IndyCar Driver Dan Wheldon - RIP - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

Tru2Chevy · 10-16-2011, 05:22 PM

Dan Wheldon passed away today after a horrific crash in the early part of the season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/story/_/i...ar-crash-vegas

http://youtu.be/BFyb0f9Ia0k

RIP Dan!

- Justin

mc73nova · 10-16-2011, 05:40 PM

I just saw that. Unfortunately, that is the risk that racecar drivers of all types take every time they get in the car, even though Im sure its a thought that barely passes through their mind.

RIP Dan.

WildBillyT · 10-16-2011, 06:56 PM

WOW! I remember when he won the Indy 500 a few years back and wore a special T-shirt

LS1ow · 10-16-2011, 07:01 PM

i was just watching the ESPN report about this... such a shame man.

R.I.P. Dan

coolmanvette75 · 10-16-2011, 07:32 PM

Such a shame. He was so young.

RIP Dan, god speed

BigAls87Z28 · 10-17-2011, 01:09 AM

Expect a bunch of changes to Indy cars. Chevrolet is going to join in next year, this could mean that they will have to change the design of it.
Time to tweak the track, the aero, and cut down on the number of cars perhaps. Insane.

NastyEllEssWon · 10-17-2011, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAls87Z28

Expect a bunch of changes to Indy cars. Chevrolet is going to join in next year, this could mean that they will have to change the design of it.
Time to tweak the track, the aero, and cut down on the number of cars perhaps. Insane.

or instead of going and changing things you can just celebrate the mans career/life and keep things as they have been. im sure he wouldnt want anything changed over his death and i hope people realize that.

cheers mr wheldon, a job well done

WayFast84 · 10-17-2011, 04:04 AM

Its just the way I think but its amazing that only 1 person lost a life in that mess.

It's the nature of the beast, every time you hop in a car it might be the last time. Let alone if your going 200+

Blacdout96 · 10-17-2011, 07:19 AM

Well, from my perspective on this, open wheel should not be driving in ovals, period. Yes Indy cars from the 50's and 60's raced in them, but they didn't go 225-240 mph. These cars are dependant on one thing: Aerodynamics, more namely the front and rear wing. clip one off and see ya later.
Stock cars are nothing but bricks, but none the less you can beat and bang without worrying of aero deficiancy that would cause them to take off until they are backwards. Do I think they should cap the horsepower of the engines, some what, just take a 100-150 hp out of them. The major thing they need to do is clip the wings all together when racing at a place like this, and make the tires narrower, as well as a few other things like fairings that would allow for a bump or two. Taking the front wings off, or making them minor enough where if one breaks off, the car is controllable, and same goes for the rear wing.
With that said, these cars should be strictly road course, with Indy as an exception, but with cars specifically designed for the track.

Dan, you were a fantastic racer, with having the honor of winning Indy twice. You were just at the wrong track, in the wrong position, at the wrong time. We love you and will miss you.

Blacdout96 · 10-17-2011, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NastyEllEssWon

im sure he wouldnt want anything changed over his death and i hope people realize that.

Actually alot of the drivers wanted to see change the past couple of seasons, but if you're running a multi-billion dollar industry, where people come to see fast open wheel cars, are you going to take away the main attraction and lose money, or keep things the way they are since no one has died recently due to concerns with safety. It's a," Ah, we'll worry about that when we cross that bridge." kind of mantality

Mike · 10-17-2011, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAls87Z28

Expect a bunch of changes to Indy cars. Chevrolet is going to join in next year, this could mean that they will have to change the design of it.
Time to tweak the track, the aero, and cut down on the number of cars perhaps. Insane.

welcome to 2010, they have been talking about, and actually track testing, the new cars for 2 years

Mike · 10-17-2011, 10:15 AM

actually, Dan was indycars main test driver for the new cars... here is one of them

Demonicbird00 · 10-17-2011, 06:49 PM

this is crappy news to say the least and was hard to hear of his passing. ive seen my share of deaths on track and its a sobering reality check, and unfortunately its the nature of the beast that motorsports is very dangerous,and the risk we take every time we strap in.

w/ that said and not being harsh because we would all have done what he had yesterday....

but he started last w/ a mission to win the race for an extra 2.5 mil for him and 2.5 mil for a fan...in 10 laps he was down to 24th place and when his spotter told him to go low and he saw the wreck, he saw the potential to gain at least 10 spots putting him in the mid to low teens and in good position early in the race to then win it. And it looks like he didnt check up as much or if at all like the others did.

God Speed Dan.

you will be surely missed

-Brandon