View Full Version : Dan Wheldon killed in Vegas 15 car pile-up.
protecon
17-10-2011, 08:06 AM
http://images.watoday.com.au/2011/10/17/2695962/article-wheldon-420x0.jpg
Video > http://media.watoday.com.au/sport/sports-hq/wheldon-dies-after-indycar-crash-2695954.html
IndyCar champion Dan Wheldon accepted an offer of $US2.5 million to compete in the race that was to claim his life in a fiery 15-car pile-up.
The English driver, one of the sport's most popular figures who won the series in 2005, was critically injured when his car flew over another and slammed into the barrier fence early this morning (AEDT).
The crash left the Las Vegas track - which was criticised by drivers before the event for being unsuitable for Indy racing - littered with stricken vehicles and debris.
http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/motorsport/indycar-champion-dead-after-flaming-15car-race-pileup-20111017-1ls2o.html
protecon
17-10-2011, 08:34 AM
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Buckets
17-10-2011, 08:59 AM
That's a truly horrible accident. Always a sad day when someone looses their life on the track.
Cpt Beaver
17-10-2011, 09:01 AM
Not a good day when someone dies in any type of motorsport.
R.I.P.
jaybee
17-10-2011, 09:16 AM
horrible horrible accident :( i wonder what cause that white car in the middle to spin, was almost like two separate crashes at the same time.
R.I.P. Dan Wheldon.
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Only in May.
Mad_Aussie
17-10-2011, 09:41 AM
:(
RIP
It'll be interesting to see what kind of a reaction the regulators will have after this. Such a horrible thing to happen.
Crispymk2
17-10-2011, 09:44 AM
Apparently he was to drive in this weekend GC600 in a HRT car aswell with James Courtney.
Terrible loss and Will Power was insanely lucky to get out alive
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Yup was driving this weekend with James.
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Jesus... how lucky is Will Power.
Which one is Wheldon out of that mess?
Alt_F4
17-10-2011, 10:57 AM
Seriously fucked up.
I have no idea how an accident of this magnitude can even happen in this day and age.
RIP
1JZNOSHIT
17-10-2011, 11:14 AM
He was car 12 I think?! last one to fly through the end at the end, or am I wrong or was that Will Power??
INSINR8R
17-10-2011, 11:45 AM
Car 77.
Such a horrific sight, RIP.
Jazza
17-10-2011, 12:45 PM
Did they list his injuries and what he died from? Such a horrible thing to happen, imagine if you were the guy who caused the accident :|
He was car 12 I think?! last one to fly through the end at the end, or am I wrong or was that Will Power??
pretty sure will power gets launched in the middle of the track, Dan is launched before that, into the wall
so sad
1JZNOSHIT
17-10-2011, 12:58 PM
RIP.
Will Power is a lucky bastard too.
Second last pic is Dan, last pic is Will. The onboard is stunningly scary.
DCEVO
17-10-2011, 06:34 PM
A terrible accident and such a waste of such a talented man
Both officials and drivers complained there were to many cars for such a small track
Will Power is very lucky to survive
May Dan Wheldon be remembered for the talent and awesome driver that he was RIP
Gurney
17-10-2011, 06:48 PM
Absolutely horrific, watching that onboard footage was just insane and would scare me off even going near anything with a motor again if I was onboard.
DISTRBD
17-10-2011, 06:53 PM
The crash left the Las Vegas track - which was criticised by drivers before the event for being unsuitable for Indy racing - littered with stricken vehicles and debris.
Maybe they need to grow a set and decline to race just like he F1 teams did at indy years ago .
They raced there before without issue.
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:(
Adr3naL1N
17-10-2011, 08:21 PM
RIP
Horrible news to wake up to.
I remember watching his first Indy 500 win, it was a fantastic race, and then to win again in a part time effort this year was just brilliant.
RIP Dan Wheldon.
joshg123
17-10-2011, 09:26 PM
Maybe they need to grow a set and decline to race just like he F1 teams did at indy years ago .
Wasnt that over the Michelin tyre at the time though?
RIP
Wrexter
17-10-2011, 09:40 PM
RIP.
Ugly side of the sport.
Holy Fucking Shit!
Those pics made me cringe looking at them!
I just can't bring myself to watch the videos.
R.I.P. Dan. :(
fcuk those pics are epic! just so much carnage occuring all at once! is there any link to his onboard camera? hes the car that went airborne?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1UrfkvAbv0&feature=player_embedded
That is Will Power who also ended up airborne.
Ironically they were riding onboard with Wheldon then the crash began and they cut to the full view. If there is footage, it hasnt been shown. Dont think Id want to see it.
Brockas
18-10-2011, 12:19 AM
Wow. RIP :(
It's hard to believe Will Power survived that.
I've actually driven on that track in an old Indy car, and I remember having white knuckles at the end of the 5 laps I did because it just felt like the walls were so close at those speeds. Gives me shivers thinking about getting airborne at that speed on that track :confused:
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/pruett-danny-boy/
http://s14.directupload.net/images/111016/grryiapb.jpg
Roll hoop is missing - hitting the fence like he did would has torn if away from the car exposing his helmet and head.
seems common that when cars get flung into the fence they are ripped to shreds, instead of the car simply bouncing off it and back to the racetrack
That is the point of the fence, to help disipate the energy, and the cars are designed to explode like that. Its just not designed to take the hit then drag along the roll hoop.
A solid fence would make the accident 10 times worse.
I think the main idea is to keep the car out of the crowd, but I see your point.
Naturally - but they are designed with a given amount of flex and give to do exactly what they do.
That is the point of the fence, to help disipate the energy, and the cars are designed to explode like that. Its just not designed to take the hit then drag along the roll hoop.
A solid fence would make the accident 10 times worse.
That's not quite right, A deformable wall like those used at the ground level would be a lot safer then mesh fences.
The design idea of the deformable wall is to deflect the cars down the walls to maintain momentum and to increase the impact time of crash . If you glance off a wall the reduction in speed is lowered, the car keeps going along it but the g's experienced is reduced. The problem with the mesh fence is they grab the car and slow it down rapidly, providing huge g's.
The only reason they don't run the walls high is the spectators can't see the track from the outside.
There's a nascar video that shows the research they did when the started putting the safe wall things around the oval tracks, trying to find it now.
Some of the forces measured in the impacts are truely staggering.
Of course a SAFER barrier would be ideal, but of course you cant see through it.
As I said the fences are designed with a degree of flex, but cant be engineered anywhere near as good as the walls.
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I follwed the progress of it intently after the death of Earnhardt.
2LV8ETR
18-10-2011, 06:36 PM
Did they list his injuries and what he died from? Such a horrible thing to happen, imagine if you were the guy who caused the accident :|
The autopsy concluded that he died of a blunt force trauma to the head. Maybe as a result of the failure of the hoop?
I follwed the progress of it intently after the death of Earnhardt.
I remember watching a documentary on Earnhardt, and the primary cause of his death was a Basilar skull fracture. The HANS device he detested so much is designed to prevent such injuries. If he was wearing it at the time, there would be a better chance he would have survived the accident.
Also wouldnt have died if he actually had his belts tight like he should have, and if the track had a safer wall installed
http://www.crash.net/indycar/news/174153/1/vegas_just_what_exactly_happened.html
That probably sums it up well - didnt realise there had already been crazyness involving banging wheels!
The last bit from the abc guy brings tear to my eye.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95505
Cool.
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If anyone wants to see it.
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