Condolences to the family and friends of Dan Weldon. 1 1/2 mile track, 220+mph and a 34 car field are a recipe for disaster. I think shrinking Indy Car attendance and the need for sensationalism caused this. Too bad.
Great driver died way too young in my book. Cars are just going too fast anymore. reflexes can't keep up with the speed. I have friends who have raced Indy Cars and they are all mourning this loss. R.I.P. Dan Wheldon and God Bless your family.
I attend Indy races every year. These cars are far too fast for the ovals they're on. It's time to slow these guys down. Indy racing needs to rethink next year and the new more powerful engines.
It's terrible when stuff like this happens, but when you cruise all day at over 300 feet per second it's only a matter of time until drivers die.
was watchin when it happened, could not belive the carnage.Thought at the time some one is going to die in this. Thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and team!!
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Indy car racing has always been dangerous and will continue to be so. This accident was caused by a rookie up front who started the mess and then Weldon was run into by another rookie who wasn't paying attention. I think standards for getting a ride need to be toughened first!
Very sad day.
If you review Indy history there is a record of horrible accidents and many deaths, most because of the poor car safety design and lack of safety equipment. In the old days they didn't have seat belts and roll bars, drivers just "flew out' during crashes.
I think they need to redesign the cars for more safety, kind of like they did in NASCAR. Perhaps some type of wheel covers so they can't drive up and over other cars and a safer frame design would help. It wouldn't be that hard to do.
What a shame and loss. I believe it was the fencing that really was the FINAL culprit this time. Wonder why they don't make the cars with a fighter jet style driver pod that is integrated into the chassis. Has saved a lot of lives in the drag boat/hydroplane sports.
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Via con Dios Dan Weldon, via con Dios
Kinda makes a person stop and think, one minute we are alive, full of energy, racing around the circuit, living life as we want to and the next second its over, finished, gone in an instant.
It was a really terrible accident and as has been stated above, at the speeds those cars go and as light as they are once they get into the air it is likely to be really bad. Weldon hit the fence above the wall and those are open cock pit cars too which doesn't give a driver much protection.
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During the 5 lap tribute, thought the announcers handled the situation very professionally, by not saying anything. They let the TV coverage convey the somber moment and grief of the race teams. Too often the announcers feel compelled to add their talking points which during these tragic moments are a distraction.
Open cockpit, wheel to wheel racing, at speeds exceeding 220+ mph in a crowded field of cars, not good. Just the safety aspect only, consider the enclosure/roll bars the NASCAR drivers have and the top speeds are limited to less than 200 mph.
Hitting the catch fence directly with the open cockpit portion of the race car..........
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Robin Miller said it well:
young skinny kid with a million $ smile came over from england looking for a ride, won championship and Indy 500 twice. He enjoyed the hell out of life, died doing what he loves...
Gotta feel for his wife and 2 young boys
God speed Dan
Robin Miller said it well:
young skinny kid with a million $ smile came over from england looking for a ride, won championship and Indy 500 twice. He enjoyed the hell out of life, died doing what he loves...
Gotta feel for his wife and 2 young boys
God speed Dan
I tend to agree. While loss is tragic, we all go eventually. It's just a matter of when and how. I would much rather go doing something that I loved rather than lying in bed sick and grasping for breath. R.I.P.
Larry
Racing is and always has been a dangerous sport. Back in the 30's and 40's, midget drivers were killed at a rate of more than one per month, and the midgets were usually racing at under 100 mph. We have gotten spoiled with the incredible safety features on these race cars. Drivers regularly survive 200 mph crashes and talk about it minutes later on TV. These cars should not race on high-banked one-half mile stock car ovals however. The lesson should have been learned ten years ago at Charlotte when three spectators were killed by flying debris at an IRL race there. The speeds are so incredible, when something happens, no one has the time to avoid the crash. With the open wheels and wings, once they jump over another car they are literally out-of-control airplanes with nowhere to go but up. Robin Miller said he had never seen so many nervous drivers before a race as there were yesterday. They are under contract however, and cannot just 'call in sick'.
Time to either remove the wings and "let 'em drive it", or just get them off the banked tracks. Indy cars had problems back in 1959 at Daytona and also at Monza, Italy, and the speeds were a fraction of what they are today. They have to think this thing out very carefully. Condolences to the Wheldon family.
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*** Published by The Blaze via e-mail distribution. Mentioned, the race cars are traveling in 1 second the length of a football field.
" VIRAL VIDEO - DASHCAM VIDEO FROM THE DEADLY INDY-CAR CRASH
On Sunday, two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Dan Wheldon was killed in a multi-car crash during the racing season's final event in Las Vegas. Virtually every car in the race has a camera mounted on the dash to provide a driver's point of view for the TV audience. Watch the crash from the camera inside driver Will Power's car HERE. "
*** New York Times Oct 18th: " Worries Circled Las Vegas Track Before a Pileup "
" LAS VEGAS — The recipe for disaster in auto racing is hardly a secret. Start with a problematic racing layout, mix in a field of expert drivers with rookies and rusty ones, put millions of dollars on the line and then add speed. Lots of speed. "
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RIP Dan Wheldon
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