Dan Wheldon RIP

[MPH]

What a sickening sight. Deep condolences to Mr. Wheldon's family, his friends and his peers.

However, I wonder if IndyCar must shoulder a good deal of the blame for this. It's not nice to point fingers--no matter how soon or how late--after a tragedy, and auto racing is an inherently dangerous activity anyway, but it seems like IndyCar took a few risks in this race at the cost of safety.

I don't watch much auto racing so perhaps someone else can explain this better, but it seems like racing organizations are pulled in one direction to make their races more aggressive and exciting while being pulled in the other to ensure races are as safe as possible. IndyCar has had to make several changes and gambles to attract fans because its following has dropped to minuscule numbers compared to gimmick-filled NASCAR.

One change this year was the introduction of NASCAR-style double-file restarts to make racing more aggressive and tighten the pack following cautions. But IIRc twice during this year's Indy 500, there were yellow flags immediately following restarted because the close pack of drivers under the yellow flag caused crashes as soon as the green flag came out and the drivers began to accelerate and manouver.

But more sad that this were the risks IndyCar took at yesterday's race, which may have all contributed to Mr. Wheldon's death. IndyCar wanted to end the season with a massive, exciting showpiece and instead they got a disaster.

1) the Las Vegas speedway's oval track's width, banks and turns are not entirely suitable for open-wheel racing,

2) IndyCar increased the field to, IIRC, 30 from the normal 27 to add more drama to the race, potentially increasing the risk for crashes.

But saddest of all was a promotion by IndyCar to offer $5 million to any driver that doesn't race the circuit full-time if he started from the back and won the race. Mr. Wheldon was the only driver to take that chance, and it was a chance that cost him his life.

I remember watching the Indy 500 a few times as a kid. Names like Andretti, Foyt, Fittipaldi, Luyendyk (sp ), Villeneuve, etc. are still remembered fondly by me and many others. But open-wheel racing is dying here. I thought that this year's Indy 500 was a boring race. And its finish--won by Wheldon after rookie JR Hildebrandt was home free but hit the wall after the last turn of the race--was a shame. Now, I look back at that race and appreciate that Dan Wheldon was able to win another Indy 500 in his lifetime and got to enter a special fraternity of drivers while he had the chance.

I was so much underwhelmed by the Indy 500 that I thought I might not ever watch another IndyCar race. What happened on Sunday might seal that decision for me.

As a post-script, the drivers and fans yesterday showed a lot of class in honoring Wheldon yesterday. World-class drivers in all circuits are united in mourning and I appreciate the great respect they all have for each other. And I hope everybody that says "I only watch NASCAR to see the crashes" are ashamed of themselves today.

I think you are absolutely right.

Alot of the drivers were complaining before the race that they were reaching speeds of 225mph and that the track was too fast and also too crowded.. i read that it was actually 34 cars ... on just a 1.5mile circuit.. considering also the speed of over 200mph you can see that it was an accident waiting to happen.

[StanSP]

The International Drivers Trophy is going to be named The Dan Wheldon Trophy now.

[SOCCERROO FOX]

That's Will Power

Heard an interview with Will Power this morning, he wont be racing this weekend because of the injuries. He was also very scathing of the indy car organisers claims the banks aren't suitable for Indys etc.

[Brainy]

Really is a daft form of motor racing.

[isaidno]

When I was at the street race in Toronto we had the safety car out 8 times . The probably is with indycars is there is no room for error. In Formula 1 , you have run offs . gravel traps and tyre walls, and on street circuits absorbent walls. In Indycar you have nothing

[Brainy]

All that while having higher speeds, it makes no sense at all.