Briton Dan Wheldon, who won the Indianapolis 500 on its 100th anniversary in May, has died after a horrific 15-car crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday which left the motor sports world in shock. The 33-year-old IndyCar driver was involved in a multi-car accident 13 laps into the Las Vegas Indy 300 which sent his vehicle flying and left wreckage and debris across the track. Wheldon's car flew over another and caught part of the catch fence just past the apex of turn two. The incident left Townsend Bell's car upside down and smoldering cars strewn along the track. Wheldon, who lived in St. Petersburg, Florida, was flown by helicopter to University Medical Center in Las Vegas for treatment before his death was announced two hours later. “IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries,” IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today,” Bernard added. The race was canceled and drivers returned later for a moving and tearful five-lap tribute. A popular figure, Wheldon was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion and he won the Indy500 race that year and also in May 2011. When the drivers returned to the track, Wheldon's fellow British driver, Scotsman Dario Franchitti, was sobbing uncontrollably as he was strapped back into his car. “I could see within five laps people were starting to do crazy stuff,” said Franchitti, who avoided the incident and with the cancellation of the race won his third straight series title. “I love hard racing but that to me is not really what it's about. One small mistake from somebody ... “Right now I'm numb and speechless,” he said. “One minute you're joking around in driver intros and the next he's gone. “He was six years old when I first met him. He was this little kid and the next thing you know he was my teammate,” said Franchitti, who raced together with Wheldon at Andretti Green Racing. “We put so much pressure on ourselves to win races and championships and today it doesn't matter.” It was IndyCar's first fatality since Paul Dana was killed at Homestead in 2006 during a crash in a morning warmup. Wheldon won the race later that day. The canceling of the race meant that Franchitti won his third straight series title. Three other drivers, including championship contender Will Power, were hurt in the pileup. Also injured in the crash were JR Hildebrand and Pippa Mann. IndyCar said Mann was being treated for a burn to her right pinkie finger. Hildebrand was awake and alert but will be held overnight for further evaluation. Power was evaluated and released. Andretti Autosport, the team with which Wheldon won the 2005 Indy 500, had agreed to a contract early Sunday for Wheldon to replace Danica Patrick next season. The deal was supposed to be signed after the race. Wheldon had been providing blog posts for USA Today in the days leading up to the Las Vegas race, and in one posted Saturday he spoke of how he expected Sunday to be “pure entertainment.” He leaves his wife Susie and their two young sons.
