LAS VEGAS — Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after his car became entangled in a fiery 15-car pileup, flew over another vehicle and landed in a catch fence just outside Turn 2.
The 33-year-old racer was a two-time Indy winner, including this year’s race.
Three other drivers, including championship contender Will Power, were hurt in the pileup during Lap 11.
Wheldon was airlifted from the track to University Medical Center; about two hours later, his colleagues were told of his death.
“IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries,” IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. IndyCar, its drivers and owners, have decided to end the race.”
In his honor, drivers, many sobbing, took part in a five-lap salute around the 1 1/2-mile oval.
“One minute you’re joking around at driver intros. The next, Dan’s gone,” Dario Franchitti said. “I lost, we lost, a good friend. Everybody in the IndyCar series considered him a friend. He was such a good guy. He was a charmer.”
The race was only minutes old when Wheldon, who started at the back of the 34-car field and was in position for a $5 million payday if he had won, couldn’t steer clear of a wreck that started when two cars touched tires.
Within seconds, several cars burst into flames and debris covered the track nearly halfway up the straightaway. Some points of impact were so devastating that workers had to patch holes in the asphalt.
Video replays showed Wheldon’s car turning over as it went airborne and sailed into the catch fence, which sits over a barrier that’s designed to give a bit when cars make contact. Rescue workers were at Wheldon’s car quickly, some furiously waving for more help to get to the scene.
“I’ll tell you, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Ryan Briscoe said. “The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from ‘Terminator’ or something.”
Also injured in the crash were JR Hildebrand and Pippa Mann. Both remained in a hospital overnight. IndyCar said Mann was being treated for a burn to her right pinkie finger and will be released this morning; Hildebrand was awake and alert but was held overnight for further evaluation. Power was evaluated and released. An autopsy was planned today for Wheldon.
The accident appeared to start when Wade Cunningham’s car swerved and Hildebrand drove over the left rear of Cunningham’s car. Hildebrand appeared to go airborne, and Cunningham’s car shot up into the wall, setting off a chain reaction.
There was so much chaos on the track, it was hard to tell who was driving which car. Power appeared to fly over Alex Lloyd’s car, rolling into the catch fence and landing on its right side. His in-car camera showed one of the front tires coming toward him in the cockpit.
Wheldon then appeared to drive over a car driven by Paul Tracy, who seemed to be slowing down. Wheldon went airborne and spun into the fence.
Wheldon, who came to the United States from England in 1999, won 16 times in his IndyCar career and was the series champion in 2005.
Despite winning the Indy 500, Wheldon didn’t have a full-time ride this season and was testing the 2012 cars that included new safety features. He landed in this race thanks to Bernard’s promise of $5 million to any moonlighting driver who could win the IndyCar season finale at Vegas.
Drivers had been concerned about the high speeds at the track, where they were hitting nearly 225 mph during practice.
Other notable motorsports deaths
Indy Racing League
March 26, 2006: Former motorsports journalist Paul Dana, 30, died during the warm-up for the season-opening Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After Ed Carpenter’s car hit a wall and slid to a stop, Dana slammed into it at nearly 200 mph, his car nearly splitting in half. The chassis flew off the ground and turned over before landing on its wheels.
Oct. 22, 2003: Tony Renna, 26, died after a crash during testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He lost control at nearly 220 mph, went airborne and crashed into a fence.
May 17, 1996: Scott Brayton, 37, died during practice for the Indy 500. Drayton, who had earlier won the pole, had his right rear tire go flat and his car went careening in a wall at more than 230 mph.
NASCAR
Tommy Baldwin, 2004, Thompson, Conn.
John Baker, 2002, Irwindale, Calif.
Dale Earnhardt, 2001, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Tony Roper, 2000, Fort Worth, Texas
Kenny Irwin, 2000, Loudon, N.H.
Adam Petty, 2000, Loudon, N.H.
John Nemechek, 1997, Homestead, Fla.
Rodney Orr, 1994, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Neil Bonnett, 1994, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Clifford Allison, 1992, Brooklyn, Mich.
J.D. McDuffie, 1991, Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Grant Adcox, 1989, Hampton, Ga.
CART
Greg Moore, 1999, Fontana, Calif.
Gonzalo Rodriguez, 1999, Monterey, Calif.
Jeff Krosnoff, 1996, Toronto
Jovy Marcelo, 1992, Indianapolis
Gordon Smiley, 1982, Indianapolis
FORMULA ONE
Ayrton Senna, 1994, Imola, Italy
Roland Ratzenberger, 1994, Imola, Italy
Ricardo Paletti, 1982, Montreal
Gilles Villeneuve, 1982, Spa Francorchamps, Belgium
IRL
Dan Wheldon, 2011, Las Vegas
Paul Dana, 2006, Miami
Tony Renna, 2003, Indianapolis
Scott Brayton, 1996, Indianapolis
NHRA
Mark Niver, 2010, Kent, Wash.
Neal Parker, 2010, Old Bridge, N.J.
Scott Kalitta, 2008, Englishtown, N.J.
Darrell Russell, 2004, Madison, Ill.
ARCA
Eric Martin, 2002, Concord, N.C.
Blaise Alexander, 2001, Concord, N.C.
