RIP Dan Wheldon

[Andy]

Saw him a number of times when he was racing the ASCAR Series, sadly passed away after a catch fence first crash at Las Vegas.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/15330202.stm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/15330202.stm

[Titsy]

Sad news...

[art b]

shocking...!
i saw the news last nite about the accident...
a local guy too..used to see him race at rockingham,
he did well to win two indy 500's...
must be a massive shock for his family and friends ...
rip Dan

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/oct/17/dan-wheldon-indycar-death-us?newsfeed=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/oct/17/dan-wheldon-indycar-death-us?newsfeed=true

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2049949/Dan-Wheldon-crash-video-IndyCar-champion-dead-15-car-pile-Las-Vegas.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2049949/Dan-Wheldon-crash-video-IndyCar-champion-dead-15-car-pile-Las-Vegas.html

[Andy]

Yeah, tis where I remember him from, iirc he had a very plain white and orange paint job on his car and I think 69, though not 100% sure. Was a great driver though, out of all of that bunch that knocked around in Ascar/DoT/ SCSA he was the most successful with only Ben Collins being more known for his Top Gear appearances.

Looks like ultimately a safety device killed him though.

[F Body]

When you watch his onboard video footage of the crash in front of him, one second he's doing nearly 200mph into the corner, the next split second it looks like a bomb has gone off :(

[Roadkill]

I heard there were concerns from drivers and officials long before the race started . . . .

[Andy]

Las Vegas is a stock car track really and it looked way too small for the 30+ cars on it going 3 wide into the turns. Sadly though the fact he got airbourne like he did it could've happened anywhere, it's just the danger with open wheel, open cockpit racing.

The 5 tribute laps and commentator sign off...

[Fieldy]

The video is on YouTube, it's horrible

[philoldsmobile]

Terrible incident, you have to wonder though on the 'sense' of running open wheel cars on a circuit with concrete guard rails, you need run off, and LOTS of it.