LAS VEGAS -- A run for $5 million via a promotion, which was to augment the celebration of the inaugural IZOD INDYCAR World Championships Presented by Honda, turned somber when INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard announced that Dan Wheldon was pronounced dead at University Hospital from injuries suffered in a 15-car crash on Lap 11 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
After IZOD IndyCar Series drivers and the spectators were informed, drivers voted to perform a five-lap salute to their friend and on-track competitor as series and track officials and crew members from all teams lined pit lane -- many weeping and comforting each other.
The 200-lap race to decide the series championship and rookie of the year was not resumed. Wheldon, of Emberton, England, was 33. He is survived by his wife, Susie, two young sons, his parents, Clive and Susie, and three siblings.
Wheldon's car flew over another and caught part of the catch fence just past the apex of Turn 2. The incident left Townsend Bell's car upside down and smoldering cars strewn along the backstretch.
"I could see within five laps people were starting to do crazy stuff," said Dario Franchitti, who avoided the mishap. "I love hard racing but that to me is not really what it's about. One small mistake from somebody ...."
It cost the life of one of Franchitti's longtime friends and former teammate at then-Andretti Green Racing.
"Right now I'm numb and speechless," he said. "One minute you're joking around in driver intros and the next he's gone. He was 6 years old when I first met him. He was this little kid and the next thing you know he was my teammate.
"We put so much pressure on ourselves to win races and championships and today it doesn't matter."
Also involved were the cars driven by Will Power, Paul Tracy, Buddy Rice, Alex Lloyd, E.J. Viso, Charlie Kimball, Tomas Scheckter, Jay Howard, Townsend Bell, Wade Cunningham, Pippa Mann, JR Hildebrand, James Jakes and Vitor Meira.
Mann, Hildebrand and Power were transported via ground to the hospital for evaluation.
"I've never seen anything like it," said Team Penske's Ryan Briscoe, who was well ahead of the crash that involved cars toward the rear of the pack. "The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from 'Terminator' or something. So it was scary."
With Power's early ouster, Franchitti wrapped up the IZOD IndyCar Series championship for the third consecutive year.
Wheldon won his first Indianapolis 500 on the way to earning the IZOD IndyCar Series championship in 2005 with Andretti Green Racing. He posted 16 victories in 134 IZOD IndyCar Series races. A resident of St. Petersburg, Fla., he made his first start in September 2002 at Chicagoland Speedway with Panther Racing and posted his first victory in 2004 at Twin Ring Motegi.
?Dan was an Indy 500 champion and IndyCar Series champion with Andretti Autosport -- and one of our closest competitors,? Andretti Autosport said in a statement. ?Dan brought such enthusiasm and passion to the sport not often seen in motorsports. We will remember Dan?s tremendous racing accomplishments with our team as well his infectious personality.
?We would like to express our deepest sympathy to Dan?s family, racing team and friends today. Dan is one of IndyCar?s greatest champions.?
Wheldon also competed for Target Chip Ganassi Racing and won the Indianapolis 500 in May for Bryan Herta Autosport.
Wheldon was the designated driver of the No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins car for Sam Schmidt Motorsports-Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian in the Go Daddy INDYCAR Challenge in which if he could win the race from the rear of the 34-car field he would split $5 million with the sweepstakes winner.
