33 year old England native, Dan Wheldon tragically lost his life on October 16th as he was involved in a fifteen car crash on lap twelve of the INDY Car Series season finale at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.Drivers such as Danica Patrick , Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti and most of the driver’s in the race were very skeptical about the event, knowing the speeds are very high at a track with a banking of 20 degrees in the corners according to jayski.com which has information about most tracks available. Wheldon’s crash was probably the worst crash which has happened in motorsports overall in the 21st century where the safety innovation is a key to success in all racing series.
“But I think if you asked everyone in this field how they would want to go, that’s the way. If I could choose I’d do the same. But right now I can’t describe the pain,” stated Wheldons’ former teammate and best friend, Tony Kanaan excerpted from an interview once the race was over on ABC across the globe.
First IZOD INDY Car Series race in 2002 for Panther Racing finishing tenth at Chicago. | Drove for Chip Ganassi from 2006 to 2008 where he finished second in points his first year with the team and fourth the other two seasons, capping off his career with the team with six wins. |
Drove for Andretti-Green Racing from 2003-2005, winning the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 as well as his first and only career championship. | His last race in 2008 was for Panther Racing where he drove the #4 National Guard Dallara. |
Won nine race with Andretti-Green Racing until he moved to Ganassi. | Finished runner-up in the Indianapolis 500 in 2009 and 2010 with Panther. |
Had no full-time ride in 2011, but was able to drive for Sam Schmidt Motorsports in the Indianapolis 500 where he was able to win the race, his second “Brickyard victory.” | Final race of his career, the IZOD INDY Car Series World Championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where he was killed in Turn two. |
Fourth on the all-time wins list in INDY Car Series history with 33 wins since his first race in 2002. | Will now have the new style INDY Car Series chasis named after him in honor of his hard work consistently testing for Dallara. |