Dan Wheldon | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wheldon atDaytona in 2008 | |
| Born | Daniel Clive Wheldon (1978-06-22)22 June 1978 Emberton, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Died | 16 October 2011(2011-10-16) (aged 33) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Blunt force trauma sustained at the2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship |
| Resting place | Calvary Catholic Cemetery,Clearwater, Florida |
| Children | 2, includingSebastian |
| IRLIndyCar Series | |
| Years active | 2002–2011 |
| Teams | Panther Racing (2002, 2009–2010) Andretti Green Racing (2003–2005) Chip Ganassi Racing (2006–2008) Bryan Herta Autosport/Sam Schmidt Motorsports (2011) |
| Starts | 128 |
| Wins | 16 |
| Poles | 5 |
| Best finish | 1st in2005 |
| Previous series | |
| 2005–2008 2001 2000 1999 | Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Indy Lights Toyota Atlantic Championship U.S. F2000 National Championship |
| Championship titles | |
| 2006 2005, 2011 2005 1999 | 24 Hours of Daytona Winner Indianapolis 500 winner IndyCar Series Champion U.S. F2000 National Championship |
| Awards | |
| 2003 2011 2019 | IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year IndyCar Series Most Popular Driver (posthumously) Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame (posthumously) |
| Signature | |
 | |
Daniel Clive Wheldon (22 June 1978 – 16 October 2011) was a British motor racing driver who won the2005 IndyCar Series forAndretti Green Racing (AGR). He won theIndianapolis 500 in2005 and2011, and was co-winner of the2006 24 Hours of Daytona withChip Ganassi Racing (CGR).
Wheldon began competitive karting at the age of eight and achieved early success, before progressing toopen-wheel car racing in theU.S. F2000 National Championship, theToyota Atlantic Championship andIndy Lights. He began driving inIndyCar withPanther Racing in 2002. The following year, Wheldon moved to AGR, finishing as runner-up in the2004 championship. He won the drivers' title in 2005 with the record for most victories (including that year's Indianapolis 500) during a season. In the2006 season, he moved to CGR, tyingSam Hornish Jr. in points but finishing second because of count-back on the number of victories taken by both drivers. During the2007 and2008 seasons, Wheldon's form lowered but he won four additional races to place fourth overall in both years.
He returned to Panther Racing for the2009 and2010 seasons, failing to win a race but taking a further four podium results during this period. Wheldon left the team at the conclusion of the season. He drove part-time forBryan Herta Autosport and laterSam Schmidt Motorsports in the2011 season. He won his second Indianapolis 500 in May of that year. At the season-endingIZOD IndyCar World Championship atLas Vegas Motor Speedway, Wheldon was killed in multicar accident, when his car became airborne and collided with a catch fence post, alongside the circuit on the race's eleventh lap. He was 33 years old and the first driver to die in IndyCar competition sincePaul Dana in 2006.
Wheldon was born in the village ofEmberton near the town ofOlney, Buckinghamshire, England on 22 June 1978.[1] He was the son of plumber and domestic heat electrician Clive Wheldon and his wife Sue.[2][3] Wheldon was of Irish descent.[3] He had three younger brothers and a sister.[2] Wheldon's family was connected to motorsport; his father had competed inkarting from an early age and his mother acted as Clive's timekeeper.[4] He went to theBedford School until he completed hisGCSE examinations at the age of sixteen.[2][5] Wheldon attained good reading grades and excelled incross-country running,rugby andsquash. He was also captain of the schoolcricket team.[2]
He married his long-time personal assistant Susie Behm ofArmstrong, British Columbia, in 2008.[6] They have two children,Sebastian and Oliver,[7] who compete in go-karting events.[8] Their sons have been supported byAndretti Autosport since 2021.[9]
Wheldon was a guest voice over for the television seriesHot Wheels Battle Force 5,[10] and assisted in the physics development for Ignite Game Technologies's online simulation racing gameSimraceway.[11] He partook in philanthropic activities, such as raising money forAlzheimer's disease research,[1] contributed to theSam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation,[12] and met unwell children at thePeyton Manning Children's Cancer Hospital inIndianapolis every year.[13] Wheldon was a spokesperson for theNational Guard'sYouth Challenge Program, which provides services to vulnerable young Americans.[14] He edited and published a coffee table book of photographs of his life, calledLionheart in 2010.[1]
Wheldon began go-kart racing at the age of four[7] but did not partake in competitive racing until he was eight due to age limits.[15] He drove a self-built 60cc kart during the intervals before switching to a 100cc kart later on.[16] Wheldon was inspired by racing driverNigel Mansell,[8] and he was sponsored by All Kart owner Bruno Ferrari and his father helped to better his son's driving ability atRye House Kart Circuit.[16] He won the RAC British Cadet Karting Championship three times in 1988, 1989 and 1990.[2] Wheldon went on to win the British B Junior title driving a Wright chassis in 1992. He was later advised by Mark Rose andTerry Fullerton as he progressed to the international level.[17] Wheldon won the 1995 FIA Formula A World Cup with Fullerton's team.[18] Aged seventeen, he progressed to car racing, competing in the Formula Vauxhall Junior Championship for Team JLR in 1996, winning theBrands Hatch,Silverstone andOulton Park races and taking seven top-three results to finish second overall.[14][19]
The following year, Wheldon was fourth in both theBritish Formula Ford Championship and theEuropean Formula Ford Championship for Andy Welch Racing, with three victories in the British series.[19][20] He was named a finalist for theMcLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award in 1996 and 1997.[20] Wheldon improved to third in those two series with theVan Diemen team, driving aMygale in 1998.[19][21] That year, he finished second in theFormula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch.[14] It was during this period he developed a rivalry with fellow driver and futureFormula One World ChampionJenson Button.[21] Wheldon did not have the necessary level of funding from his father and sponsors to further his career in the United Kingdom and progress into either theBritish Formula 3 International Series or theBritish Formula Renault Championship.[22][23][24]
At the suggestion of his former team principal and car manufacturerRalph Firman Sr.,[4] he flew to the United States in January 1999 to test aFormula Ford 2000 car.[4][25] Wheldon also observed anIndy Lights andToyota Atlantic test session for future preparation.[4] His funding was provided by Jayhard/Primus Racing owner Jon Baytos and Van Diemen.[24] He competed in theU.S. F2000 National Championship in1999 in Jayhard/Primus Racing's Van Diemen Ford RF99 car, achieving six wins and eleven top-ten finishes to become the first British and European series champion.[26] Wheldon's early performance was affected byjet lag from constant travel to the United Kingdom to visit his family and his desire to compete in Formula Three.[4][24] He stopped doing so after about three months,[4] when Baytos urged him to concentrate on racing.[24] Wheldon was named the series' Rookie of the Year,[27] and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2012 as a 1999 graduate.[28]
He progressed to the2000 Toyota Atlantic Championship, driving forPPI Motorsports[29] in itsNo. 3Swift 008.a vehicle,[30] winning the season-openingHomestead–Miami Speedway round to become the first driver in series history to win on his debut.[14] He won theLaguna Seca race, finishing runner-up in the championship standings with 159 points and a further nine top-ten finishes.[30] Wheldon was named the series' Rookie of the Year.[27] For the2001 season, Wheldon moved to thePacWest Lights team to compete in the higher-tier Indy Lights Championship.[31] In the No. 1Lola T97/20-Buick3800 V6, he won two races in the championship's second half (Gateway Motorsports Park andRoad Atlanta) and placed in the top-ten in all twelve events to finish runner-up in the drivers' championship with 149 points.[32][33] Wheldon was named the 2001 Indy Lights Rookie of the Year.[27]
After his objective of obtaining a seat inChampionship Auto Racing Teams (laterChamp Car World Series) went unfulfilled,[18][20] he began his association with the rivalIndy Racing League (IRL) by joiningPanther Racing as itstest driver in June 2002.[a] He brought capital to the team and drove their second car for the final two races of the2002 season.[12][27] Wheldon qualified seventh in the No. 15Dallara IR02Chevrolet V8 and finished tenth in his first IRL race, theDelphi Indy 300 atChicagoland Speedway. He came fifteenth in the season-closingChevy 500 atTexas Motor Speedway to finish his two-race campaign 36th in thepoints standings with 35 accrued.[35] When funding for a second Panther Racing car fell through,Andretti Green Racing (AGR) co-owner Kim Green contacted Wheldon in October and asked him to test its IRL car and develop itsHonda engine at Homestead–Miami Speedway the following month.[15][36] Wheldon was signed to be the team's test driver in November as they sought sponsorship to enable his participation in the2003 season.[15][37]
The lack of sponsorship prevented him from starting the season though he was called up to drive when regular driverDario Franchitti broke hisvertebrae in a motor bike accident in Scotland.[38] In his first race driving the No. 27Dallara IR-03 HondaHI3R V8 car, at theIndy Japan 300 atTwin Ring Motegi, Wheldon qualified fifth and finished the accident-shortened race seventh.[39] Wheldon qualified fifth for his firstIndianapolis 500.[39] Late in the race, he struck a concrete retaining wall and somersaulted into the air before landing upside down, which relegated him to finishing nineteenth.[40] After Franchitti returned,[18] Wheldon was retained as a driver following the retirement of team owner and mentorMichael Andretti.[15] He drove well thereafter with another eight top-ten finishes. Starting tenth at Chicagoland Speedway, Wheldon led for a season-high 38 laps and came fourth. He ended the season finishing third at Texas Motor Speedway, scoring 312points for 11th in the point standings.[39] Wheldon's performances enhanced his reputation, and he demonstrated an accord withoval track racing that many European drivers lacked.[18] He was awarded the 2003IndyCar Rookie of the Year,[41] and was voted the 2003Autosport Rookie of the Year.[42]
Wheldon returned to AGR for the2004 season.[43] AtPhoenix International Raceway, the season's second race, Wheldon won his first careerpole position and finished third.[44] He took his first series win at Twin Ring Motegi, leading an event-high 192 laps from pole position.[45] Wheldon qualified second for theIndianapolis 500; he led 26 laps to finish the rain-shortened race third.[41][46] His second win of the season came atRichmond International Raceway after holding offTeam Penske'sHélio Castroneves on the last lap.[47] Wheldon took four top-ten finishes in four of the next six races,[48] before achieving his third series victory inNazareth Speedway's final motor race to move into second in the drivers' championship.[49] His title challenge to his teammateTony Kanaan ended in the season's penultimate round atCalifornia Speedway,[50] but secured second overall fromBuddy Rice at the season-ending Texas Motor Speedway race with 533 points.[51]
For the2005 season, Wheldon again drove for AGR.[52] He started from eleventh to lead a race-high 158 of 200 laps of the Homestead–Miami Speedway season-opener to win.[53] After that, Wheldon went on to win consecutive races at theGrand Prix of St. Petersburg (his firstroad course series win),[54] and the Indy Japan 300 for the second successive year.[55] His season highlight was theIndianapolis 500 where he exchanged the lead withDanica Patrick until she slowed due to a lack of fuel. Wheldon made the race-victory overtake with seven laps to go to become the first British driver to win the event sinceGraham Hill in1966.[56] He continued to drive consistently in the top six in the next seven races.[57] AtPikes Peak International Raceway, Wheldon took his fifth win of the season (after leading 67 laps) to equalSam Hornish Jr.'s 2002 record of five victories during a season.[58] Two races later, at Chicagoland Speedway, he led a race-high 88 laps to surpass Hornish's series record with his sixth win of the year.[59] Wheldon won the championship before starting the season's penultimate round by setting a single practice lap ofWatkins Glen International. Since the last place finisher scored twelve points, his 102-point lead clinched the title with one race remaining.[b][60] With a sixth-place finish at the season-closing California Speedway round, Wheldon won the championship with 628 points.[57] He was awarded the 2005 Autosport British Competition Driver of the Year.[61]
WhenChip Ganassi Racing (CGR) ownerChip Ganassi was informed of rumours that Wheldon might leave AGR, he engaged in informal discussions with him, which led to anagreement in principle at a meeting in August 2005.[62] His AGR contract expired on 31 October and formal discussions began soon after.[63] CGR resigned Wheldon for the2006 season and the team changed manufacturers fromPanoz to Dallara and engine suppliers to Honda afterToyota withdrew.[64] Wheldon made the switch because he wanted to ensure his stay in the IRL and remain competitive.[65] To begin the season, Wheldon won theToyota Indy 300 at Homestead–Miami Speedway.[66] At theIndianapolis 500, he qualified in third place,[67] and led a race-high 148 laps before falling to fourth because he had to make a pit stop to replace apuncture on the 183rd lap.[68] Wheldon achieved eight top-ten finishes and two pole positions (atKansas Speedway andNashville Speedway),[69] and entered the season's final round at Chicagoland Speedway as one of four drivers in contention for the championship.[70] Wheldon won the race but lost the championship on tiebreak to Sam Hornish Jr, who had won four races to Wheldon's two.[71]
Wheldon remained with CGR for the2007 season.[72] He began the season with pole position at the season-openingXM Satellite Radio Indy 300 at Homestead–Miami Speedway, and led 177 of 200 laps to win his third successive event at the track, a new series record.[73] Wheldon went on to lead a race-high 177 laps to win theKansas Lottery Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway, his second of the season.[74] After qualifying sixth for theIndianapolis 500, he retired from the rain-shortened race after a late-event collision withMarco Andretti, losing Wheldon the lead of the drivers' championship.[75] His third-place finish in theABC Supply Company A.J. Foyt 225 atMilwaukee Mile was overshadowed by a physical confrontation with Patrick following a collision on the 88th lap;[76] the two reconciled after a private meeting with IndyCar presidentBrian Barnhart.[77] The rest of Wheldon's season was modest, with four retirements and two further third-place finishes in theSunTrust Indy Challenge and theDetroit Indy Grand Prix. He came fourth in the final points standings with 466 accrued.[78]
For the2008 season, Wheldon stayed with CGR.[18] He began the year finishing third at the season-openingGainsco Auto Insurance Indy 300 at Homestead–Miami Speedway after moving through the field starting from 22nd.[79] Wheldon won theRoadRunner Turbo Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway three races later, becoming IndyCar's first driver to claim two consecutive victories at the track.[80] He started second in theIndianapolis 500 finishing ten places lower in twelfth due tohandling problems in the final fifty laps.[24] Wheldon took his second (and final) victory of the season in theIowa Corn Indy 250 atIowa Speedway. He donated his winnings to help the victims of the recenttornadoes andflooding which had occurred inIowa.[81] As IndyCar had become more orientated towards road andstreet circuits following the merger of it and the Champ Car World Series, his performance diminished in the remaining races since his driving on such tracks were not as good as on ovals.[82] He achieved one further podium finish, a second-place at Nashville Speedway, and five top-seven finishes for fourth in the drivers' championship with 492 points.[83]
Wheldon planned to extend his CGR contract when Chip Ganassi provided him with an offer in May 2008. He decided against doing so when he learnt AGR's Kanaan had begun discussions with the team. Though Kanaan ultimately ended up staying with AGR, Wheldon felt betrayed and began talking to other teams. Wheldon told CGR three months later inDetroit of his decision to leave them at the season's conclusion.[84] On 2 September, CGR announced that Wheldon would be released from his contract at the end of the season as Dario Franchitti leftNASCAR and returned to IndyCar.[85] Wheldon returned to the full-time one-car Panther Racing team for the2009 season following an agreement with his management and team owner John Barnes in mid-August.[85][82] He struggled to perform in the first three races, but he took his first top-ten finish with a fifth at theToyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.[86] At theIndianapolis 500, Wheldon qualified in eighteenth and finished second.[87] The rest of Wheldon's season saw him achieve a best finish of fourth at Iowa Speedway and three top-tens. He did not attain those results in seven of the last eight races.[88] He was tenth in the championship standings with 354 points,[88] his lowest finish since he placed eleventh in 2003.[89]
Wheldon remained with Panther Racing for the2010 season.[90] During the season-openingSão Paulo Indy 300, he made contact withAlex Tagliani, which sent him into Kanaan; he recovered to finish fifth.[91] Three races later at theToyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, Wheldon took a second top-ten result with a ninth.[92] In theIndianapolis 500, Wheldon started from eighteenth. He advanced through the field on pit stop strategy to come second for the second year in a row.[93] Wheldon remained competitive all year; challenging for wins on oval tracks. Despite strong showings, he could not claim a race victory during his time with Panther Racing, which frustrated Barnes.[21] In theIndy Grand Prix of Sonoma atInfineon Raceway (now Sonoma Raceway), Wheldon made contact withBertrand Baguette's car during awarm-up lap before the start of the event. He flipped upside down and pirouetted several times but emerged unhurt.[94] His best finish of the year was a second place in thePeak Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.[95] He came ninth at the season-endingCafés do Brasil Indy 300 at Homestead–Miami Speedway, to rank ninth in the drivers' standings with 388 points.[92]
After the season, Wheldon left Panther Racing because of a lack of sponsorship and the No. 4 car was driven by rookieJ. R. Hildebrand.[18][21] He filed a $383,400 lawsuit against Barnes in Marion County Superior Court on 18 August for late payment of his salary and of his share of earnings from his on-track achievements as well as taxation issues. The two reached a settlement on 1 October.[96] Wheldon did not have a full-time seat for the2011 season,[97] and he missed the season's first four races as he sought employment with another team to compete in theIndianapolis 500.[98] Talks with several teams, including withDreyer & Reinbold Racing co-ownerRobbie Buhl to share a car withMike Conway fell through.[99] He then spoke to his friend and former AGR teammateBryan Herta who offered to assemble a car from his own low-budget operation,Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA), for Wheldon and he agreed.[98][100] He drove a Dallara car from 2003 leased to Herta by BHA's technical partnerSam Schmidt Motorsports andCurb-Agajanian Motorsports.[12][98] He qualified in sixth place;[98] in the race, Wheldon was in second place on the final lap when Hildebrand crashed leaving turn four. He took the lead to become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 leading only the final lap.[101]
Wheldon's contract expired at midnight on 30 May.[101] He then became acolor commentator and pit lane reporter for the cable television channelVersus (now NBCSN) for three IndyCar Series events (Iowa, Texas andToronto), believing he would not race again in 2011.[98][102] He impressed viewers with his expertise, quick wit and ease in interacting with other commentators.[87][103] Wheldon was also employed by IndyCar, car manufacturer Dallara and designer Tony Cotman to test and develop the official prototype model of anew one-specification chassis that debuted at the beginning of the2012 season.[18][87] In early October, he drove Tagliani's No. 77 Sam Schmidt Motorsports car for theKentucky Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway as preparation for the season-endingIZOD IndyCar World Championship atLas Vegas Motor Speedway.[104] Wheldon qualified in 28th place after failing to set a qualifying time because his car did not pass a technical inspection; he finished fourteenth.[105] On the morning of 16 October, he signed a multi-year contract to replace Patrick at Andretti Autosport from 2012 on.[c][107]
Wheldon made hisendurance racing debut at the2005 24 Hours of Daytona, sharing the No. 2Howard-Boss MotorsportsPontiacCrawford DP03 with Dario Franchitti,Marino Franchitti andMilka Duno in theDaytona Prototype (DP) class. Their car finished sixteenth in its class and 33rd overall after Duno crashed with less than six hours to go.[108] In the 2005 off-season, he competed as awild card entrant in the2005 Race of Champions,[109] being eliminated from the round of 16 bySébastien Bourdais.[110] That year, he was offered a test driver role withBMW's Formula One squad by team principalMario Theissen. He declined when he discovered that he would not be assured a race seat for the2007 season; he also felt emotionally attached to the United States.[21] Wheldon also turned down an offer to compete forGreat Britain in theinaugural A1 Grand Prix season.[111]
In 2006, Wheldon returned to compete in the season-opening24 Hours of Daytona for Chip Ganassi Racing withScott Dixon andCasey Mears in the DP class. The trio won overall, completing 734 laps in the No. 02Riley MkXILexus.[112] He returned with the same team for thefollowing year's race, again partnered by Dixon, and they were joined byMemo Rojas. The trio retired after 538 laps because Rojas crashed the No. 2 entry on the saturated track in the race's 21st hour. They were classified 21st in class and 41st overall.[113][114] Wheldon returned for a fourth time to participate in the24 Hours of Daytona for Chip Ganassi Racing with Dixon,Alex Lloyd andSalvador Durán. Their car, starting in tenth in its category and overall, finished 44th overall (eighteenth in its class) after it retired with 515 laps completed due to sustaining three accidents during the event.[115][116]
IndyCar Series CEORandy Bernard set up a challenge for the season-ending2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship atLas Vegas Motor Speedway on 16 October. A prize of $5 million would be divided equally between a driver and a randomly selected fan if the driver won from the back of the grid. He was unable to get an international racing driver so he offered the challenge to Wheldon who accepted.[117] He was frustrated about his car being more than 3 mph (4.8 km/h) slower than others and felt it would be difficult to remain with the pack if the issue was not resolved.[118] Wheldon was alsoABC's in-race reporter and spoke in defense of his participation in the event and IndyCar to the network's commentary team during the warm-up laps.[119] On lap 11 out of the planned 200, a fifteen-car accident occurred between turns one and two in which Wheldon was involved.[120] The accident began whenJames Hinchcliffe was clipped byWade Cunningham. Cunningham andJ. R. Hildebrand then collided when Cunningham swerved and Hildebrand drove over the rear of his car. Hildebrand's car became airborne and Cunningham collectedJay Howard on the inside and thenTownsend Bell on the outside before crashing into the wall. Attempting to avoid the crash ahead,Vítor Meira lost control, spinning inward collecting bothCharlie Kimball andE. J. Viso. 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 toPaul Tracy crashing into the back of Scheckter and a rapidly approachingPippa Mann to launch over the top of Tracy after jerking to the outside to avoid crashing intoAlex Lloyd. Wheldon was in 24th and traveling on the left-hand side of the track at 224 mph (360 km/h) in an attempt to avoid the pile-up and flying debris.[119][120] Meira, Kimball and Viso blocked Wheldon's path, and he decelerated to 10% of throttle usage before he hit the left rear wheel of Kimball's car at 165 mph (266 km/h). He was launched semi-airborne for approximately 325 ft (99 m) and rotated towards the right-hand sidecatchfence.[120]
Wheldon's vehicle rotated and traveled parallel to the catchfence above the concrete wall behind theSAFER barrier alongside the track. He collided with a fencepost along his car's right-hand side, creating a deep defect in the chassis that went from the upper pedal bulkhead and through the cockpit. That deformed itsroll hoop and the top of the chassis above thefuel cell compartment, which were sheared from the car. The post penetrated the cockpit and struck the lower portion of the right-hand side of Wheldon's helmet in an impact measured at −30g lateral, 47g longitudinal, and −25g vertical to the chassis as he sustained "two distinct impacts" to his head.[120] The race was stopped after one caution lap. He was extricated from his car by the trackside safety team and airlifted toUniversity Medical Center of Southern Nevada for his critical injuries.[121] Wheldon was pronounced dead on arrival.[107] After input from drivers and team owners, officials declared they would abandon the race. A five-lap, three-wide formation salute was held in Wheldon's honor, along with "Danny Boy" and "Amazing Grace" played on thebagpipes in the background. His No. 77 was displayed alone atop of the scoring pylon.[103][121]
An autopsy conducted by Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy on 17 October determined that Wheldon died ofblunt trauma to his head.[122] He was the first driver to be killed in IndyCar competition sincePaul Dana died in an accident during practice for the 2006 Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead–Miami Speedway.[103] On 22 October, Wheldon was given a funeral at First Presbyterian Church of St. Petersburg attended by almost 1,000 mourners. Fellow drivers Franchitti, Dixon, Kanaan and Wheldon's three brothers acted aspallbearers.[123] The next day, IndyCar held a public memorial service for him atConseco Fieldhouse (now Gainbridge Fieldhouse) in Indianapolis, attended by members of the motor racing community and his family and fans.[124] A second memorial service took place at All Saints' Church in his home town of Emberton on 6 November.[125] He is buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery inClearwater, Florida.[126]
Three days after the accident, series organizers, with assistance from theAutomobile Competition Committee for the United States, the United States's national governing body of motor racing, and motorsport's world governing body, theFédération Internationale de l'Automobile, began subjecting the race to a full investigation.[127] The results of the investigation into Wheldon's death were released on 15 December 2011. According to the report, there was no single cause for the crash. Contributing factors included the catchfence around the track, and the unlimited track movement while racing that increased contact between cars, making it difficult to predict what would occur around the drivers, and increased the likelihood of a major accident. "Whilst several factors coincided to produce a perfect storm, none of them can be singled out as the sole cause of the accident. For this reason it is impossible to determine with certainty that the result would have been any different if one or more of the factors did not exist."[128]
Marcus Simmons, a writer for the British motor racing magazineAutosport, called Wheldon "one of a golden crop of richly-talented British drivers to graduate from karting to junior single-seaters in the mid to late-1990s", and, "a man who embodied the ideal of the immigrant to the 'New World' fulfilling theAmerican Dream."[18] Although he had a brash and confident persona that made him "cocky yet likeable",[129] journalist Maurice Hamilton noted that Wheldon was seen by many as "a devoted family man, deeply respected and universally liked despite, or perhaps because of, a cheeky sense of self-awareness and a clever cultivation of his image".[130] He had charisma, a sense of humour and warmth that made him a favourite amongst motor racing fans and the media,[41] despite being unrecognisable in England due toFormula One being the country's most popular motor racing series.[131] Wheldon was a keen learner, and was focused on accomplishing his objectives.[132]
Two days after his death, Dallara named their new one-specification chassis in Wheldon's honour. TheDW12, with the new bumper/nerf bar section being featured, was designed to prevent many similar single-seater crashes such as the one that killed him.[133] A charity race in Wheldon's honour was held inMilton Keynes on 6 December with drivers such as Franchitti,Jenson Button andAnthony Davidson competing. Proceeds from the event were donated to a charity selected by Wheldon's family.[134] That month, Wheldon was posthumously awarded theGregor Grant Award for his lifetime career achievements that his father Clive and Franchitti collected.[135] Former racing driverMark Dismore's New Castle Motorsports Park, which organises the Robo-Pong 200 endurance karting event that Wheldon won in 2005, named the trophy the Dan Wheldon Cup in 2012. The Wheldon family added a Wheldon Memorial Pro-Am to the event in 2013.[136] On 7 March 2012, Wheldon's widow Susie and mayorBill Foster unveiled a street sign inSt. Petersburg, Florida. Named "Dan Wheldon Way", the sign was placed at the corner of Bayshore Drive and Albert Whitted Park (turn ten). A permanent memorial is also located across from theSalvador Dalí Museum.[137]
Franchitti won the2012 Indianapolis 500 on 27 May and dedicated his victory to Wheldon and wore white sunglasses in his honour.[138] That year Wheldon was memorialised by a resolution passed by theIndiana Senate.[139] Amemorial plaque featuring his likeness and career achievements was unveiled in St. Petersburg outside the second turn of its street track in March 2013 and a wall in which each of the winners of the race was etched.[140] Four months later,Autosport magazine named Wheldon one of the 50 greatest drivers to have never raced in Formula One.[141] The Wheldons were honoured with the "Dan and Susie Wheldon Make a Difference Award" in September 2014. This included a $1,000 donation to charity and became part of the annual IndyCar Series prize-giving banquet.[142] During the2016 Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, pit lane reporterJamie Little and motorsport publicist Brent Brush placed a Dan Wheldon Memorial plaque outside turn two, near the point where he was killed.[143] In May 2016, a book on his life and career with contributions from the motor racing community entitledLionheart: Remembering Dan Wheldon was published.[13] Wheldon was inducted into theIndianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in May 2019.[144] His death and legacy are the subject of the 2023 sports documentaryThe Lionheart.[145]
The Dan Wheldon International Driver Trophy was awarded to the best performing international driver over the race weekend of the AustralianV8 SupercarsGold Coast 600. The trophy was named after Wheldon following his death, which took place a week prior to the 2011 event in which he was scheduled to participate with theHolden Racing Team.[d][147] The international drivers' trophy had been unnamed when it debuted in 2010.[148] The trophy was discontinued after 2012 when regulation changes removed the need for compulsory international co-drivers in the race.[149]
| Season | Driver | Team | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Andy Priaulx | Triple Eight Race Engineering | [148] |
| 2011–2012 | Sébastien Bourdais | Triple Eight Race Engineering | [150][151] |
(key) (Races inbold indicatepole position anditalics indicate fastest lap; small number denotes the finishing position)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | PPI Motorsports | HMS1 1 | HMS2 2 | LBH 4 | MIL 13 | MTL 3 | CLE 6 | TOR 3 | TRR 2 | ROA 2 | LS 1 | GAT 7 | HOU 4 | 2nd | 159 | [30] |
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | PacWest Lights | MTY 5 | LBH 2 | TXS 10 | MIL 3 | POR 10 | KAN 3 | TOR 7 | MOH 2 | GAT 1 | ATL 1 | LS 5 | FON 2 | 2nd | 149 | [32] |
| Years | Teams | Races | Poles | Wins | Podiums (non-win)** | Top 10s (non-podium)*** | Indianapolis 500 wins | Championships | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 5 | 133 | 5 | 16 | 27 | 50 | 2 (2005,2011) | 1 (2005) | [153] |
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Dallara | Honda | 5 | 19 | Andretti Green Racing | Wrecked in turn 4, flipped |
| 2004 | Dallara | Honda | 2 | 3 | Andretti Green Racing | Running |
| 2005 | Dallara | Honda | 16 | 1 | Andretti Green Racing | Running; 157.603 mph |
| 2006 | Dallara | Honda | 3 | 4 | Chip Ganassi Racing | Running |
| 2007 | Dallara | Honda | 6 | 22 | Chip Ganassi Racing | Crashed on backstretch |
| 2008 | Dallara | Honda | 2 | 12 | Chip Ganassi Racing | Running |
| 2009 | Dallara | Honda | 18 | 2 | Panther Racing | Running |
| 2010 | Dallara | Honda | 18 | 2 | Panther Racing | Running |
| 2011 | Dallara | Honda | 6 | 1 | Bryan Herta Autosport | Running; 170.265 mph |
Source:[153] | ||||||
(DNF signifiesDid Not Finish)
| 24 Hours of Daytona results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Class | No. | Team | Car | Engine | Co-drivers | Laps | Position | Class Pos. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | DP | 2 | Howard-Boss Motorsports | Crawford | Pontiac | Dario Franchitti Milka Duno Marino Franchitti | 528 | 33DNF | 16DNF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | DP | 02 | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Riley MkXI | Lexus | Scott Dixon Casey Mears | 734 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | DP | 02 | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Riley MkXI | Lexus 5.0L V8 | Scott Dixon Memo Rojas | 538 | 41DNF | 21DNF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | DP | 02 | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Riley MkXI | Lexus 5.0L V8 | Scott Dixon Alex Lloyd Salvador Durán | 515 | 44DNF | 18DNF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source:[154] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position, Results areoverall/class)
| Year | Team | Make | Engine | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Howard-Boss Motorsports | Crawford | Pontiac | DP | DAY 33/16 | HOM | CAL | LAG | CMT | WAT1 | BAR | WAT2 | DAY2 | MOH | PHX | WAT3 | VIR | MEX | 79th | 15 | [154] | |
| 2006 | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Riley MkXI | Lexus | DP | DAY 1/1 | MEX | HOM | LBH | VIR | LAG | PHX | LRP | WAT1 | DAY2 | BAR | WAT2 | INF | MIL | 77th | 35 | ||
| 2007 | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Riley MkXI | Lexus 5.0L V8 | DP | DAY 41/21 | MEX | HOM | VIR | LAG | LRP | WAT1 | MOH | DAY2 | IOW | CGV | BAR | WAT2 | INF | MIL | 75th | 10 | |
| 2008 | Target Chip Ganassi Racing | Riley MkXI | Lexus 5.0L V8 | DP | DAY 44/18 | HOM | MEX | VIR | LAG | LRP | WAT | MOH | DAY2 | BAR | CGV | WAT2 | INF | NJ | MIL | 60th | 13 |
Dan Wheldon sporting positions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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