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Summary Dan Wheldon died in a fiery 15-car crash at Las Vegas 300 IndyCar series finale.
Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after his car became ensnarled in a fiery 15-car pileup, flew over another vehicle and landed in a catch fence just outside turn 2.The 33-year-old Englishman was a two-time Indy winner, including this years race.Three other drivers, including championship contender Will Power, were hurt in the pileup during Lap 11.Wheldon was airlifted from the track to University Medical Center; about two hours later, his colleagues were told of his death.IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries, IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. IndyCar, its drivers and owners, have decided to end the race.In his honor, drivers, many sobbing openly, took part in a five-lap salute around the oval.One minute youre joking around at driver intros. The next, Dans gone, said Dario Franchitti of Scotland, whose wife, actress Ashley Judd, had to bring him a box of tissues. 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.The race was only minutes old when Wheldon, who started at the back of the 34-car field and was in position for a $5 million payday if he had won, couldnt steer clear of a wreck that started when two cars touched tires.Within seconds, several cars burst into flames and debris covered the track nearly halfway up the straightaway. Some points of impact were so devastating workers had to patch holes in the asphalt.Video replays showed Wheldons car turning over as it went airborne and sailed into whats called the catch fence, which sits over a barrier thats designed to give a little when cars make contact. Rescue workers were at Wheldons car quickly, some furiously waving for more help to get to the scene.Ill tell you, Ive never seen anything like it, Ryan Briscoe said. The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from Terminator or something. I mean, there were just 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 that no one is hurt because theres just stuff everywhere. Crazy.
