- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
You don't want to know.
R.I.P. Dan Wheldon
- Thread starter HaylRayzor
- 219 comments
- 27,478 views
- 396
- Indianapolis
- BuddhaRock
I live in Indianapolis. I have loved open wheel racing my entire life. I've been to the 500 and I can tell you that the people here love and revere all of the great talents of open wheel racing, especially such an ambassador to the sport like Dan Wheldon. J. R. Hildebrand's wreck happened right in front of me this year and while I was sad to see him lose on the last lap, knowing it went to Wheldon who... quite possibly had one of the best careers in Indy 500 history (6 top 4 finishes in 9 races) had me elated.
I have never seen a wreck that horrific since Gordon Smiley's crash in 1982. This crash will be as damaging to IRL as Dale Earnhardt's crash in NASCAR. He was an amazing personality that everyone loved and he did so much for people on and off the track. My prayers are with him and his family on this night and will continue to be so for a while.
I have never seen a wreck that horrific since Gordon Smiley's crash in 1982. This crash will be as damaging to IRL as Dale Earnhardt's crash in NASCAR. He was an amazing personality that everyone loved and he did so much for people on and off the track. My prayers are with him and his family on this night and will continue to be so for a while.
- 3,211
- Brisbane
- Punknoodle_Nick
R.I.P Dan, sad day for Motorsport.
- 148
- Boston
- Hypergolem
It was the strangest day, there was something in the air... All that happened in that weekend makes me think that there are some days that are just bad. When we saw the helicopter taking Senna away we understood it was bad. But I found that he died only when we got to Firenze. I cried, I was not his biggest fan but I cried.
- 95
- SuperAguri__PKJJ
RIP Dan Wheldon ......
- 1,490
- GDL, Mexico
- Insomniac_driver
R.I.P. Dan
I was watching the transmission through ESPN Latinoamerica, and I only can imagine how hard ist has to be announce than one of your closerfriends than was racing died, that was the case of Alex Pombo, listening him crying while he made the announcement absolutely broke my heart, and hear the statement in the next video made me cry hard (start at 5:40 and finished at 6:32):
Translation: "I hope you don't mind the next words while we hear this applauses in salute to Dan Wheldon, but this teach us to anyone out here, for everyone than listen to me; enjoy of your life, enjoy everything in your life, enjoy who you are, enjoy of your family, enjoy of your job, and enjoy every dawn and every day because as we realize, the life is so fragile and as human beings we always are complaining about the things we do not like, but this show us than we have to enjoy every moment, thank you Dan Wheldon, rest in peace"
R.I.P. Dan Wheldon
I was watching the transmission through ESPN Latinoamerica, and I only can imagine how hard ist has to be announce than one of your closerfriends than was racing died, that was the case of Alex Pombo, listening him crying while he made the announcement absolutely broke my heart, and hear the statement in the next video made me cry hard (start at 5:40 and finished at 6:32):
Translation: "I hope you don't mind the next words while we hear this applauses in salute to Dan Wheldon, but this teach us to anyone out here, for everyone than listen to me; enjoy of your life, enjoy everything in your life, enjoy who you are, enjoy of your family, enjoy of your job, and enjoy every dawn and every day because as we realize, the life is so fragile and as human beings we always are complaining about the things we do not like, but this show us than we have to enjoy every moment, thank you Dan Wheldon, rest in peace"
R.I.P. Dan Wheldon
CodeRedR51
Premium
- 55,344
- United States
I just learned that Rick Huseman (off road champion) also died today, although in a plane crash in California. 👎
- 4,579
- Houston, TX
- astrosdude91
I had goosebumps and tears watching the tribute laps. Truly moving stuff.
I'll admit I don't really follow Indycar, but I love motorsports, so this is very tragic for me.
Rest in peace Dan.
I'll admit I don't really follow Indycar, but I love motorsports, so this is very tragic for me.
Rest in peace Dan.
- 2,345
- United States
- Alex_Mac_
Dan Wheldon was one of the good ones. Always level headed, a true racer, you never ha to worry about Dan Wheldon. Just before the races I was think how excited I was to cheer for Andretti Autosport next year, with Marco Andretti, Mike Conway, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and of course Dan Wheldon.
With all the success they would have coming and so many of my favorite drivers in one place. I was so hoping for Sam Schmit Motorsports to get a win, and now with Dan Wheldon gunning for 5 million it was going to be fun. Dan Wheldon stuck with it when he couldn't get a ride, and when he won the Indy 500 this year it was just something else, with Bryan Herta Autosport in the one-off under dog upset. I couldn't get the smile off my face with 2012 coming and a great race to look forward to. However I haven't smiled since lap 10 of today's race, as I watched great side-by-side action and one Dan Wheldon picking up 10 spots from the back of the field already.
When it happened, right from the second they switched out of Dan Wheldon's onboard to show the wreck from a better angle as it happened, it looked like one big swirling cloud of death. As they has switched out if his car I saw it enter the right of the screen and I watched in terror as Wheldon's car was thrown airborne into that cloud of death. I tried my best to follow it with my eyes, also seeing more airborne out of the corner of my eyes, and the smoke made it hard but I saw it hit by the catch fence and I saw a fireball. I didn't know who it was as it seemed like Wheldon could have been any of 5 other cars involved throughout the mayhem. We saw the replays from Dario's car looking back and it was as if he was looking back at Hell he had just narrowly escaped. We saw the onboard from Will Power's car and it was like being hurled straight into Hell. Then there was the tarp.... the yellow tarp covering a car. The last time I witnessed a yellow tarp covering a car it was Dale Earnhardt. Then I saw the shot where the sidepod was showing under the tarp and I saw the Bowers & Wilkins / Magnolia logo. I saw very quickly how flat that car was under the tarp, and I realized the entire airbox / roll hoop area was missing and that it was leveled to the top of the sidepods. It was clearly bad and the it was most likely fatal but I never really accepted anything other then it was a bad wreck, even though it looked most likely fatal. It was a matter if death or a recoverable injury like Mike Conway's injuries from Indy a year earlier, but I never really accepted that it could be death.
I in time came to realized that if he survived, now thinking if, he wouldn't be able to race again. I thought of car owner Sam Schmit and how something like that happened to him. But then when the drivers where released and I saw Tony Kanaan sit on his pit wall, I knew from his face this was really, really bad. The look on Tony Kanaan's face just said it all, but I still hadn't had it register yet. Then when Randy walked was at the podium I was about to burst out in tears as they had joined late and Randy said "in tribute of Dan Wheldon". Then the commentators said they could confirm that Dan Wheldon had been killed from the crash and I broke out in tears and cried for a long time and couldn't stop myself. As the hard core racer I have been my whole life this was a time I will never forget. When Dale died I was still too young to really get it, and when Paul Dana died I wasn't into indycar yet, at that time I only watched the Indy 500 and occasionally another race but wasn't following it close. This was the first time I was exposed to a death in a race, and I always expect the day would come but never really thought it would. And it wasn't just anybody, it was surreally Dan Wheldon, not any racer but somebody like Dan Wheldon.
It was unwordable and now that I stopped crying it seems like it didn't happen, I'm numb, but Dan Wheldon is dead. Dan Wheldon is dead and I don't know when I will finally realize it or accept it. He was the truest of true racers and he couldn't be missed more.
Until we meet again, goodbye Dan Wheldon. Always a champ.
With all the success they would have coming and so many of my favorite drivers in one place. I was so hoping for Sam Schmit Motorsports to get a win, and now with Dan Wheldon gunning for 5 million it was going to be fun. Dan Wheldon stuck with it when he couldn't get a ride, and when he won the Indy 500 this year it was just something else, with Bryan Herta Autosport in the one-off under dog upset. I couldn't get the smile off my face with 2012 coming and a great race to look forward to. However I haven't smiled since lap 10 of today's race, as I watched great side-by-side action and one Dan Wheldon picking up 10 spots from the back of the field already.
When it happened, right from the second they switched out of Dan Wheldon's onboard to show the wreck from a better angle as it happened, it looked like one big swirling cloud of death. As they has switched out if his car I saw it enter the right of the screen and I watched in terror as Wheldon's car was thrown airborne into that cloud of death. I tried my best to follow it with my eyes, also seeing more airborne out of the corner of my eyes, and the smoke made it hard but I saw it hit by the catch fence and I saw a fireball. I didn't know who it was as it seemed like Wheldon could have been any of 5 other cars involved throughout the mayhem. We saw the replays from Dario's car looking back and it was as if he was looking back at Hell he had just narrowly escaped. We saw the onboard from Will Power's car and it was like being hurled straight into Hell. Then there was the tarp.... the yellow tarp covering a car. The last time I witnessed a yellow tarp covering a car it was Dale Earnhardt. Then I saw the shot where the sidepod was showing under the tarp and I saw the Bowers & Wilkins / Magnolia logo. I saw very quickly how flat that car was under the tarp, and I realized the entire airbox / roll hoop area was missing and that it was leveled to the top of the sidepods. It was clearly bad and the it was most likely fatal but I never really accepted anything other then it was a bad wreck, even though it looked most likely fatal. It was a matter if death or a recoverable injury like Mike Conway's injuries from Indy a year earlier, but I never really accepted that it could be death.
I in time came to realized that if he survived, now thinking if, he wouldn't be able to race again. I thought of car owner Sam Schmit and how something like that happened to him. But then when the drivers where released and I saw Tony Kanaan sit on his pit wall, I knew from his face this was really, really bad. The look on Tony Kanaan's face just said it all, but I still hadn't had it register yet. Then when Randy walked was at the podium I was about to burst out in tears as they had joined late and Randy said "in tribute of Dan Wheldon". Then the commentators said they could confirm that Dan Wheldon had been killed from the crash and I broke out in tears and cried for a long time and couldn't stop myself. As the hard core racer I have been my whole life this was a time I will never forget. When Dale died I was still too young to really get it, and when Paul Dana died I wasn't into indycar yet, at that time I only watched the Indy 500 and occasionally another race but wasn't following it close. This was the first time I was exposed to a death in a race, and I always expect the day would come but never really thought it would. And it wasn't just anybody, it was surreally Dan Wheldon, not any racer but somebody like Dan Wheldon.
It was unwordable and now that I stopped crying it seems like it didn't happen, I'm numb, but Dan Wheldon is dead. Dan Wheldon is dead and I don't know when I will finally realize it or accept it. He was the truest of true racers and he couldn't be missed more.
Until we meet again, goodbye Dan Wheldon. Always a champ.
Last edited by a moderator:
- 13,827
- Down under
R.I.P. Dan
I was watching the transmission through ESPN Latinoamerica, and I only can imagine how hard ist has to be announce than one of your closerfriends than was racing died, that was the case of Alex Pombo, listening him crying while he made the announcement absolutely broke my heart, and hear the statement in the next video made me cry hard (start at 5:40 and finished at 6:32):
youtube
Translation: "I hope you don't mind the next words while we hear this applauses in salute to Dan Wheldon, but this teach us to anyone out here, for everyone than listen to me; enjoy of your life, enjoy everything in your life, enjoy who you are, enjoy of your family, enjoy of your job, and enjoy every dawn and every day because as we realize, the life is so fragile and as human beings we always are complaining about the things we do not like, but this show us than we have to enjoy every moment, thank you Dan Wheldon, rest in peace"
Thank you for posting that, with the translation 👍. It is so true, but so easily forgotten.
- 161
- California, USA
Never heard of it until I got home from SeaWorld. When I heard that, I was totally shocked.
RIP Dan Wheldon 1978-2011 Always a champion. Always a legend.
RIP Dan Wheldon 1978-2011 Always a champion. Always a legend.
I didn't believe my eyes when I first saw the news. It's a terrible tragedy made quite surprising by the fact that it happened in American motorsport, where the emphasis on safety can be downright extreme. (NASCAR in particular has become incredibly safe in the past decade, and to my knowledge, other American racing series have had very few deaths in recent years, too.)
- 5,184
- Phoenix, AZ
- nitrorocks
R1600Turbo I raced offroad and Rick Huseman died? Man R.I.P. Dan Wheldon, and Rick Huseman!
- 5,184
- Phoenix, AZ
- nitrorocks
@Hypergolem Yes, very sad day. Saw it in the Senna movie.
Wow I can't believe this has happened. It's really sad that this still happens in the 21st century.
It's impossible to prevent every possible mistake that can be made in a race. As long as we continue to race at 200+mph there will inevitably be mistakes that lead to death, 21st century or not.
- 5,184
- Phoenix, AZ
- nitrorocks
@BuddhaRock I went to Indy this year and saw JR Hildebrand lose. I was disappointed but I was also happy that Dan won. I met him Monday morning with his two young sons right outside of the Pagoda. Extremely nice guy, and always had a smile on his face. He was a great driver and a great man. I wasn't born until 1997, but I know Smileys crash was terrible. Especially being a driver myself it scares you more and you just have to get it out of your head. My dad worked at Indy for Vuky III in 1988 or 1989. My dad was sad when he got the news when 25 year old Billy was killed in a sprint car. Sad stuff. Still, like Senna, Villenueve, Eahrnahrdt, Smiley, or Billy Vukovich III, they were great drivers and will always be in our hearts. R.I.P Dan! We all will see you one day.
- 5,184
- Phoenix, AZ
- nitrorocks
@STIGGY_34 You race?
CodeRedR51
Premium
- 55,344
- United States
R1600Turbo I raced offroad and Rick Huseman died? Man R.I.P. Dan Wheldon, and Rick Huseman!
http://jalopnik.com/5850330/rick-huseman-off+road-racing-champion-dies-in-plane-crash
- 5,184
- Phoenix, AZ
- nitrorocks
@R1600Turbo I met him too. Sad day. Thanks for the link.
- 257
- Kingsthorpe, Queensland
- STIGGY_34
Nothing major just a few meets here and there.
Mostly in Tin Top stuff.
We all prepare and maintain our own cars (although the cars i drive aren't mine).
Pretty basic stuff nothing glamourous!!
- 7,551
- London
- MattyTheDog
R.I.P Dan.
Even in the immediate seconds after the crash, as I saw the emergency crew surrounding the car my mind flashed back to scenes such as Senna's crash and the first thought in my head was "He's dead."
I'm absolutely gutted that my first instinctual thought ended up being correct.
I'm absolutely gutted that my first instinctual thought ended up being correct.
- 2,218
- Manchester
- toyotsupra
- Jame3sBoy
RIP Dan Wheldon you will never be forgotten.
