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RIP Dan Weldon. Indy las vegas accident.

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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
I watched this all unfold live. I am in shock. Sad day for the world of sports as a whole. I have chills down my spine. Dan
Oct 16 2011 6:02PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Rest in peace

I love racing, but hate to see tragedys like this happen.
Oct 16 2011 6:03PM
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2_fadez
Posts: 7780 - Karma: 4,183
where did you hear he died?
Oct 16 2011 6:04PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
they just annouced, i read tweets about 15 mins ago that the roll protection of his car was severed off in the accident. I knew that he was dead when you saw the drivers/teams holding group meetings and prayers.
Oct 16 2011 6:06PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51638 - Karma: 162,155
Shitty. For a long time they didn't even announce anyone was injured. Was hoping everyone made it out clean. I guess they just didn't want to speculate on any ones condition without knowing the facts.


RIP.

Goes to show even with all the safety precautions it's a dangerous sport.


Did they announce how everyone else is doin?
Oct 16 2011 6:07PM
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theline
Posts: 1507 - Karma: 92
shit, just saw this on espn
RIP
Oct 16 2011 6:11PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
everyone else is minor injuries. Dan was the airlifted racer. The rest were able to walk away under their own power. Im still in shock, I saw this all unfold live. I tuned into this race for the pre race show and they were talking live with Dan while he was driving on the formation lap and he was saying " he wants to win, if he didnt think he could win... he wouldnt be here".

People forget how dangerous open wheel racing can be, things have come a long way for safety sake but the danger will always be there.
Oct 16 2011 6:12PM
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H8CH
Posts: 2709 - Karma: 218
that reminds me of when i watched senna die in imola all those years ago - not sure who here is old enough to remember that.
Oct 16 2011 6:13PM
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Darth.Maul
Posts: 2472 - Karma: 652
I've been watching the race and been following the crash. Super sad stuff. Vibes to Dan's family, friends, and crew.
Oct 16 2011 6:21PM
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scratchproteen
Posts: 5173 - Karma: 286
saw it happen live, was in complete shock...was hoping everyone was going to make it out ok...so sad that Dan didn't make it....that was the hardest wreck I've ever seen.
Oct 16 2011 6:26PM
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Deluge
Posts: 4401 - Karma: 805
Idk who he was but rip bro
Oct 16 2011 6:30PM
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skia4life91
Posts: 657 - Karma: 379
Oct 16 2011 6:38PM
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p-fo
Posts: 9372 - Karma: 6,155
That crash was fucking crazy... Two time 500 winner. Shit...
Oct 16 2011 6:42PM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
i wonder what the official cause of death was? trauma to the head im guessing? Though if they covered his car in a tarp, im guessing there is a bunch of blood and/or flesh?
Oct 16 2011 6:51PM
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daftski.
Posts: 109 - Karma: 10
Open wheel racing is so dangerous. I following indy car racing pretty close and I'm still in shock. This is like Dale Earnhardt for indy car. RIP
Oct 16 2011 6:52PM
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J.M
Posts: 2854 - Karma: 254

RIP

cant believe he was only 33. so young, so much potential.  He will be missed. cant believe it was in the first 12 laps

Oct 16 2011 6:52PM
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hnosyalnif
Posts: 584 - Karma: 30
A possibility, although I just read this:

Derek Daly on Indy news is saying his wife was in Infield Care Center when Wheldon came in. He had unsurvieable internal injuries. They showed replay and his conjecture probably from wifes description is Pippa Mann's car penetrated cockpit causing unrepairable internal injuries

http://www.openwheelworld.net/us/gallery/294/1/

Was terrible to watch, you just knew it was bad from watching it.

RIP Dan.
Oct 16 2011 7:07PM
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beezey
Posts: 9027 - Karma: 427
Oct 16 2011 7:07PM
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shintastic48
Posts: 2909 - Karma: 46
Having raced against Dan the past 4 years when he came back to karting this is a very very sad day.

what my facebook status reads.

The world can be a cruel place sometimes. Actually, a lot of time. Why they would make the greatest sport on the planet, also one of the most dangerous is beyond me. And it has bitten yet again today. There really isn't a way to describe Dan. He's just one of those guys that nobody hated, everyone loved, and was one hell of a race car driver. He will go down in my list of greats to leave this world far far too early. A great inspiration to me, and in my opinion is going on the same level as Senna. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family, wife, and everyone who is hurting on this day. R.I.P.
Oct 16 2011 7:37PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24725 - Karma: 29,944
So brutal... Such an insane crash... Such a sad outcome...

I remember watching Greg Moore's fatal accident happen live about a decade ago. I didn't even really know who he was, but knowing I just saw a great racer perish in an accident... something so tragic and in front of your eyes. it just kills you a bit inside.

This sort of stuff is just so unfair...
Oct 16 2011 7:51PM
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General_Ripper
Posts: 3327 - Karma: 189
Wow thats terrible. That has to be the worst racing crash I have ever seen. I am surprised all the other guys walked away and glad they did. RIP
Oct 16 2011 7:56PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24725 - Karma: 29,944
It was certainly pretty crazy... and I've seen a bunch of them. This one definitely had the most fire i've ever seen... it was like watching one of those 1960's F1 crashes where they were driving what could only be described as gasoline bombs...
Oct 16 2011 8:02PM
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SkiThe603
Posts: 5376 - Karma: 498
this is crazy
Oct 16 2011 8:03PM
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bermbuster49
Posts: 7445 - Karma: 90
so messed up


R.I.P.


Oct 16 2011 8:05PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9215 - Karma: 5,398
holy shit. i don't follow indy but I do follow F1. That crash looked horrible.
Oct 16 2011 8:06PM
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SeanTom
Posts: 7936 - Karma: 1,747
ohmygod. i don't follow this but that was horrifying. R.I.P.
Oct 16 2011 8:15PM
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B.Pol
Posts: 1750 - Karma: 59
Me and Shinya both. I have talked to Dan multiple times, and he was one of the nicest human beings out there, let alone a professional athlete. He always had time to sit down with you and talk about whatever you wanted to talk about, he always made time. I never had the privileged of racing against him, I had always dreamed of it and now it will never happen. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and two kids, and whoever else was affected by this tragedy. Racing is a serious sport and life is so short. But for Dan, it was way to short for such a great man.
Oct 16 2011 8:18PM
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Benj.
Posts: 568 - Karma: 269
R.I.P

at 2:43 in the video we can see a first car that starts flying and then a second one.. anybody knows in which of these two cars he was in?

Oct 16 2011 8:46PM
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pho[tog]rapher
Posts: 2618 - Karma: 494
On the news they describe Dan's car as the one that went up against the upper barrier, like scraped up against the fencing, I beliiiiiieve it's the second one? But that's what they said did the most damage-- not the first impact, but the second impact against the fence.
Oct 16 2011 9:41PM
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PhaedeD
Posts: 11498 - Karma: 327
it was the second car, the number 77 car.

I have been in shock for the last few hours, I go to a lot of these races every year with the Ganassi team and have had the opportunity to meet and talk to a lot of the drives. I dont have many bad things to say about many, most are incredible people. I think in a sport where you really have the chance of dying every second the competitors are a lot nicer people and have a different light on the world.

A few years back I got to meet and talk to Dan Wheldon and Alex Lloyd for a few minutes. Dan Wheldon was a great guy, easy to talk to and incredibly nice. I am just some nobody hanging around all these people and they took their time to talk to me about Indy and the direction the series is/will be heading the future. It was a true pleasure.

I was supposed to be at this race today. For once I am actually glad I missed a race, I dont think I would want to be there for something like this.

RIP Dan burn the endless rubber in heaven!

Oct 16 2011 10:05PM
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PhaedeD
Posts: 11498 - Karma: 327
This along with the rest of the coverage made me tear up for a bit thats for sure...

"Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon." - Marty Reid
Oct 16 2011 10:09PM
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scratchproteen
Posts: 5173 - Karma: 286
that quote even made me choke up a bit when he said that at the end of the broadcast....it was perfect.
Oct 17 2011 12:59PM
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illadelphlife
Posts: 1386 - Karma: 27
wow terrible RIP
Oct 17 2011 1:10PM
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Kotke
Posts: 696 - Karma: 15
This got me. Such a horrific crash. Unreal.
Oct 17 2011 3:05PM
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BMB
Posts: 3138 - Karma: 232
RIP
Oct 17 2011 3:19PM
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smuggs
Posts: 6561 - Karma: 1,375
that first shot in the 77 car shows how fucking fast they are going. thats insane. looks like he went airbourne straight into the wall. rip dan
Oct 17 2011 3:27PM
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PhaedeD
Posts: 11498 - Karma: 327
reading this still makes chills run through my body.
Oct 17 2011 3:32PM
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Montville57
Posts: 1364 - Karma: 18
I was his in car camera on the news last night when they announced te death and all I saw when he was sideways and hit the wall was what I think was flesh blood and brains. I'm not even joking it was fucked up. I don't think the video would be appropriate to post but R.I.P. Dan
Oct 17 2011 3:43PM
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PhaedeD
Posts: 11498 - Karma: 327
hey guy, you definitely didnt see his in car cam. they have a delay on these events. plus his car hit head first into the catch fence, his camera is located in the top of the roll bar behind where they sit and they found this top roll bar inside of another race car. what you watched was will powers onboard cam. dont fucking come on ns claiming you saw blood and brains then say RIP Dan. Thats disrespectful as fuck, if you search the internet no where will you find the in car cam of his car, which means it was never broadcasted on tv.
Oct 17 2011 4:06PM
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PhaedeD
Posts: 11498 - Karma: 327
here is the video you watched you fucking ass hat. why would the news later at night show you his fucking in car cam you dumb cock.

Oct 17 2011 4:06PM
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-emile-
Posts: 6613 - Karma: 8,592
yeh saw that live too !
pretty sad ..
Oct 17 2011 4:09PM
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C-Burg
Posts: 4729 - Karma: 130
I was at the race and know allot of people associated with Indy Car and his former team. Dan was the coolest dude ever, I only met him once for about 15 seconds but he extremely nice and a stand up guy. Thoughts with his family and friends.
Oct 17 2011 6:14PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
from what i hear from other boards, seemed like a good guy. thoughts for his family and friends.


and my 2 cents is open wheel racing on a small oval at 200mph is nuts!! make contact and those cars take off like a rocket.
Oct 17 2011 6:22PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
I never knew Dan but a lot of my friends raced with him a bit in karts, and i only heard good things about him. he was a HUGE supporter of karting and the lower formula car ranks, always open to giving advice and helping the up and coming guys as much as he could. also seemed like a super positive guy, always happy with a big smile on his face, and very grateful for what he had.

its so sad when people like him die, they are legends, almost hero status, some of the greatest people in the world. its a bit different when someone like that dies, its so much more than a death, its an event, an extremely tragic event. it has a much bigger impact.

a lot of people are throwing blame around at officials at indycar, drivers, etc.. but really you cant blame anyone, its been awhile since we have had a death in indycar, or professional openwheel racing in general. the last couple decades safety has increased in huge amounts, and everyone got a little too confident.

i was at the race and after watching the lights race with a field 1/3 the size and speeds 20-30 mph less i was thinking the indycar race was gonna be chaos.
34 cars on a 1 1/2 mile track, going 3 sometimes looked like 4 wide with that many competitive lines, and everyone as closely bunched as they were, it honestly would have taken superhuman ability to continue like that without anyone making a mistake. driving that bunched up at 100% of the cars limit at that speed. an accident is guaranteed.

there is always going to be the risk of death in racing, it wouldnt be racing without it and it wouldnt be the best sport in the world (imo) without that risk, the risk makes it much more of a challenge mentally. the sport needs this risk, and all the drivers know and accept that risk. but an accident like this shouldnt happen, the combination of the speed, track, and closeness of the cars was obviously asking for serious injury if not death. hopefully this means this type of accident wont happen again.

Rest in peace Dan Weldon...


Oct 17 2011 9:36PM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
i remember ayrton sennas death in 1994, actually not too much but i know that i watched it life then as a little kid and our dad told us (me and my brother) to leave the room.

these sports are dangerous, but when i look at those indycars i dont see the same safety technology as in the F1, despite the fact that they are a little faster if i remember correctly.

see, senna was one of the 5 best F1 racers ever. his death brought safety standards to where they are now. one day earlier, an unfamous austrian driver died and imo, noone would have cared if not for sennas death. people dont really remember ratzenberger at all.

serious injury/death to a world-class driver will bring safety standards to a better level. i am not saying that F1 is bomb-proof now, but when you look at the following:

THIS IS WITH 280 km/h, around 175 mph; the guy had no broken bones, a minor concussion and wanted to start the next week:


also a lot of accidents over the past 17 years that werent absolutely horrific were survived by drivers WITHOUT scratches. you are used to F1 drivers just walking away from those crashes, when they could have been fatal in the 70's and surely resulting in severe injuries even around 1990.

what i want to say is that all high speed racing associations should really do as much as they can to prevent that and those indycars just dont look very safe to me in comparison to F1 cars.
Oct 22 2011 2:24PM
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shintastic48
Posts: 2909 - Karma: 46
That "unknown" Austrian driver you were talking about that died that Saturday at Imola was Roland Ratzenberger. Sad that he wasn't mourned as much as he should have been. Nice guy from what I hear.
Oct 22 2011 9:28PM
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shintastic48
Posts: 2909 - Karma: 46
Sorry for the double post. But he also was a class winner at Le Mans the year before I believe. So I wouldn't' say he was unknown. Just a new face in the F1 paddock.
Oct 22 2011 9:31PM
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dergblerp
Posts: 1303 - Karma: 77
For the record, driving isn't a sport.
Oct 22 2011 9:32PM
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Jpurd
Posts: 3196 - Karma: 3,554
R.I.P
Oct 22 2011 9:43PM
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jahmin44
Posts: 638 - Karma: 37
Have you ever watched indy or F1? the reaction times, driving skills and overall ability to focus of these drivers is top notch. It is also more physically enduring than one might imagine. Also, it is necessary to make THIS post in THIS thread..
Oct 22 2011 9:45PM
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