The worst has happened.

[PRB]

I feared this, after watching the reaction on TV over the past couple hours. Dan Wheldon is gone. RIP...

[Daveroo]

just horrible.....he will be missed...our sport dosent need crashes like this

[Panther_99FS]

Yes,
I watched the whole thing live yesterday very surreal - definite tragedy for his family, the sport, and fans.....

[Cazzie]

Indy Cars have no business on a track as backed as Vegas. Sad, Dan was pone of the good guys. But that track led to that wreck, they do not need to be on a banked track of that size.

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

Very sad... RIP Dan! My heart goes out to his wife, 2 small children and all the others who held him dear.

I saw the replays and they made me sick. It was crazy! Danica said she saw how crazy it was going to be and backed off. I'll be very curious to see the analysis of this tragedy. I don't think any particular driver was at fault - maybe just the culmination of the last race of the year, a five million dollar bonus (give it to Dan's survivors), lots of cars, a flat track, a tight points race, Danica's final and on a track that hadn't seen Indy cars in years. Terribly tragic!

I was bummed about Jimmie but that is small potatoes compared to this.

-Ed-

[Terry]

Perhaps after enough people die we'll get back Indy CARS instead of these inverted AIRCRAFT. Ban the wings!!!!

[wombat666]

"Motor Racing Is Dangerous".
That has always been a given and it should remain so.
Sad to lose another open wheel racer but it happens.
:kilroy:

[Panther_99FS]

Lots of moving parts here but for the most part, the insiders have it right.
And that is:

Baseline Problem: There is no separation

-The cars have too little horsepower.
--They don't have to lift since they run flat out

Back in the CART days, the 900+ HP cars were able to run ovals (not the NASCAR 1.5 miles though) because:
-They achieved separation
-That had tons of horsepower which required drivers to lift

[Panther_99FS]

Addendum:

Ovals:
-CARTs glory days on ovals included Nazareth, Milwaukee, Pocono, & Phoenix.
-CART refused to run Texas - some feel that this was the warning for the mile-1.5 NASCAR tri-ovals.