'I'll do everything I can to put on a show': Tragic last words to fans of Wheldon before 225mph fireball death crash in $5m race



Motorsport is mourning the death of British driver Dan Wheldon after he was killed in a horrific 15-car pile-up at the Las Vegas Indy 300.

Wheldon, who is from Buckinghamshire, was airlifted to hospital after his Dallara-Honda was catapulted through the air and burst into flames as it smashed into a fence following the shocking crash on lap 11 of the race, in which drivers reached speeds of 225mph.

Although 20 doctors fought to save the 33-year-old, he was pronounced dead two hours later.

Before the race, Wheldon - who was racing for a controversial $5m (£3.2m) prize - had told fans that he would ' do everything... to put on a show'.



Tragedy: Wheldon's car is airborne (bottom left) and then catches alight following the multiple car crash





Fireball: Wheldon's car is surrounded by flames after his high-speed crash

Key questions on the crash

Why was Wheldon offered $5m to win from the back of the grid? The organisers of Las Vegas Indy 300 - together with sponsors GoDaddy (a website domain and hosting company) - had offered the $5m challenge to several drivers from another racing series to add drama to the end-of-season race. However, they later changed the format to accommodate Wheldon, was has previous IndyCar experience but was without a full-time deal.

Forced to start from the back of the 34-strong grid, Wheldon would have 200 laps to get to the front. If he’d won, the Briton would have split the prize with a competition winner, who’d been flown out to Las Vegas specifically for the race.

Why was it so dangerous?

Former F1 and IndyCar driver Mark Blundell has since described the Las Vegas circuit as a ‘recipe for disaster’ and called the pile-up ‘inevitable’.

It is a short circuit at just 1.5 miles, with an average lap-time of only 20 seconds. It means there is virtually no spread in the field, ensuring one mistake inevitably triggers a domino effect as seen in Sunday’s tragic pile-up.

Was anything wrong with the track itself?

It was the first IndyCar race in Las Vegas since 2000. The track features 'progressive banking', which means the angle of the gradient increases towards the top. Its design encourages side-by-side racing. An average lap is done at over 220 mph. In comparison, the average speed of a lap in Sunday’s Korean F1 Grand Prix is around 127mph.

The IndyCar race had attracted criticism for the size of the field. While only 33 drivers are allowed to compete at the world-famous Indianapolis 500, 34 drivers had started this race - even though the Las Vegas track is one mile shorter than that at Indianapolis.

Is IndyCar more dangerous that F1?

While there hasn’t been a fatality in F1 since Ayrton Senna’s crash in 1994, Wheldon’s death comes just five years after Paul Dana was killed in IndyCar. In total, four IndyCar drivers have died since 1996.

Although F1 has suggested some controversial ideas in its time - for example, the idea of 'creating rain' to add excitement to races - it is highly unlikely such a plan as the $5m challenge would ever pass through the tight regulations set by the FIA.

IndyCar chief executive Randy Bernard later confirmed that Wheldon died as a result of 'unsurvivable injuries'.

Wheldon lived with his wife Susie and sons Sebastian (two) and Oliver (seven months) in Florida. They were at his bedside, along with his sister and three brothers.

Wheldon, who won the Indianapolis 500 earlier this year, was in line to pick up the huge bonus if he triumphed in the 200-lap race after being challenged to start from the back of the 34-driver grid as part of an attempt to spice up the action at the championship finale. Wheldon would have split the prize with a competition winner who'd been flown out to Las Vegas to watch the race.

By the time of the accident, Wheldon had already overtaken 10 cars.

Prior to the race, he wrote on his USA Today blog: 'This is going to be an amazing show. 'The two championship contenders, Dario Franchitti and Will Power, are starting right next to each other in the middle of the grid.

'Honestly, if I can be fast enough early in the race to be able to get up there and latch onto those two, it will be pure entertainment.

'It's going to be a pack race, and you never know how that's going to turn out. As long as I can find some speed and keep up with the pack, I'll do everything I can to put on a show.' In an earlier post, he had written: 'I guarantee you won't be bored. And someone might even get rich.'

Chaos started when two cars touched tyres coming around turn two and almost no-one had time to react. Within seconds, several cars burst into flames and debris covered the track nearly halfway up the straight. Some points of impact were so devastating workers had to patch holes in the asphalt. Video replays showed Wheldon's car turning over as it went airborne and sailed into the catch fence, which sits over a barrier designed to give a little when cars make contact.

Formula One stars Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button led the tributes. Hamilton, the 2008 F1 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. 'He was an extremely talented driver. As a British guy, who not only went over to the States but who twice won the Indy 500, he was an inspirational guy, and someone that every racing driver looked up to with respect and admiration. 'This is a tragic loss at such a young age. My heart goes out to his family and friends during this extremely difficult time.' Crash: Dan Wheldon was injured in this 15 car pile up at the Las Vegas IndyCar race Hamilton's McLaren team-mate and fellow former world champion Jenson Button paid tribute to Wheldon on Twitter. He wrote: 'Just woken up to the most horrific news.. Dan Wheldon RIP... I have so many good memories of racing with Dan in the early 90s, a true fighter. We've lost a legend in our sport but also a great guy. 'I can't begin to imagine what his family are going through and my thoughts are with them at this very difficult time.' British Racing Drivers' Club president Derek Warwick described Wheldon as 'one of the great talents of his generation'.

He said: 'On behalf of the British Racing Drivers' Club, I wish to extend my sincere sympathies to Dan's wife Susie and their boys Sebastian and Oliver, as well as the rest of his family and his team following the tragic news of his death. Family man: Wheldon with his wife Susie, (left) holding Oliver, and Sebastian 'The BRDC is extremely proud of Dan and all that he achieved and was achieving in the United States. He was undoubtedly one of the great talents of his generation as his racing results testified.

'Two victories in the Indy 500 put him in a very select group of drivers. Dan was a true professional and a great ambassador for the sport. He was highly focused in the way he approached his racing and a real perfectionist.

'He pushed himself, and those he worked with, hard to produce results that were worthy of his talents and that fed his insatiable hunger to win.

'With his film-star good looks and athletic prowess, it was no wonder that the American public took him to their hearts. Dan Wheldon was a great ambassador for the BRDC and motor sport generally. He will be hugely missed.'

Horror: Wheldon is transported to a medical helicopter following the crash

Stunned: The helicopter carrying Wheldon rises above the packed arena in Las Vegas Delivering the news: IndyCar chief executive Randy Barnard confirms Wheldon died Fellow driver Ryan Briscoe said: 'I've never seen anything like it. It looked like a war scene from Terminator. There were pieces of metal and car on fire in the middle of the track with no car attached to it and just debris everywhere. So it was scary, and your first thoughts are hoping there’s just stuff everywhere. Crazy.' Scottish driver Dario Franchitti, who was confirmed IndyCar Series champion after rival Will Power was caught in the smash, had expressed doubts about the condition of the track. He said afterwards: ‘I could see within five laps people were starting to do crazy stuff. I love hard racing but that to me is not really what it’s about.

'You saw what happened, one small mistake from somebody... I said before, the track was not suitable. This is the ugly part of our sport.’ He added: 'One minute you're joking around at driver intros and the next, Dan's gone. I lost - we lost - a good friend. Everybody in the IndyCar series considered him a friend. He was such a good guy. He was a charmer.'



Tragic loss: Wheldon was one of the most talented drivers of his generation





Wheldon's sister Holly posted on Twitter said: 'Thank u everyone for the amazing messages. He was one heck of an amazing brother and I will miss him so much. Appreciate everyone's support.'

In Wheldon's adopted home of St Petersburg in Florida, Mayor Bill Foster told the Tampa Tribune: 'He was our hometown hero when it came to racing. 'He allowed us to come into his family... to come into his world and celebrate with him. He was just like us. He didn't want the limelight... when he took the helmet off.' In a statement McLaren team principle Martin Whitmarsh, said: 'Dan Wheldon’s tragic death highlights the bitter contrast that sometimes exists between the highs and lows of motorsport.

'His rapid ascent to the very top ranks of US motorsport, capped by two fantastic Indy 500 victories and the 2005 Indy Car title, are the lasting legacy of a hugely talented driver and champion. Shock: Fellow racer Dario Franchitti from Scotland (left), while a fan delivers his own message

Heartache: Scottish driver Franchitti had expressed doubts about the track

Race names line up to pay tribute

Mark Webber, Red Bull Formula 1 driver

'Rest in Peace Dan. I remember our early days in the UK in 1995/96... Miss ya...'

Sarah Fisher Racing, IndyCar team

'Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Wheldon family. Today we lost a great friend and a true competitor. You will be missed, Dan!'

Justin Wilson, IndyCar driver

'Just don't know what to say. So many thought that are mixed up right now. Dan is one of the Indycar greats. Thoughts with his family.'

IndyCar chief executive Randy Bernard

'Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.'

Sam Schmidt, Wheldon's team owner

'Dan Wheldon was a tremendous competitor, a great racer and an even better person. It was an honour to have him be a part of our team. All of us at Sam Schmidt Motorsports are deeply saddened by his passing.' 'The motorsport world is now in mourning following Dan's passing. On behalf of everyone at McLaren Mercedes, I pass on my condolences to his family and friends.' IndyCar glamour girl Danica Patrick was in tears in the garage while awaiting updates from the University Medical Centre in Las Vegas and broke down again when the terrible news broke.

Chip Ganassi, Wheldon’s former car owner, said: ‘Dan had an infectious way about him. Everyone in IndyCar died a little today.’ The drivers did five laps as a tribute, Franchitti sobbing uncontrollably as he got back into his car, while fans bowed their heads and Danny Boy and Amazing Grace played on the PA. It is the first IndyCar fatality since 2006. Three other drivers — Pippa Mann of Britain, JR Hildebrand and Power — suffered minor injuries. Wheldon had accepted IndyCar chief executive Randy Bernard’s offer to pay $5m if any non-regular series driver entered and won the race from the back of the record 34-car field.

Last month, Bernard said the series had set out to offer fans ‘value, competition and entertainment’. He added: ‘Putting Dan at the back of a 30-plus car field to weave his way through at speeds in excess of 215mph will certainly prove that.’ Wheldon was a rival of Button during their teenage karting years before moving to the United States in 1999 after his family were unable to continue funding his UK career. He won the Indy 500 for the first time in 2005.



Five more race heroes who died doing the sport they loved

AYRTON SENNA (SAN MARINO F1 GRAND PRIX, 1994 )

Three-time Formula One world champion Senna was the icon of motor sport before and after his death. The Brazilian had been leading the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola when his car lost control and smashed into a retaining wall at 135 miles per hour. Senna suffered fatal skull fractures and died just a day after fellow competitor Roland Ratzenberger had been killed in qualifying.

PIERRE LEVEGH (LE MANS 24 HOUR, 1955)

Mercedes-Benz factory driver Levegh's death was unique in that his accident also cost the lives of 83 spectators. The Frenchman was second early in the race when he collided with a slower car in his path and was sent flying into the air before his car was obliterated on landing. Parts of the vehicle flew into the crowd and the fuel tank exploded, killing the driver, 83 fans and injuring many more.

GILLES VILLENEUVE (BELGIAN F1 GRAND PRIX, 1982 )

Canadian favourite Villeneuve was killed in an accident during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix. Like Levegh, his crash involved running into a much slower car and he was reportedly thrown more than 50 metres from the wreckage after his car flew into the air and somersaulted several times before stopping. Son Jacques won the Formula One world title in 1997.

JIM CLARK OBE (F2 DEUTSCHLAND TROPHAE, 1968 )

Two-time Formula One world champion Clark took part in an event at the Hockenheimring in Germany which led to his death at the age of 32. During the first heat, the Scot's Lotus car came off the track and ploughed into trees, leaving him with a broken neck and fractured skull. Clark's death sent shockwaves throughout the racing world.

PAUL DANA (INDY 300 HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY, 2006 )

The last IndyCar series death before Wheldon's, Dana was a rookie in 2006 after working his way through the motor racing ranks to secure a drive in the big league. He was killed when he smashed into a stationary car at around 170mph during practice in Miami. The 30-year-old's vehicle broke up on impact and he was pronounced dead at hospital two hours later.



