Seemed Like Everyone In Indy Car Knew Something Bad Was Going To Happen Days Before

[jjgold]

Its weird if you go and read about this whole thing

Danica Patrick was scared shit even before race started and she said she basically raced scared and off the pedal

This race should of never of been run

Shame on Indy

[Tech N9ne]

Well Danica is a girl so no wonder she scared

[jjgold]

[wtt0315]

but if the crash wouldnt of happen none of these people would say shit

[jjgold]

Officials in charge of the Las Vegas racetrack where two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Dan Wheldon died in a fiery crash are defending the speedway's conditions.
Las Vegas Speedway President Chris Powell spoke after comments were made by critics and drivers that the track was unsafe leading to Sunday's 15-car pileup.
"We as a speedway make sure we provide a venue that they come in and make an assessment when they're ready to race -- and they did that exact thing," Powell said late Monday. "Our speedway conforms to every regulation that any sanctioning body has ever held it to, and we're very proud of that."
Now that the debris and mangled metal has been removed, there are questions about whether the track was too fast, too small and too crowded.
The track where Sunday's tragic accident took place is relatively small -- a mile-and-a-half-long oval. Because of its smaller size, drivers are constantly turning. Comparatively, the Indianapolis 500 track is two-and-a-half miles long, giving significantly more room for drivers to spread out and to see in front of them.
Driver Scott Meadow says that he has raced the Las Vegas speedway countless times on the turn that claimed Wheldon's life at speeds of up to 220 miles an hour. He described the conditions during competitive racing as very tight.
"It's more like 30 airplanes racing together than cars," Meadow said.
Still, it is that speed, that danger, that two-time Indianapolis 500 winner craved. Just days before his death, Wheldon told the television show "Extra" that he couldn't wait to take on this challenging track.
"I think it's going to be one of Indy Car's finest races outside of the Indianapolis 500," Wheldon said.
Before the race Wheldon blogged for USA Today that he was concerned that he and his team wouldn't be able to get his car fast enough, and that it was currently three miles off pace.
"It's actually been a very difficult weekend for us so far. Basically we carried over our problem from Kentucky Speedway, where we just didn't have the speed and never really found it," he wrote.
Now Sunday's fateful race will be remembered for robbing this sport of a champion and a young family of their husband and father.
"Daniel was born to be a racer and yesterday left us doing what he loved to do. He was a true champion and a gentleman on and off the track," his father Clive Wheldon said.
As for the Las Vegas track's safety, drivers seem to be split. At least one driver, Scottish racer Dario Franchitti said Sunday after the crash and before it was announced Wheldon died that he felt the track was not fit for racing.
"This is not a suitable track, and we seen it today its nowhere to get away from anybody. One small mistake from somebody and there's a massive thing," Franchitti said.
New Zealand driver Wade Cunningham, who was also caught up in the wreck, said that crashes are a fact of the sport.
"Things happen in this kind of racing," said Cunningham. "It's so close. Not much room for error. I was near the front of what caused all this, so I'm not thrilled about it. At this point, whose fault it was is kind of immaterial."

[Matt1144]

Racing is one of the most if not THE most dangerous sports out there. Car accidents kill thousands every day on regular streets. Whether F1, Indy, Nascar or anything in between, these guys know what they sign up for. It's always terrible when someone dies but it comes with the territory and sometime people forget that.

[itchypickle]

We can be sure there will be all kinds of knee jerk reactions and rules upcoming...some needed and some just insane. Things like this are nothing new to racing. Stock and Indy. Drivers have been bitching about tracks and technology for a few years now but continue to just adapt instead of putting their foot down (no pun intended) if they were truly concerned. Safer barriers at the tracks (including this one) have made a difference....leveling of tracks like Texas Speedway where Indy cars produced so much force in the turns that people were blacking out....etc.
The problem I have with the Formula cars is that they are all so computer controlled and not as much driver driven now. If you follow both kinds of racing you'll know what I mean.
Sad that Dan lost his life....but he's been in crashes before and most times they walk away from these with leg injuries or not as serious. It happens in racing....they all know this and take the risk. All sports try and push the limits year in and year out until one person dies or is paralyzed and then they all say "oh how did this happen" for a little while before going right back to it.