had a roll bar, guess I was wrong.

This was the IZOD IndyCar series, not part of NASCAR. No, that is not the only reason people watch NASCAR.

No, just no. The problem here wasn't that the cars weren't safe enough, in fact the cars raced in this series are regarded as safer than the stock cars raced in NASCAR. It was actually the track itself. The day before this race there, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series raced there and had a similar race that was a complete wreckfest because of changes made to the track. There was even a wreck where a truck went near airborne.

-_- And they couldn't make a close inspection of the track to avoid this from happening.

I thought that type of cars had a roll bar, guess I was wrong.


-_- And they couldn't make a close inspection of the track to avoid this from happening.

Obviously there is a lot of protection around the drivers, but in the wreck Dan Wheldon ended up going airborne straight into the catch fence (used another car as a ramp basically to go airborne), which was why it was fatal. If you're going fast enough, no amount of protection in these cars (or any other) is going to be able to protect you very well. Especially in the way he wrecked.

It wasn't broken or degraded. They increased the banking in the turns, which allows for faster speeds, and I think they repaved it, which also alters how you race on a track.