Dan Wheldon, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, died after sustaining injuries to his head from a 15-car pile-up at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, Clark County, Nev., Coroner Michael Murphy confirmed.
Wheldon drove into a 15-car pile-up that resulted in his car slamming into another and catapulting into a catch fence, cockpit-first, where it burst into flames. He was declared dead at 1:54 p.m. at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, where he was airlifted to after the crash.
His death was declared an accident, following the postmortem reports. Officially, he suffered blunt trauma to the head due to a motor vehicle collision, The Telegraph reported.
We'll be working with family and IndyCar officials and the attending physicians to fully review the case in an effort to improve safety for drivers, Murphy told the Associated Press.
Due to Wheldon's death the race was called off, and drivers drove a five-lap salute to him. The three other drivers who were injured in the crash were released from the hospital.
Darren Turner, an English racing driver, has been named as replacement for Wheldon for this weekend's Armor All Gold Coast 600 V8 Supercar Race in Australia. The weekend's events will include a tribute to Wheldon.
Sam Schmidt, a former IRL driver and current IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series team owner, said Monday that Wheldon's death had left him shaken enough to leave the sport he loves.
I still feel like I'm in a state of shock, said Schmidt.
Wheldon and Schmidt had teamed up to try for a $5 million prize, offered by IndyCar, to any non-full-time driver who could win the race.
The race car of Wade Cunningham (R) hits the wall behind the car of driver JR Hildebrand (L) during the IZOD IndyCar World Championship race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada October 16, 2011. The motor racing world was left reeling on Monday from the death of time-two Indianapolis 500 champion Dan Wheldon while the search for answers into what triggered the horrific crash began. Wheldon's death in the IndyCar finale at Las Vegas Speedway on Sunday left fans stunned and plunged series officials into crisis management mode as the season-ending celebration turned to disaster. Picture taken October 16, 2011.ReutersSafety crews respond after a multi-car wreck during the IZOD IndyCar World Championship race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada October 16, 2011. IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon was air lifted to the hospitalReutersDan Wheldon was a British race-car driver who went careening to his death after a 15-car pileup at the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday. Wheldon had won the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 and 2011. He was 33 years old when he died. ReutersThe race car of driver Will Power (L) goes airborne during the IZOD IndyCar World Championship race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada October 16, 2011. British IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon died from injuries sustained in an horrific crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, race organizers said. The 33-year-old Englishman, who lived in Florida, was involved in a multi-car accident 13 laps into the Las Vegas Indy 300 which sent his vehicle flying.ReutersThe race car of driver Will Power (L) hits the wall along with drivers J.R. Hildebrand (C) and Charlie Kimball (R) as flames from British driver Dan Wheldon's car burst (at far left) during the IZOD IndyCar World Championship race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada October 16, 2011. Wheldon died from injuries sustained in an horrific crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, race organizers said. The 33-year-old Englishman, who lived in Florida, was involved in a multi-car accident 13 laps into the Las Vegas Indy 300 which sent his vehicle flying.ReutersRace car driver Wade Cunningham hits the wall during the IZOD IndyCar World Championship race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada October 16, 2011. British IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon died from injuries sustained in an horrific crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, race organizers said. The 33-year-old Englishman, who lived in Florida, was involved in a multi-car accident 13 laps into the Las Vegas Indy 300 which sent his vehicle flying.ReutersThe race car of driver Will Power (L) hits the wall along with drivers J.R. Hildebrand (2nd L), Charlie Kimball (2nd R) and Paul Tracy (L) during the IZOD IndyCar World Championship race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada October 16, 2011. British IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon died from injuries sustained in an horrific crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, race organizers said. The 33-year-old Englishman, who lived in Florida, was involved in a multi-car accident 13 laps into the Las Vegas Indy 300 which sent his vehicle flying.Reuters
