[HD] IndyCar 2011 - Dan Whelon Fatal Crash (Live)
A big crash at the IndyCar race in Las Vegas
Serious safety questions were being raised today after it emerged that the British IndyCar champion killed in a 225mph smash had been offered a $5million incentive to race from the back.
As tributes poured in to Dan Wheldon, it was also revealed that the 33-year-old was among of group of drivers who had voiced concerns about the speed of cars and the cramped conditions on the track.
The father-of-two suffered horrendous injuries after his car hit another vehicle at breakneck speeds in the Las Vegas Indy 300. He was catapulted helplessly into the air before landing on a barrier and suffering fatal injuries.
Mr Wheldon's Dallara-Honda had weaved its way through the field of cars after starting at the back in a desperate bid to claim the lucrative prize.
Just days earlier Mr Wheldon had joined a number of other drivers in expressing the fears over the speed of cars and overcrowding on the oval-shaped track. But in a blog post, he had promised fans he would go out to win and put on a show of 'pure entertainment'.
Tragedy: Dan Wheldon's number 77 car, far left, launches into the air after clipping a vehicle that was in front of it. Moments later Mr Wheldon smashes into the fencing to his right
The 1.5 mile-long Motor Speedway track in Las Vegas is 60 per cent shorter than the one used for Indy-33 races. This may have caused a deadly combination of 34 cars crowded on the track, lighting fast speeds and fierce competition.
The fiery pile-up, on the 11th lap of the 300-mile race, was caused by contact on Turn 2 and sucked in almost half of the race’s 34 participants.
Footage from Mr Wheldon's vehicle shows him steering to the left to avoid the pile-up. But he drives into the back of a car in front which acts like a ramp and fires Mr Wheldon into the air at more than 200mph. His car slips over before landing on the 'catch fence'.
Mr Wheldon, a former private school pupil originally from Buckinghamshire, was rushed to hospital in a helicopter but died as a result of his severe 'unsurvivable' injuries. Despite wearing a helmet and being strapped into the cockpit, his chances of escaping alive were slim.
As the racing world today came to terms with the death, leading figures from the sport paid tribute to the 'talented and inspirational driver'. But IndyCar chief executive Randy Bernard will now face tough questions on safety as analysis begins of the fatal crash.
The sport has always been regarded as more dangerous then Formula One with four IndyCar drivers having been killed since 1996. But the big-money prizes and lucrative sponsorship deals have attracted many drivers, including Nigel Mansell who competed in the CART Indy Car World Series in 1993.
Lewis Hamilton, who was the 2008 Formula One World Champion, said: 'This is an extremely sad day. Dan was a racer I'd followed throughout my career, as I often followed in his footsteps as we climbed the motorsport ladder in the UK.
Mr Wheldon's blue and white car takes off in the air. It appears to have hit the back of the green vehicle in front, which acted like a ramp and launched the British driver upwards
Out of control: A close up of the moment of impact shows the rear left wheel of the green car pushed up by Mr Wheldon's vehicle, which reaches a steep angle
Milliseconds after the initial impact, Mr Wheldon's car has spun upside down as it hurtles towards the fencing. Will Power's car, right, is just beginning to take off
Will Power's car is flung into the air as a large number of vehicles collide in the pile-up and sparks fly. Mr Wheldon's vehicle has gone ahead of them and can no longer be seen in this shot
Will Power's number 12 car is seen flying through the air. The vehicle was not crushed against the fencing in the same manner as Mr Wheldon's and he survived the accident
Will Power's car lands close to the barrier facing backwards without suffering the severe damage inflicted on Mr Wheldon's vehicle, which is further down the track
Smashed to pieces: Wheldon's car, only identifiable by the B & W logo, is shown in the far left of the picture. The car is upside down and the driver's head has clearly been in contact with the barrier
The severe extent of the damage to the number 77 car, left, can be seen. Wires and shards of metal are hanging loose from it as flames engulf the tale
Fire: Mr Wheldon's car is momentarily lost is a ball of flames as it hits the barrier. Wheels and parts of the body of the vehicle are flung onto the track
Flames: Mr Wheldons car skids across the asphalt on its nose having lost both front wheels and the rear spoiler in the crash. Will Power's vehicle is seen behind him against the fence
'Unsurvivable injuries: Mr Wheldon's head is flung to the left as his 77 car, now without any wheels, spins away from the fence towards the centre of the track
Medics rush Mr Wheldon's damaged car as it becomes clear that he is severely injured. Some workers are seen waving, frantically trying to get more assistance
The race to save his life: Dan Wheldon is loaded into a medical helicopter and airlifted to hospital
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
http://mix4m.blogspot.com/2011/10/big-crash-at-indycar-race-in-las-vegas.html
http://mix4m.blogspot.com/2011/10/big-crash-at-indycar-race-in-las-vegas.html
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