2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship
Encyclopedia
The 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship was the final race of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar series
schedule. The event took place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
in Clark County
, Nevada, United States on October 16, 2011. The race was stopped following a fifteen-car pile-up on lap 11 that was triggered by drivers trying to avoid light contact between Wade Cunningham
and James Hinchcliffe
, and was formally abandoned after two-time Indianapolis 500
winner and 2005 series champion Dan Wheldon
died of injuries sustained in the crash and IndyCar and the drivers elected not to continue the race.
as the final event of the IndyCar season. The races at Homestead and at the International Speedway Corporation
tracks were removed from the schedule following the 2010 season. Las Vegas Motor Speedway was returning to the schedule for the first time since 2000, and none of the drivers in the race had raced at the circuit since it was reconfigured in 2006, which saw a greater degree of banking added to the circuit to encourage side-by-side racing. The race was scheduled for 200 laps around the 1.544 mi (2.5 km) oval, totaling 308.8 mi (497 km). ABC
was awarded broadcast rights for the season finale after several years of the final race airing on Versus
.
On May 3, 2011, IndyCar president Randy Bernard
issued a challenge to the world's top drivers by declaring that a $5,000,000 (USD
) prize would be awarded to any driver who was not a regular driver on the IndyCar circuit to enter the race at Las Vegas and start from the back of the grid. He wanted to attract NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series drivers to come to the track, but none took up the challenge; NASCAR would be in the Chase for the Sprint Cup portion of the season and had a race at Charlotte Motor Speedway
scheduled for the night before, which may have caused a conflict between the two series, though Bernard dismissed the suggestion. Wheldon, who had been driving a part-time schedule after losing his ride at Panther Racing
and who had won the Indianapolis 500
already that season, was the only driver to take the challenge. The prize was to be split equally with a fan if he were to win.
Entering the race there was a two-way battle for the IndyCar Championship between Chip Ganassi Racing
's Dario Franchitti
and Team Penske
's Will Power
. Entering the race, Franchitti was eighteen points ahead of Power, having reclaimed the championship from him with a second-place finish at Kentucky Speedway
two weeks previously. Power was still mathematically in the points race despite a poor finish at Kentucky.
The race's honorary grand marshal was skateboarder Tony Hawk
, who gave the command to fire engines. Marty Reid
called the lap-by-lap action for ABC with Scott Goodyear
and Eddie Cheever
as the color commentators. Vince Welch
, Jamie Little
, and Rick DeBruhl were the pit reporters and the network chose Wheldon to be its "in-race reporter", which is the driver the network communicates with at various points of its coverage of IndyCar and NASCAR races.
, driving the #82 GEICO
Dallara for KV Racing Technology, qualified on pole for the race and shared the front row with Oriol Servià
, driving the #2 Telemundo
Dallara for Newman/Haas Racing. Power and Franchitti qualified on Row 9, in seventeenth and eighteenth respectively. Wheldon qualified twenty-ninth, driving the #77 Bowers & Wilkins
Dallara for Sam Schmidt Motorsports
. Both Wheldon and Buddy Rice
, who had qualified on the inside of Row 10, had to start from the rear of the field; Rice due to a penalty in qualifying and Wheldon as part of the $5 million challenge.
Notes:
was clipped by Wade Cunningham
. Cunningham and J. R. Hildebrand
then made contact when Cunningham swerved and Hildebrand drove over the rear of his car. Hildebrand's car became airborne and Cunningham collected Jay Howard
on the inside and then Townsend Bell
on the outside before crashing into the wall. Attempting to avoid the crash ahead, Vitor Meira
lost control, spinning inward collecting both Charlie Kimball
and E. J. Viso
, resulting in Dan Wheldon
's car launching over the top of Kimball's. At the same time Meira lost control, Tomas Scheckter
was also attempting to avoid the first crash by rapidly slowing down on the outside. This led to Paul Tracy
crashing into the back of Scheckter and a rapidly approaching Pippa Mann to launch over the top of Tracy after jerking to the outside to avoid crashing into Alex Lloyd
. Behind all of this was Will Power
who hit Lloyd hard and went airborne as well. Finally as Meira was coming to a rest against the inside guardrail, a slowly approaching Buddy Rice
ran over a piece of debris causing him to collide into Meira.
Wheldon's car was launched into the air, barrel-rolling and flying into the catch fencing on the outside of the second turn with the cockpit impacting the fence. A total of fifteen cars were involved in the accident, with the most severe injuries suffered by Wheldon, Power, Hildebrand, and Mann. Wheldon's injuries were severe enough that he was unable to exit the car without assistance and he was airlifted to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, where he was pronounced dead at 1:54 PM Pacific Daylight Time
. His official cause of death was given by the Clark County Coroner as blunt force trauma
due to a motor vehicle collision. Mann and Hildebrand were later taken to the hospital for overnight observation, while Power was evaluated and released that day. Tracy, Viso, and Scheckter suffered minor injuries, but were treated at the track.
The caution flag was thrown but track officials elected to throw the red flag after one additional lap had been completed due to the extent of the accident and the damage it caused. Tony Kanaan
was scored as the leader, and among the drivers who avoided the crash were Scott Dixon
, championship leader Dario Franchitti
, and Danica Patrick
. Track maintenance crew began working to repair the track, which included patching several holes the crashing cars had put in the asphalt and repairing the sections of catch fencing that had been damaged when Wheldon and Power hit the fence.
While track repair work continued, concern began to grow over the condition of Wheldon as well as whether or not the race would be able to continue. Approximately two hours into the red flag several drivers and car owners, including Michael Andretti
who spoke with ABC afterward, were seen going into the IndyCar Series hauler in the infield wondering what was going on and whether or not the race would be resumed. Several minutes later IndyCar director Brian Barnhart
called a drivers' meeting to be held in the track's media center. While nothing was revealed to the television audience as to the reason for the meeting or what the drivers were told, it was generally assumed that they had been told of Wheldon's status and then decided whether or not to go on with the remaining 187 laps of the event. After the meeting adjourned an emotional Bernard relayed the following to a hastily called press conference:
ABC did not cut into the press conference until after the announcement, and lap-by-lap commentator Marty Reid
relayed word of Wheldon's death to the audience:
At the end of the ABC broadcast, Reid closed his commentary with:
Nineteen of the cars – not including Wheldon's team-mate Alex Tagliani
– that were not damaged in the accident took to the track again several minutes after the announcement, running in the traditional Indianapolis 500
start formation at pace-lap speed for five laps as a mark of respect. The track took down all the car numbers from the scoring tower and placed Wheldon's car number at the top. "Danny Boy
" and "Amazing Grace
" were played at varying intervals on the Bagpipes
while the cars went around the track.
As Reid noted in his report, Wheldon's death was the first suffered by an IndyCar driver since Paul Dana
was killed in a race morning practice crash at Homestead-Miami in 2006. His death was also the first major racing series fatality at any American motorsports facility since Scott Kalitta
was killed at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
in New Jersey in 2008, and was the first in-race IndyCar fatality since the death of Greg Moore in the 1999 CART season finale
at Auto Club Speedway.
, with the intention of improving safety in the sport. Planned changes to the chassis include larger cockpits for driver protection and bodywork over the rear wheels to prevent cars from launching off one another in the event of a collision, long a problem in open-wheel racing, regardless of oval or road course, but troublesome on high-speed ovals and tight street circuits with a long straight and a tight turn, similar to the style of many modern road courses.
Prominent figures within the IndyCar fraternity and the wider international motorsport community expressed their condolences to Wheldon and his family. Wheldon had been scheduled to take part in the Gold Coast 600, a round of the V8 Supercars championship
, on October 22, racing alongside his friend James Courtney
. Upon hearing of Wheldon's death, Courtney described the accident as a sobering reminder of the dangers faced by racing drivers. As the first major international motorsport event after Wheldon's death, organisers of the V8 Supercars series planned a series of tributes to him at the Gold Coast 600. Wheldon's place was taken by another British driver, Darren Turner
, an FIA GT1 World Championship
competitor. Wheldon's name was left on the car as a mark of respect, while British drivers at the event paid tribute to him with helmet decals, and several other drivers planned individual tributes to Wheldon. Tony Kanaan
, who had also been scheduled to race in Australia, announced his withdrawal from the event out of respect for Wheldon. However, Ryan Briscoe
, Alex Tagliani
, and Hélio Castroneves
, all of whom raced at Las Vegas, along with other part-time IndyCar drivers Sébastien Bourdais
and Simon Pagenaud
, who were not at Las Vegas, will race. Sam Schmidt
, for whom Wheldon had been racing at the time of his accident, admitted that the events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway had prompted him to re-evaluate his involvement in motorsports. Similarly, veteran drivers Davey Hamilton
and Paul Tracy
said they were considering retiring from racing on the back of the accident.
, Oriol Servià
and Alex Lloyd
the most vocal opponents – particularly given the high degree of banking around the circuit; with between 18 and 20 degrees of banking in the corners Las Vegas Motor Speedway
has the second-highest corner banking of any circuit on the IndyCar schedule, with only Texas
at 24 degrees having steeper banking. Franchitti was quoted as saying that the track was "not suitable" for IndyCar racing, while championship rival Will Power
– himself a staunch critic of short-track oval racing – described the race as "an accident waiting to happen".
The field of 34 drivers was the biggest in an IndyCar series race in 14 years. A typical oval track race has 6 to 8 fewer drivers, except for the Indianapolis 500, which normally has a 33-car field. ESPN.com
senior motorsports writer Terry Blount wrote: "Obviously more cars presents more danger. They wanted a whole lot of cars cause obviously this is their season finale and they wanted it to be a big deal. Some of the people that were driving in this event yesterday had no business being in it. Some of them had never driven on a track like this. That was a mistake". Chris Powell, president of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, defended the race, saying that the circuit had passed all of the IndyCar Series' accreditation procedures and was deemed suitable for racing. He also went on the record to say that despite the media reporting the concerns of several drivers over the safety of the event, none of those concerns had been raised with him.
Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter
, whose son Tomas
was injured in the accident, was highly critical of the series organisers, stating that a serious accident was "inevitable" as "they were basically touching wheels at 220 mi/h. They all bunch up together so there are thirty-four cars in a small space of track. One person makes a mistake and this happens. You [shouldn't] have to get killed if you make a mistake. It was madness." Former Formula One and IndyCar driver Mark Blundell
agreed, claiming that the Las Vegas circuit was unsuitable for IndyCar racing – this was the last race for the Dallara IR05 – while NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson
called for the series to leave oval racing altogether, though he clarified his statement by saying that the open-wheel type cars on a resurfaced 1.5 mi (2.4 km) track built for stock cars was a bad idea. However, former champion Mario Andretti
said that the accident was a "freakish" one-off incident and that facilities at the circuit were adequate for racing. While he admitted surprise that more drivers were not seriously injured, he also cautioned against what he called "knee-jerk reactions" to the accident, calling for any changes to the sport to be carefully considered before being introduced, rather than being rushed into action. Former FIA
President Max Mosley
, a long-time advocate of increased safety in motorsport, agreed with Andretti, urging a "calm and scientific" approach to any proposed changes, particularly when asked about the proposed introduction of closed canopies for open-wheel racing cars.
The five million dollar prize was also the subject of criticism in that a driver inexperienced in driving IndyCars would have a higher risk of causing a crash, though Formula One driver Anthony Davidson
downplayed the influence of the prize in causing the accident, stating that racing drivers by their nature try to win every race, whether they start from first or last. Many short track races in the United States offer a cash or points bonus where a driver who wins the pole and starts last can collect a cash bonus for winning; this was used at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in the "Night Before F1" midget car
race where the winner of the first feature race started last for the second in a reverse-grid race, and a driver who starts last by winning the first feature, starting last, and winning the second feature wins a cash bonus. Some series offer a point bonus for the driver who makes up the most positions in a race.
In the days following the incident, it was learned that two additional drivers had been approached to try for the $5 million challenge prize. One was NASCAR
driver Scott Speed
, who previously ran open-wheel Formula One
cars for Scuderia Toro Rosso
and who had raced on the reconfigured LVMS track in the Craftsman Truck Series for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports in 2008 and for Team Red Bull in the Sprint Cup Series in 2009 and 2010. Speed, in an interview he gave to Inside Edition
on October 18, 2011, said that he declined to take the offer saying that the track conditions were too dangerous for Indy-type cars. Finnish media reported that Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen
, who is currently splitting time between the World Rally Championship
and NASCAR, had also been approached to take part in the race, but Räikkönen rejected the offer as he was not confident of having a competitive car, rather than having concerns over safety.
(ACCUS), the national governing body of automobile racing in the United States and a member of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
(FIA), made their resources available for the investigation, which IndyCar officials expect to take several weeks. As all ACCUS/FIA members are participating in the investigation, IndyCar will have full use of the NASCAR R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina
. In the meantime, all testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was cancelled indefinitely; Dario Franchitti
and Chip Ganassi Racing
had been planning to test the 2012-spec Dallara chassis at the circuit in the week following the race.
2011 IndyCar Series season
The 2011 Izod IndyCar Series season was the 100th season of American open wheel motor racing. The season consisted of seventeen events over the course of a seven–month season. Its premier event was the 95th Indianapolis 500, run on Sunday, May 29. It was the final season running the IR–05 Dallara...
schedule. The event took place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
in Clark County
Clark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
, Nevada, United States on October 16, 2011. The race was stopped following a fifteen-car pile-up on lap 11 that was triggered by drivers trying to avoid light contact between Wade Cunningham
Wade Cunningham
Wade Cunningham is a racing driver from Auckland, New Zealand who has most notably competed in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.Cunningham's professional career began when he won the Karting World Championship in 2003....
and James Hinchcliffe
James Hinchcliffe
James Hinchcliffe is a Canadian race car driver from Oakville, Ontario currently competing in the IndyCar Series.-Early racing:...
, and was formally abandoned after two-time Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
winner and 2005 series champion Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
died of injuries sustained in the crash and IndyCar and the drivers elected not to continue the race.
Background
The Las Vegas race was added to the schedule for the 2011 season and replaced the event at Homestead-Miami SpeedwayHomestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
as the final event of the IndyCar season. The races at Homestead and at the International Speedway Corporation
International Speedway Corporation
International Speedway Corporation is a corporation whose primary business is the ownership and management of NASCAR race tracks. ISC was founded by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. in 1953 for the construction of Daytona International Speedway and in 1999 they merged with Penske Motorsports to...
tracks were removed from the schedule following the 2010 season. Las Vegas Motor Speedway was returning to the schedule for the first time since 2000, and none of the drivers in the race had raced at the circuit since it was reconfigured in 2006, which saw a greater degree of banking added to the circuit to encourage side-by-side racing. The race was scheduled for 200 laps around the 1.544 mi (2.5 km) oval, totaling 308.8 mi (497 km). ABC
ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
was awarded broadcast rights for the season finale after several years of the final race airing on Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
.
On May 3, 2011, IndyCar president Randy Bernard
Randy Bernard
Randy Bernard is the Chief Executive Officer of IndyCar.Bernard assumed the role in early 2010, taking over for series founder Tony George. Since then he has been vocal about increasing the sport's visibility among general audiences, expanding the schedule to markets that are important to...
issued a challenge to the world's top drivers by declaring that a $5,000,000 (USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) prize would be awarded to any driver who was not a regular driver on the IndyCar circuit to enter the race at Las Vegas and start from the back of the grid. He wanted to attract NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series drivers to come to the track, but none took up the challenge; NASCAR would be in the Chase for the Sprint Cup portion of the season and had a race at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
scheduled for the night before, which may have caused a conflict between the two series, though Bernard dismissed the suggestion. Wheldon, who had been driving a part-time schedule after losing his ride at Panther Racing
Panther Racing
Panther Racing is an American open wheel auto racing team. It is one of the oldest continually operating teams in Indy Racing League LLC's IZOD IndyCar Series....
and who had won the Indianapolis 500
2011 Indianapolis 500
The 95th Indianapolis 500 was held on May 29, 2011 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the premier event of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season. The track opened for practice on May 14, and time trials were held on May 21–22. The race was won by Dan Wheldon and was the final win of his...
already that season, was the only driver to take the challenge. The prize was to be split equally with a fan if he were to win.
Entering the race there was a two-way battle for the IndyCar Championship between Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
's Dario Franchitti
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
and Team Penske
Penske Racing
Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
's Will Power
Will Power
William Steven Power is an Australian motorsport driver, who currently competes in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, driving for Team Penske.-Australian Racing:...
. Entering the race, Franchitti was eighteen points ahead of Power, having reclaimed the championship from him with a second-place finish at Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...
two weeks previously. Power was still mathematically in the points race despite a poor finish at Kentucky.
The race's honorary grand marshal was skateboarder Tony Hawk
Tony Hawk
Anthony Frank "Tony" Hawk , nicknamed "The Birdman" is an American retired professional skateboarder and actor. Hawk gained significant fame for completing the first 900 as well as his licensed video game titles distributed by Activision...
, who gave the command to fire engines. Marty Reid
Marty Reid
Marty Reid is an American television sportscaster who has worked for ESPN since 1982.Reid is currently the lead television announcer for ESPN on ABC's coverage of the IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500, and was the lead announcer for ESPN and ABC's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage for the...
called the lap-by-lap action for ABC with Scott Goodyear
Scott Goodyear
Scott Goodyear is a former race car driver from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Goodyear ran the IRL and Champ Car series during his career from 1987, winning the Michigan 500 in 1992 and 1994...
and Eddie Cheever
Eddie Cheever
Edward "Eddie" McKay Cheever, Jr. is an American racing driver who raced for almost thirty years in Formula One, Sports cars, CART and the Indy Racing League. Cheever participated in 143 World Championship Formula One races and started 132, more than any other American, driving for nine different...
as the color commentators. Vince Welch
Vince Welch
Vince Welch is an American radio and television personality. From 1998 to March 2007, he was the sports program director at WIBC in Indianapolis, Indiana. Prior to that job, he worked as a sports reporter at WISH-TV and as sports director for WNDY, both in Indianapolis...
, Jamie Little
Jamie Little
Jamie Little from Las Vegas, Nevada is the pit reporter for NASCAR Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series coverage on ESPN/ABC. Little is a former pit reporter for ESPN/ABC coverage of the Indy Racing League, although she returned to her pit reporting duty for the 2007 and 2008 Indianapolis 500...
, and Rick DeBruhl were the pit reporters and the network chose Wheldon to be its "in-race reporter", which is the driver the network communicates with at various points of its coverage of IndyCar and NASCAR races.
Qualifying
Tony KanaanTony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara...
, driving the #82 GEICO
GEICO
The Government Employees Insurance Company is an auto insurance company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway that as of 2007 provided coverage for more than 10 million motor vehicles owned by more than 9 million policy holders. GEICO writes private passenger automobile insurance...
Dallara for KV Racing Technology, qualified on pole for the race and shared the front row with Oriol Servià
Oriol Servia
Oriol Servià i Imbers is a race car driver in the IndyCar Series, originally from Catalonia, Spain. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.-Early career:...
, driving the #2 Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
Dallara for Newman/Haas Racing. Power and Franchitti qualified on Row 9, in seventeenth and eighteenth respectively. Wheldon qualified twenty-ninth, driving the #77 Bowers & Wilkins
Bowers & Wilkins
Bowers & Wilkins is a British loudspeaker company that produces mid-range through reference quality hi-fi and home theater speakers. The company name is often abbreviated to just B&W.Joe Atkins is current owner and chairman...
Dallara for Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt....
. Both Wheldon and Buddy Rice
Buddy Rice
Buddy Rice is an American racecar driver. He is best known for winning the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona for Brumos Racing.-Early career:...
, who had qualified on the inside of Row 10, had to start from the rear of the field; Rice due to a penalty in qualifying and Wheldon as part of the $5 million challenge.
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 82 |  Tony KanaanTony Kanaan Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara... |
KV Racing Technology – Lotus Lotus Cars Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics... |
222.078 |
| 2 | 2 |  Oriol ServiàOriol Servia Oriol Servià i Imbers is a race car driver in the IndyCar Series, originally from Catalonia, Spain. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.-Early career:... |
Newman/Haas Racing | 222.061 |
| 3 | 67 |  Ed Carpenter |
Sarah Fisher Racing Sarah Fisher Racing Sarah Fisher Racing is an auto racing team that competes in the IRL IZOD IndyCar Series, founded in January 2008. The team has one driver, Ed Carpenter.-2008 IndyCar Series:... |
221.509 |
| 4 | 98 |  Alex TaglianiAlex Tagliani Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:... |
Bryan Herta Autosport Bryan Herta Autosport Bryan Herta Autosport is an American auto racing team that competes primarily in the Firestone Indy Lights Series and occasionally in the IZOD IndyCar Series. It is owned by former IndyCar driver Bryan Herta and race engineer Steve Newey... |
221.330 |
| 5 | 6 |  Ryan BriscoeRyan Briscoe Ryan Briscoe is an Australian auto racing driver who has raced open wheel and sports cars in Europe and America.In addition to his native English, Briscoe speaks Italian and French... |
Team Penske Penske Racing Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske... |
221.130 |
| 6 | 26 | Marco Andretti Marco Andretti Marco Michael Andretti is an Italian American auto racing driver who drives the #26 car for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1991 IndyCar World Series champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti... |
Andretti Autosport | 221.129 |
| 7 | 28 | Ryan Hunter-Reay Ryan Hunter-Reay Ryan Hunter-Reay is a professional American race car driver best known as the only driver to have won races in each of North America's top open wheel formulas, CART the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series... |
Andretti Autosport | 221.040 |
| 8 | 38 | Graham Rahal Graham Rahal Graham Rahal is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.-Early racing:... |
Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
220.958 |
| 9 | 7 | Danica Patrick Danica Patrick Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd... |
Andretti Autosport | 220.925 |
| 10 | 27 |  Mike ConwayMike Conway Mike Conway, born 19 August 1983, is a British racing driver. He lives in Sevenoaks, Kent and is currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series.- Biography :Conway who was born in Bromley, Kent, England attended Sevenoaks Prep School from 1986 to 1996.... |
Andretti Autosport | 220.922 |
| 11 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves is a Brazilian auto racing driver currently competing in the North American IndyCar Series. In IndyCar competition, Castroneves has 14 wins and 28 poles, and has never placed lower than sixth in the standings in a complete season of racing... |
Team Penske Penske Racing Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske... |
220.907 |
| 12 | 17 |  Wade CunninghamWade Cunningham Wade Cunningham is a racing driver from Auckland, New Zealand who has most notably competed in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.Cunningham's professional career began when he won the Karting World Championship in 2003.... (R) |
AFS Racing AFS Racing AFS Racing is a professional racing team participating in the IndyCar Series and previously the Firestone Indy Lights series. It is owned by Gary Peterson, the founder of Automatic Fire Sprinklers for which it is named, and is based in Huntington Beach, California.-Indy Lights:The team was founded... /Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt.... |
220.790 |
| 13 | 9 | Scott Dixon Scott Dixon Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins... |
Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
220.715 |
| 14 | 06 | James Hinchcliffe James Hinchcliffe James Hinchcliffe is a Canadian race car driver from Oakville, Ontario currently competing in the IndyCar Series.-Early racing:... (R) |
Newman/Haas Racing | 220.701 |
| 15 | 4 | J. R. Hildebrand J. R. Hildebrand John R. Hildebrand Jr. is an American race car driver. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series; driving the #4 National Guard car for Panther Racing. Hildebrand's nickname is Captain America... (R) |
Panther Racing Panther Racing Panther Racing is an American open wheel auto racing team. It is one of the oldest continually operating teams in Indy Racing League LLC's IZOD IndyCar Series.... |
220.639 |
| 16 | 5 |  Takuma SatoTakuma Sato is a Japanese automobile racing driver and the most successful Japanese Formula One driver in history. He is currently racing for KV Racing Technology in IndyCar Series under the Lotus banner.-Junior Years:... |
KV Racing Technology – Lotus Lotus Cars Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics... |
220.627 |
| 17 | 12 | Will Power Will Power William Steven Power is an Australian motorsport driver, who currently competes in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, driving for Team Penske.-Australian Racing:... |
Team Penske Penske Racing Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske... |
220.524 |
| 18 | 10 | Dario Franchitti Dario Franchitti George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing... |
Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
220.489 |
| 19 | 44 | Buddy Rice Buddy Rice Buddy Rice is an American racecar driver. He is best known for winning the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona for Brumos Racing.-Early career:... |
Panther Racing Panther Racing Panther Racing is an American open wheel auto racing team. It is one of the oldest continually operating teams in Indy Racing League LLC's IZOD IndyCar Series.... |
220.392 |
| 20 | 34 |  Sebastián SaavedraSebastian Saavedra Sebastian Saavedra is a Colombian racing driver of Portuguese and Korean origin from Bogotá.-early career:After a childhood in karting, Saavedra drove in Formula BMW USA for Gelles Racing, finishing 11th in points. He also drove in two races in Formula BMW ADAC and competed in the Formula BMW... (R) |
Conquest Racing | 220.335 |
| 21 | 19 | Alex Lloyd Alex Lloyd (racing driver) Alex Stewart Lloyd is a British motor racing driver. He currently takes part in the IndyCar Series... |
Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing is a motorsports team in the IndyCar Series owned by former driver Dale Coyne. It was founded in 1986 with Chicago Bears great Walter Payton as Payton/Coyne Racing. The team fields the No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts and No... |
220.314 |
| 22 | 83 | Charlie Kimball Charlie Kimball Charlie Kimball is an Anglo-American racecar driver currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing.-2002–2005:... (R) |
Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
219.982 |
| 23 | 22 | Townsend Bell Townsend Bell Townsend Bell is a motor racing driver. He is married to actress Heather Campbell.He won the last Indy Lights championship in 2001 and was given two starts in a Champ Car in a joint effort between Patrick Racing and Dale Coyne Racing as a test for a full-time seat in 2002. He earned Roberto... |
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is an American motor racing team in the open wheel Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, with one series win by co-owner Robbie Buhl, who owns the team with Indianapolis BMW, Infiniti, Volkswagen and Maserati dealer Dennis Reinbold.... |
219.942 |
| 24 | 57 |  Tomas ScheckterTomas Scheckter Tomas Scheckter is a South African racing driver, born in Monte Carlo. He is the son of 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter.-Early years:... |
Sarah Fisher Racing Sarah Fisher Racing Sarah Fisher Racing is an auto racing team that competes in the IRL IZOD IndyCar Series, founded in January 2008. The team has one driver, Ed Carpenter.-2008 IndyCar Series:... |
219.816 |
| 25 | 11 | Davey Hamilton Davey Hamilton Davey Jay Hamilton is a race car driver in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. He has made 50 series starts and while never winning a race, finished second 3 times... |
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is an American motor racing team in the open wheel Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, with one series win by co-owner Robbie Buhl, who owns the team with Indianapolis BMW, Infiniti, Volkswagen and Maserati dealer Dennis Reinbold.... |
219.493 |
| 26 | 14 | Vitor Meira Vitor Meira Vitor Meira is an auto racing driver currently competing in the IndyCar Series. He has twice finished second in the Indianapolis 500.... |
A. J. Foyt Enterprises A. J. Foyt Enterprises A.J. Foyt Enterprises is a racing team in the IZOD Indycar Series and formerly NASCAR. It is owned by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt. Foyt Enterprises won IRL titles in 1996 with Scott Sharp and 1998 with Kenny Bräck, the latter driver also winning the Indianapolis 500 for the team... |
219.273 |
| 27 | 8 | Paul Tracy Paul Tracy Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series... |
Dragon Racing | 218.661 |
| 28 | 15 | Jay Howard Jay Howard Jay Howard is an English professional race car driver who competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 and resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. Howard was the 2005 U.S... |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | 218.577 |
| 29 | 77 | Dan Wheldon Dan Wheldon Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011... |
Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt.... |
218.410 |
| 30 | 30 | Pippa Mann Pippa Mann Philippa "Pippa" Mann is a British racing car driver, who is currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series. She was born in London, United Kingdom.- Career :... (R) |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | 218.157 |
| 31 | 24 | Ana Beatriz Bia Figueiredo Ana "Bia" Beatriz Caselato Gomes de Figueiredo is a Brazilian racing driver currently competing in the IZOD Indycar Series. Bia, as she is known by friends and fans, won her first Indy Lights race at Nashville Superspeedway on 12 July 2008, becoming the first woman to win a race in the Indy Lights... (R) |
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is an American motor racing team in the open wheel Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, with one series win by co-owner Robbie Buhl, who owns the team with Indianapolis BMW, Infiniti, Volkswagen and Maserati dealer Dennis Reinbold.... |
218.153 |
| 32 | 78 |  Simona de SilvestroSimona de Silvestro Simona de Silvestro is a Swiss race car driver from Thun, Switzerland. She is currently competing for HVM Racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series... |
HVM Racing | 218.132 |
| 33 | 59 |  E. J. VisoE. J. Viso Ernesto José Viso Lossada is a Venezuelan race car driver. He is commonly referred to as Ernesto Viso or, since his move to American racing, E. J. Viso.... |
KV Racing Technology – Lotus Lotus Cars Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics... |
no time set |
| 34 | 18 | James Jakes James Jakes - T-Cars :Jakes started his racing career in 2002 competing in 5 rounds of the T-Car Championship. In 2003 James continued in T-cars, finishing 2nd in the championship.- Formula Renault :... (R) |
Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing is a motorsports team in the IndyCar Series owned by former driver Dale Coyne. It was founded in 1986 with Chicago Bears great Walter Payton as Payton/Coyne Racing. The team fields the No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts and No... |
no time set |
Notes:
- – Buddy RiceBuddy RiceBuddy Rice is an American racecar driver. He is best known for winning the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona for Brumos Racing.-Early career:...
was moved to the back of the grid after receiving a penalty for running below the white line. - – Dan WheldonDan WheldonDaniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
agreed to start the race from thirty-fourth and last place on the grid as part of the organizers' five million dollar challenge.
Scoring when Abandoned
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Laps Led |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 82 | Tony Kanaan Tony Kanaan Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara... |
KV Racing Technology – Lotus Lotus Cars Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics... |
12 | Running | 1 | 12 |
| 2 | 67 | Ed Carpenter |
Sarah Fisher Racing Sarah Fisher Racing Sarah Fisher Racing is an auto racing team that competes in the IRL IZOD IndyCar Series, founded in January 2008. The team has one driver, Ed Carpenter.-2008 IndyCar Series:... |
12 | Running | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | 6 | Ryan Briscoe Ryan Briscoe Ryan Briscoe is an Australian auto racing driver who has raced open wheel and sports cars in Europe and America.In addition to his native English, Briscoe speaks Italian and French... |
Team Penske Penske Racing Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske... |
12 | Running | 5 | 0 |
| 4 | 26 | Marco Andretti Marco Andretti Marco Michael Andretti is an Italian American auto racing driver who drives the #26 car for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1991 IndyCar World Series champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti... |
Andretti Autosport | 12 | Running | 6 | 0 |
| 5 | 2 | Oriol Servià Oriol Servia Oriol Servià i Imbers is a race car driver in the IndyCar Series, originally from Catalonia, Spain. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.-Early career:... |
Newman/Haas Racing | 12 | Running | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | 98 | Alex Tagliani Alex Tagliani Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:... |
Bryan Herta Autosport Bryan Herta Autosport Bryan Herta Autosport is an American auto racing team that competes primarily in the Firestone Indy Lights Series and occasionally in the IZOD IndyCar Series. It is owned by former IndyCar driver Bryan Herta and race engineer Steve Newey... |
12 | Running | 4 | 0 |
| 7 | 38 | Graham Rahal Graham Rahal Graham Rahal is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.-Early racing:... |
Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
12 | Running | 8 | 0 |
| 8 | 28 | Ryan Hunter-Reay Ryan Hunter-Reay Ryan Hunter-Reay is a professional American race car driver best known as the only driver to have won races in each of North America's top open wheel formulas, CART the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series... |
Andretti Autosport | 12 | Running | 7 | 0 |
| 9 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves is a Brazilian auto racing driver currently competing in the North American IndyCar Series. In IndyCar competition, Castroneves has 14 wins and 28 poles, and has never placed lower than sixth in the standings in a complete season of racing... |
Team Penske Penske Racing Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske... |
12 | Running | 11 | 0 |
| 10 | 06 | James Hinchcliffe James Hinchcliffe James Hinchcliffe is a Canadian race car driver from Oakville, Ontario currently competing in the IndyCar Series.-Early racing:... (R) |
Newman/Haas Racing | 12 | Running | 14 | 0 |
| 11 | 5 | Takuma Sato Takuma Sato is a Japanese automobile racing driver and the most successful Japanese Formula One driver in history. He is currently racing for KV Racing Technology in IndyCar Series under the Lotus banner.-Junior Years:... |
KV Racing Technology – Lotus Lotus Cars Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics... |
12 | Running | 16 | 0 |
| 12 | 7 | Danica Patrick Danica Patrick Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd... |
Andretti Autosport | 12 | Running | 9 | 0 |
| 13 | 9 | Scott Dixon Scott Dixon Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins... |
Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
12 | Running | 13 | 0 |
| 14 | 10 | Dario Franchitti Dario Franchitti George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing... |
Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
12 | Running | 18 | 0 |
| 15 | 34 | Sebastián Saavedra Sebastian Saavedra Sebastian Saavedra is a Colombian racing driver of Portuguese and Korean origin from Bogotá.-early career:After a childhood in karting, Saavedra drove in Formula BMW USA for Gelles Racing, finishing 11th in points. He also drove in two races in Formula BMW ADAC and competed in the Formula BMW... (R) |
Conquest Racing | 12 | Running | 19 | 0 |
| 16 | 27 | Mike Conway Mike Conway Mike Conway, born 19 August 1983, is a British racing driver. He lives in Sevenoaks, Kent and is currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series.- Biography :Conway who was born in Bromley, Kent, England attended Sevenoaks Prep School from 1986 to 1996.... |
Andretti Autosport | 12 | Running | 10 | 0 |
| 17 | 78 | Simona De Silvestro Simona de Silvestro Simona de Silvestro is a Swiss race car driver from Thun, Switzerland. She is currently competing for HVM Racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series... |
HVM Racing | 12 | Running | 30 | 0 |
| 18 | 24 | Ana Beatriz Bia Figueiredo Ana "Bia" Beatriz Caselato Gomes de Figueiredo is a Brazilian racing driver currently competing in the IZOD Indycar Series. Bia, as she is known by friends and fans, won her first Indy Lights race at Nashville Superspeedway on 12 July 2008, becoming the first woman to win a race in the Indy Lights... (R) |
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is an American motor racing team in the open wheel Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, with one series win by co-owner Robbie Buhl, who owns the team with Indianapolis BMW, Infiniti, Volkswagen and Maserati dealer Dennis Reinbold.... |
12 | Running | 29 | 0 |
| 19 | 11 | Davey Hamilton Davey Hamilton Davey Jay Hamilton is a race car driver in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. He has made 50 series starts and while never winning a race, finished second 3 times... |
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is an American motor racing team in the open wheel Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, with one series win by co-owner Robbie Buhl, who owns the team with Indianapolis BMW, Infiniti, Volkswagen and Maserati dealer Dennis Reinbold.... |
12 | Running | 24 | 0 |
| 20 | 18 | James Jakes James Jakes - T-Cars :Jakes started his racing career in 2002 competing in 5 rounds of the T-Car Championship. In 2003 James continued in T-cars, finishing 2nd in the championship.- Formula Renault :... (R) |
Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing is a motorsports team in the IndyCar Series owned by former driver Dale Coyne. It was founded in 1986 with Chicago Bears great Walter Payton as Payton/Coyne Racing. The team fields the No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts and No... |
11 | In Pits | 32 | 0 |
| 21 | 14 | Vitor Meira Vitor Meira Vitor Meira is an auto racing driver currently competing in the IndyCar Series. He has twice finished second in the Indianapolis 500.... |
A. J. Foyt Enterprises A. J. Foyt Enterprises A.J. Foyt Enterprises is a racing team in the IZOD Indycar Series and formerly NASCAR. It is owned by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt. Foyt Enterprises won IRL titles in 1996 with Scott Sharp and 1998 with Kenny Bräck, the latter driver also winning the Indianapolis 500 for the team... |
11 | In Pits | 25 | 0 |
| 22 | 17 | Wade Cunningham Wade Cunningham Wade Cunningham is a racing driver from Auckland, New Zealand who has most notably competed in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.Cunningham's professional career began when he won the Karting World Championship in 2003.... (R) |
AFS Racing AFS Racing AFS Racing is a professional racing team participating in the IndyCar Series and previously the Firestone Indy Lights series. It is owned by Gary Peterson, the founder of Automatic Fire Sprinklers for which it is named, and is based in Huntington Beach, California.-Indy Lights:The team was founded... /Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt.... |
10 | Contact | 12 | 0 |
| 23 | 4 | J. R. Hildebrand J. R. Hildebrand John R. Hildebrand Jr. is an American race car driver. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series; driving the #4 National Guard car for Panther Racing. Hildebrand's nickname is Captain America... (R) |
Panther Racing Panther Racing Panther Racing is an American open wheel auto racing team. It is one of the oldest continually operating teams in Indy Racing League LLC's IZOD IndyCar Series.... |
10 | Contact | 15 | 0 |
| 24 | 22 | Townsend Bell Townsend Bell Townsend Bell is a motor racing driver. He is married to actress Heather Campbell.He won the last Indy Lights championship in 2001 and was given two starts in a Champ Car in a joint effort between Patrick Racing and Dale Coyne Racing as a test for a full-time seat in 2002. He earned Roberto... |
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is an American motor racing team in the open wheel Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, with one series win by co-owner Robbie Buhl, who owns the team with Indianapolis BMW, Infiniti, Volkswagen and Maserati dealer Dennis Reinbold.... |
10 | Contact | 22 | 0 |
| 25 | 15 | Jay Howard Jay Howard Jay Howard is an English professional race car driver who competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 and resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. Howard was the 2005 U.S... |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | 10 | Contact | 27 | 0 |
| 26 | 57 | Tomas Scheckter Tomas Scheckter Tomas Scheckter is a South African racing driver, born in Monte Carlo. He is the son of 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter.-Early years:... |
Sarah Fisher Racing Sarah Fisher Racing Sarah Fisher Racing is an auto racing team that competes in the IRL IZOD IndyCar Series, founded in January 2008. The team has one driver, Ed Carpenter.-2008 IndyCar Series:... |
10 | Contact | 23 | 0 |
| 27 | 83 | Charlie Kimball Charlie Kimball Charlie Kimball is an Anglo-American racecar driver currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing.-2002–2005:... (R) |
Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
10 | Contact | 21 | 0 |
| 28 | 8 | Paul Tracy Paul Tracy Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series... |
Dragon Racing | 10 | Contact | 26 | 0 |
| 29 | 59 | E. J. Viso E. J. Viso Ernesto José Viso Lossada is a Venezuelan race car driver. He is commonly referred to as Ernesto Viso or, since his move to American racing, E. J. Viso.... |
KV Racing Technology – Lotus Lotus Cars Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics... |
10 | Contact | 31 | 0 |
| 30 | 77 | Dan Wheldon Dan Wheldon Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011... |
Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt.... |
10 | Contact | 34 | 0 |
| 31 | 19 | Alex Lloyd Alex Lloyd (racing driver) Alex Stewart Lloyd is a British motor racing driver. He currently takes part in the IndyCar Series... |
Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing is a motorsports team in the IndyCar Series owned by former driver Dale Coyne. It was founded in 1986 with Chicago Bears great Walter Payton as Payton/Coyne Racing. The team fields the No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts and No... |
10 | Contact | 20 | 0 |
| 33 | 30 | Pippa Mann Pippa Mann Philippa "Pippa" Mann is a British racing car driver, who is currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series. She was born in London, United Kingdom.- Career :... (R) |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | 10 | Contact | 28 | 0 |
| 33 | 12 | Will Power Will Power William Steven Power is an Australian motorsport driver, who currently competes in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, driving for Team Penske.-Australian Racing:... |
Team Penske Penske Racing Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske... |
10 | Contact | 17 | 0 |
| 34 | 44 | Buddy Rice Buddy Rice Buddy Rice is an American racecar driver. He is best known for winning the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona for Brumos Racing.-Early career:... |
Panther Racing Panther Racing Panther Racing is an American open wheel auto racing team. It is one of the oldest continually operating teams in Indy Racing League LLC's IZOD IndyCar Series.... |
10 | Contact | 33 | 0 |
Lap 11 incident
The accident began on the front stretch, approaching the first turn when James HinchcliffeJames Hinchcliffe
James Hinchcliffe is a Canadian race car driver from Oakville, Ontario currently competing in the IndyCar Series.-Early racing:...
was clipped by Wade Cunningham
Wade Cunningham
Wade Cunningham is a racing driver from Auckland, New Zealand who has most notably competed in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.Cunningham's professional career began when he won the Karting World Championship in 2003....
. Cunningham and J. R. Hildebrand
J. R. Hildebrand
John R. Hildebrand Jr. is an American race car driver. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series; driving the #4 National Guard car for Panther Racing. Hildebrand's nickname is Captain America...
then made contact when Cunningham swerved and Hildebrand drove over the rear of his car. Hildebrand's car became airborne and Cunningham collected Jay Howard
Jay Howard
Jay Howard is an English professional race car driver who competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 and resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. Howard was the 2005 U.S...
on the inside and then Townsend Bell
Townsend Bell
Townsend Bell is a motor racing driver. He is married to actress Heather Campbell.He won the last Indy Lights championship in 2001 and was given two starts in a Champ Car in a joint effort between Patrick Racing and Dale Coyne Racing as a test for a full-time seat in 2002. He earned Roberto...
on the outside before crashing into the wall. Attempting to avoid the crash ahead, Vitor Meira
Vitor Meira
Vitor Meira is an auto racing driver currently competing in the IndyCar Series. He has twice finished second in the Indianapolis 500....
lost control, spinning inward collecting both Charlie Kimball
Charlie Kimball
Charlie Kimball is an Anglo-American racecar driver currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing.-2002–2005:...
and E. J. Viso
E. J. Viso
Ernesto José Viso Lossada is a Venezuelan race car driver. He is commonly referred to as Ernesto Viso or, since his move to American racing, E. J. Viso....
, resulting in Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
's car launching over the top of Kimball's. At the same time Meira lost control, Tomas Scheckter
Tomas Scheckter
Tomas Scheckter is a South African racing driver, born in Monte Carlo. He is the son of 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter.-Early years:...
was also attempting to avoid the first crash by rapidly slowing down on the outside. This led to Paul Tracy
Paul Tracy
Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series...
crashing into the back of Scheckter and a rapidly approaching Pippa Mann to launch over the top of Tracy after jerking to the outside to avoid crashing into Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd (racing driver)
Alex Stewart Lloyd is a British motor racing driver. He currently takes part in the IndyCar Series...
. Behind all of this was Will Power
Will Power
William Steven Power is an Australian motorsport driver, who currently competes in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, driving for Team Penske.-Australian Racing:...
who hit Lloyd hard and went airborne as well. Finally as Meira was coming to a rest against the inside guardrail, a slowly approaching Buddy Rice
Buddy Rice
Buddy Rice is an American racecar driver. He is best known for winning the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona for Brumos Racing.-Early career:...
ran over a piece of debris causing him to collide into Meira.
Wheldon's car was launched into the air, barrel-rolling and flying into the catch fencing on the outside of the second turn with the cockpit impacting the fence. A total of fifteen cars were involved in the accident, with the most severe injuries suffered by Wheldon, Power, Hildebrand, and Mann. Wheldon's injuries were severe enough that he was unable to exit the car without assistance and he was airlifted to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, where he was pronounced dead at 1:54 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
. His official cause of death was given by the Clark County Coroner as blunt force trauma
Blunt trauma
In medical terminology, blunt trauma, blunt injury, non-penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma refers to a type of physical trauma caused to a body part, either by impact, injury or physical attack; the latter usually being referred to as blunt force trauma...
due to a motor vehicle collision. Mann and Hildebrand were later taken to the hospital for overnight observation, while Power was evaluated and released that day. Tracy, Viso, and Scheckter suffered minor injuries, but were treated at the track.
The caution flag was thrown but track officials elected to throw the red flag after one additional lap had been completed due to the extent of the accident and the damage it caused. Tony Kanaan
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara...
was scored as the leader, and among the drivers who avoided the crash were Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
, championship leader Dario Franchitti
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
, and Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
. Track maintenance crew began working to repair the track, which included patching several holes the crashing cars had put in the asphalt and repairing the sections of catch fencing that had been damaged when Wheldon and Power hit the fence.
While track repair work continued, concern began to grow over the condition of Wheldon as well as whether or not the race would be able to continue. Approximately two hours into the red flag several drivers and car owners, including Michael Andretti
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
who spoke with ABC afterward, were seen going into the IndyCar Series hauler in the infield wondering what was going on and whether or not the race would be resumed. Several minutes later IndyCar director Brian Barnhart
Brian Barnhart
Brian Barnhart is the President of Race Operations of IndyCar . Having previously served as director of race operations for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IRL, he is charged with primarily the safety and competition of the racing...
called a drivers' meeting to be held in the track's media center. While nothing was revealed to the television audience as to the reason for the meeting or what the drivers were told, it was generally assumed that they had been told of Wheldon's status and then decided whether or not to go on with the remaining 187 laps of the event. After the meeting adjourned an emotional Bernard relayed the following to a hastily called press conference:
ABC did not cut into the press conference until after the announcement, and lap-by-lap commentator Marty Reid
Marty Reid
Marty Reid is an American television sportscaster who has worked for ESPN since 1982.Reid is currently the lead television announcer for ESPN on ABC's coverage of the IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500, and was the lead announcer for ESPN and ABC's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage for the...
relayed word of Wheldon's death to the audience:
At the end of the ABC broadcast, Reid closed his commentary with:
Nineteen of the cars – not including Wheldon's team-mate Alex Tagliani
Alex Tagliani
Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:...
– that were not damaged in the accident took to the track again several minutes after the announcement, running in the traditional Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
start formation at pace-lap speed for five laps as a mark of respect. The track took down all the car numbers from the scoring tower and placed Wheldon's car number at the top. "Danny Boy
Danny Boy
-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" and "Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
" were played at varying intervals on the Bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
while the cars went around the track.
As Reid noted in his report, Wheldon's death was the first suffered by an IndyCar driver since Paul Dana
Paul Dana
Paul Dana was an American race car driver in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series.-Early life:Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Dana graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Before becoming a race driver, he worked as a mechanic, a private racing coach, a driving...
was killed in a race morning practice crash at Homestead-Miami in 2006. His death was also the first major racing series fatality at any American motorsports facility since Scott Kalitta
Scott Kalitta
Scott Kalitta was an American drag racer who competed in the Funny Car and Top Fuel classes in the National Hot Rod Association Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. He was killed at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, after an accident during qualifying...
was killed at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, originally known as Madison Township Raceway Park, is an American auto racing facility. It is located on 230 Pension Road in Old Bridge Township, near Englishtown, New Jersey, just off of County Route 527...
in New Jersey in 2008, and was the first in-race IndyCar fatality since the death of Greg Moore in the 1999 CART season finale
1999 Marlboro 500
The 1999 Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota was held on October 31, 1999, at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California and it was the final race of the 1999 CART World Series season but mostly remembered of the fatal accident of Greg Moore. Scott Pruett won the pole of the event with the time of...
at Auto Club Speedway.
Drivers involved in accident
| Number | Driver | Team | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77 | Dan Wheldon Dan Wheldon Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011... |
Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt.... |
Suffered blunt force trauma Blunt trauma In medical terminology, blunt trauma, blunt injury, non-penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma refers to a type of physical trauma caused to a body part, either by impact, injury or physical attack; the latter usually being referred to as blunt force trauma... injuries to head, died in hospital. |
| 4 | J. R. Hildebrand J. R. Hildebrand John R. Hildebrand Jr. is an American race car driver. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series; driving the #4 National Guard car for Panther Racing. Hildebrand's nickname is Captain America... |
Panther Racing Panther Racing Panther Racing is an American open wheel auto racing team. It is one of the oldest continually operating teams in Indy Racing League LLC's IZOD IndyCar Series.... |
Bruised sternum, held for overnight observation in hospital and released next day. |
| 30 | Pippa Mann Pippa Mann Philippa "Pippa" Mann is a British racing car driver, who is currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series. She was born in London, United Kingdom.- Career :... |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Severely burned right hand, held for overnight observation in hospital and released next day. Underwent skin graft surgery on October 26, 2011 to repair damage. |
| 12 | Will Power Will Power William Steven Power is an Australian motorsport driver, who currently competes in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, driving for Team Penske.-Australian Racing:... |
Team Penske Penske Racing Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske... |
Compression fracture Compression fracture A compression fracture is a collapse of a vertebra. It may be due to trauma or due to a weakened vertebra. This weakening is seen patients with osteoporosis or osteogenesis imperfecta, lytic lesions from metastatic or primary tumors, or infection. In healthy patients it is most often seen in... of fourth thoracic vertebrae Thoracic vertebrae In human anatomy, twelve thoracic vertebrae compose the middle segment of the vertebral column, between the cervical vertebrae and the lumbar vertebrae. They are intermediate in size between those of the cervical and lumbar regions; they increase in size as one proceeds down the spine, the upper... , treated at hospital and released same day. Diagnosis not made for several days after, scheduled to undergo surgery. |
| 57 | Tomas Scheckter Tomas Scheckter Tomas Scheckter is a South African racing driver, born in Monte Carlo. He is the son of 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter.-Early years:... |
Sarah Fisher Racing Sarah Fisher Racing Sarah Fisher Racing is an auto racing team that competes in the IRL IZOD IndyCar Series, founded in January 2008. The team has one driver, Ed Carpenter.-2008 IndyCar Series:... |
Treated at circuit per IndyCar regulations. |
| 8 | Paul Tracy Paul Tracy Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series... |
Dragon Racing | |
| 59 | E. J. Viso E. J. Viso Ernesto José Viso Lossada is a Venezuelan race car driver. He is commonly referred to as Ernesto Viso or, since his move to American racing, E. J. Viso.... |
KV Racing Technology | |
| 22 | Townsend Bell Townsend Bell Townsend Bell is a motor racing driver. He is married to actress Heather Campbell.He won the last Indy Lights championship in 2001 and was given two starts in a Champ Car in a joint effort between Patrick Racing and Dale Coyne Racing as a test for a full-time seat in 2002. He earned Roberto... |
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is an American motor racing team in the open wheel Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, with one series win by co-owner Robbie Buhl, who owns the team with Indianapolis BMW, Infiniti, Volkswagen and Maserati dealer Dennis Reinbold.... |
|
| 17 | Wade Cunningham Wade Cunningham Wade Cunningham is a racing driver from Auckland, New Zealand who has most notably competed in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.Cunningham's professional career began when he won the Karting World Championship in 2003.... |
Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt.... |
|
| 15 | Jay Howard Jay Howard Jay Howard is an English professional race car driver who competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 and resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. Howard was the 2005 U.S... |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | |
| 18 | James Jakes James Jakes - T-Cars :Jakes started his racing career in 2002 competing in 5 rounds of the T-Car Championship. In 2003 James continued in T-cars, finishing 2nd in the championship.- Formula Renault :... |
Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing is a motorsports team in the IndyCar Series owned by former driver Dale Coyne. It was founded in 1986 with Chicago Bears great Walter Payton as Payton/Coyne Racing. The team fields the No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts and No... |
|
| 83 | Charlie Kimball Charlie Kimball Charlie Kimball is an Anglo-American racecar driver currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing.-2002–2005:... |
Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
|
| 19 | Alex Lloyd Alex Lloyd (racing driver) Alex Stewart Lloyd is a British motor racing driver. He currently takes part in the IndyCar Series... |
Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing is a motorsports team in the IndyCar Series owned by former driver Dale Coyne. It was founded in 1986 with Chicago Bears great Walter Payton as Payton/Coyne Racing. The team fields the No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts and No... |
|
| 14 | Vitor Meira Vitor Meira Vitor Meira is an auto racing driver currently competing in the IndyCar Series. He has twice finished second in the Indianapolis 500.... |
A. J. Foyt Enterprises A. J. Foyt Enterprises A.J. Foyt Enterprises is a racing team in the IZOD Indycar Series and formerly NASCAR. It is owned by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt. Foyt Enterprises won IRL titles in 1996 with Scott Sharp and 1998 with Kenny Bräck, the latter driver also winning the Indianapolis 500 for the team... |
|
| 44 | Buddy Rice Buddy Rice Buddy Rice is an American racecar driver. He is best known for winning the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona for Brumos Racing.-Early career:... |
Panther Racing Panther Racing Panther Racing is an American open wheel auto racing team. It is one of the oldest continually operating teams in Indy Racing League LLC's IZOD IndyCar Series.... |
Championship resolution
Franchitti claimed the championship after the accident as no points were awarded and he was the points leader before the race. This was Franchitti's third consecutive championship and fourth overall. As Power suffered severe car damage in the lap 11 crash, Franchitti would have won the championship regardless if the race had continued.Reactions
At the time of his death, Wheldon had been working with IndyCar officials to develop the ICONIC chassis2012 IndyCar Series season
The 2012 Izod IndyCar Series season will be the 101st season of American open wheel racing. Its premier event will be the 96th Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday, May 27.-The ICONIC Project:...
, with the intention of improving safety in the sport. Planned changes to the chassis include larger cockpits for driver protection and bodywork over the rear wheels to prevent cars from launching off one another in the event of a collision, long a problem in open-wheel racing, regardless of oval or road course, but troublesome on high-speed ovals and tight street circuits with a long straight and a tight turn, similar to the style of many modern road courses.
Prominent figures within the IndyCar fraternity and the wider international motorsport community expressed their condolences to Wheldon and his family. Wheldon had been scheduled to take part in the Gold Coast 600, a round of the V8 Supercars championship
2011 International V8 Supercars Championship
The 2011 International V8 Supercar Championship is an FIA sanctioned international motor racing series for V8 Supercars. It is the thirteenth V8 Supercar Championship Series and the fifteenth series in which V8 Supercars have contested the premier Australian touring car title. It is the first since...
, on October 22, racing alongside his friend James Courtney
James Courtney
James Courtney is an Australian racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar Championship. He is the current Australian Touring Car Champion after winning the 2010 title for Dick Johnson Racing....
. Upon hearing of Wheldon's death, Courtney described the accident as a sobering reminder of the dangers faced by racing drivers. As the first major international motorsport event after Wheldon's death, organisers of the V8 Supercars series planned a series of tributes to him at the Gold Coast 600. Wheldon's place was taken by another British driver, Darren Turner
Darren Turner
Darren Turner is an English racing driver. He was McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year in 1996. He is a former test driver for the McLaren Formula One team, but has raced primarily in touring cars and sportscars since 2000. He spent 2 years in the DTM for Keke Rosberg's...
, an FIA GT1 World Championship
FIA GT1 World Championship
The FIA GT1 World Championship is a world championship sports car racing series developed by the SRO Group and regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . It features multiple grand tourer race cars based on production road cars and conforming with the GT1 regulations competing in...
competitor. Wheldon's name was left on the car as a mark of respect, while British drivers at the event paid tribute to him with helmet decals, and several other drivers planned individual tributes to Wheldon. Tony Kanaan
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara...
, who had also been scheduled to race in Australia, announced his withdrawal from the event out of respect for Wheldon. However, Ryan Briscoe
Ryan Briscoe
Ryan Briscoe is an Australian auto racing driver who has raced open wheel and sports cars in Europe and America.In addition to his native English, Briscoe speaks Italian and French...
, Alex Tagliani
Alex Tagliani
Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:...
, and Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves is a Brazilian auto racing driver currently competing in the North American IndyCar Series. In IndyCar competition, Castroneves has 14 wins and 28 poles, and has never placed lower than sixth in the standings in a complete season of racing...
, all of whom raced at Las Vegas, along with other part-time IndyCar drivers Sébastien Bourdais
Sébastien Bourdais
Sébastien Olivier Bourdais is a French race car driver. He is one of the most successful drivers in the history of the Champ Car World Series, having won four successive championships from 2004 to 2007....
and Simon Pagenaud
Simon Pagenaud
Simon Pagenaud is a French race car driver born in Poitiers. He currently races in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.-Career:...
, who were not at Las Vegas, will race. Sam Schmidt
Sam Schmidt
Sam Schmidt is a former Indy Racing League driver and current IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series team owner....
, for whom Wheldon had been racing at the time of his accident, admitted that the events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway had prompted him to re-evaluate his involvement in motorsports. Similarly, veteran drivers Davey Hamilton
Davey Hamilton
Davey Jay Hamilton is a race car driver in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. He has made 50 series starts and while never winning a race, finished second 3 times...
and Paul Tracy
Paul Tracy
Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series...
said they were considering retiring from racing on the back of the accident.
Criticism
In the build-up to the race, several drivers expressed unease at the race – with Dario FranchittiDario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
, Oriol Servià
Oriol Servia
Oriol Servià i Imbers is a race car driver in the IndyCar Series, originally from Catalonia, Spain. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.-Early career:...
and Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd (racing driver)
Alex Stewart Lloyd is a British motor racing driver. He currently takes part in the IndyCar Series...
the most vocal opponents – particularly given the high degree of banking around the circuit; with between 18 and 20 degrees of banking in the corners Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
has the second-highest corner banking of any circuit on the IndyCar schedule, with only Texas
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
at 24 degrees having steeper banking. Franchitti was quoted as saying that the track was "not suitable" for IndyCar racing, while championship rival Will Power
Will Power
William Steven Power is an Australian motorsport driver, who currently competes in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, driving for Team Penske.-Australian Racing:...
– himself a staunch critic of short-track oval racing – described the race as "an accident waiting to happen".
The field of 34 drivers was the biggest in an IndyCar series race in 14 years. A typical oval track race has 6 to 8 fewer drivers, except for the Indianapolis 500, which normally has a 33-car field. ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
senior motorsports writer Terry Blount wrote: "Obviously more cars presents more danger. They wanted a whole lot of cars cause obviously this is their season finale and they wanted it to be a big deal. Some of the people that were driving in this event yesterday had no business being in it. Some of them had never driven on a track like this. That was a mistake". Chris Powell, president of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, defended the race, saying that the circuit had passed all of the IndyCar Series' accreditation procedures and was deemed suitable for racing. He also went on the record to say that despite the media reporting the concerns of several drivers over the safety of the event, none of those concerns had been raised with him.
Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter
Jody Scheckter
Jody David Scheckter is a South African former auto racing driver, the Formula One World Drivers Champion.-Career:Scheckter was born in East London, South Africa and educated at Selborne College.-Formula One:...
, whose son Tomas
Tomas Scheckter
Tomas Scheckter is a South African racing driver, born in Monte Carlo. He is the son of 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter.-Early years:...
was injured in the accident, was highly critical of the series organisers, stating that a serious accident was "inevitable" as "they were basically touching wheels at 220 mi/h. They all bunch up together so there are thirty-four cars in a small space of track. One person makes a mistake and this happens. You [shouldn't] have to get killed if you make a mistake. It was madness." Former Formula One and IndyCar driver Mark Blundell
Mark Blundell
Mark Blundell is a Formula One, sports car, and CART racing driver. He was a Formula One presenter for the British broadcaster ITV until the end of the 2008 season when the TV broadcasting rights switched to the BBC....
agreed, claiming that the Las Vegas circuit was unsuitable for IndyCar racing – this was the last race for the Dallara IR05 – while NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports....
called for the series to leave oval racing altogether, though he clarified his statement by saying that the open-wheel type cars on a resurfaced 1.5 mi (2.4 km) track built for stock cars was a bad idea. However, former champion Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
said that the accident was a "freakish" one-off incident and that facilities at the circuit were adequate for racing. While he admitted surprise that more drivers were not seriously injured, he also cautioned against what he called "knee-jerk reactions" to the accident, calling for any changes to the sport to be carefully considered before being introduced, rather than being rushed into action. Former FIA
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
President Max Mosley
Max Mosley
Max Rufus Mosley is the former president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organisations and car users worldwide...
, a long-time advocate of increased safety in motorsport, agreed with Andretti, urging a "calm and scientific" approach to any proposed changes, particularly when asked about the proposed introduction of closed canopies for open-wheel racing cars.
The five million dollar prize was also the subject of criticism in that a driver inexperienced in driving IndyCars would have a higher risk of causing a crash, though Formula One driver Anthony Davidson
Anthony Davidson
Anthony Denis Davidson is a British former Formula One racing driver from England, born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. He has raced for Minardi, Super Aguri and been a test and/or reserve driver for the British American Racing, Honda and Brawn GP teams...
downplayed the influence of the prize in causing the accident, stating that racing drivers by their nature try to win every race, whether they start from first or last. Many short track races in the United States offer a cash or points bonus where a driver who wins the pole and starts last can collect a cash bonus for winning; this was used at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in the "Night Before F1" midget car
Midget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
race where the winner of the first feature race started last for the second in a reverse-grid race, and a driver who starts last by winning the first feature, starting last, and winning the second feature wins a cash bonus. Some series offer a point bonus for the driver who makes up the most positions in a race.
In the days following the incident, it was learned that two additional drivers had been approached to try for the $5 million challenge prize. One was NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver Scott Speed
Scott Speed
Scott Andrew Speed is an American race car driver. Formerly a driver for the Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 team, he made his Formula One race debut at the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix; becoming the first American to race in F1 since Michael Andretti in 1993...
, who previously ran open-wheel Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
cars for Scuderia Toro Rosso
Scuderia Toro Rosso
Scuderia Toro Rosso , also known simply as Toro Rosso or by its abbreviation STR, is an Italian Formula One racing team...
and who had raced on the reconfigured LVMS track in the Craftsman Truck Series for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports in 2008 and for Team Red Bull in the Sprint Cup Series in 2009 and 2010. Speed, in an interview he gave to Inside Edition
Inside Edition
Inside Edition is a thirty-minute American television syndicated news program, first aired on CBS on October 9, 1988. It was originally similar to the programs Hard Copy and A Current Affair, but now more closely resembles a condensed version of breakfast television, exclusively with pre-recorded...
on October 18, 2011, said that he declined to take the offer saying that the track conditions were too dangerous for Indy-type cars. Finnish media reported that Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen
Kimi Räikkönen
Kimi Matias Räikkönen , nicknamed Iceman, is a Finnish racing driver, who will drive in Formula One for Lotus in . After nine seasons racing in Formula One, in which he took the Formula One World Drivers' Championship, he competed in the World Rally Championship from 2009-2011.Räikkönen entered...
, who is currently splitting time between the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
and NASCAR, had also been approached to take part in the race, but Räikkönen rejected the offer as he was not confident of having a competitive car, rather than having concerns over safety.
Investigation
Three days after the accident, series organizers announced that the race would be the subject of a full investigation. The other members of the Automobile Competition Committee for the United StatesAutomobile Competition Committee for the United States
The Automobile Competition Committee for the United States is an umbrella organization of auto racing sanctioning bodies in the United States. It is the official liaison of U.S. sanctioning bodies to the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile...
(ACCUS), the national governing body of automobile racing in the United States and a member of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
(FIA), made their resources available for the investigation, which IndyCar officials expect to take several weeks. As all ACCUS/FIA members are participating in the investigation, IndyCar will have full use of the NASCAR R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina
Concord, North Carolina
Concord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. According to Census 2010, the city has a current population of 79,066. It is the largest city in Cabarrus County and is the county seat. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area...
. In the meantime, all testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was cancelled indefinitely; Dario Franchitti
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
and Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
had been planning to test the 2012-spec Dallara chassis at the circuit in the week following the race.
See also
- Firestone Firehawk 600Firestone Firehawk 600The Firestone Firehawk 600 was a CART series race scheduled for April 29, 2001 at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. It was scheduled for 250 laps around the oval at TMS...