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Paul Dana dead after IRL wreck

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His wife was here in Indianapolis I believe they said. Was just attending church when they were trying to reach her about the accident. They were planning a trip to Italy too, I believe I heard. Very sad news.
 
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Really a terrible wreck. Rough deal for the kid, he really wanted to race. I think he graduated from Northwestern with a journalism degree, was a mechanic to start with, but wanted to race. 30 is way too young, my condolences to the family and all involved.
 
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tibor75 said:
anybody have a link to the crash?
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There is a video on the home page of ESPN. Go there and look to the right of the page, towards the top. It should be the first video on the list.

Here is an article...

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Driver Paul Dana died after a two-car crash Sunday during the warmup for the season-opening Toyota Indy 300 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

<table id="inlinetable" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="200"> <tbody><tr><th colspan="1" style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><center>Recent motorsports deaths</center></th> </tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td width="184"> Most recent fatalities by series:

IndyCar*: Paul Dana, Homestead, Fla., 2006
NASCAR: Dale Earnhardt, Daytona, Fla., 2001
Champ Car: Greg Moore, Fontana, Calif., 1999
Formula One: Ayrton Senna, Imola, Italy, 1994

* Other IRL deaths: Tony Renna (Indianapolis, 2003) and Scott Brayton (Indianapolis, 2003). </td> </tr> </tbody></table>The other driver, Ed Carpenter, was awake and alert at a Miami hospital, IRL officials said.

The race will start as scheduled, officials announced. However, Rahal Letterman Racing co-owner Bobby Rahal announced that drivers Danica Patrick and Buddy Rice, teammates of Dana, will not race.

"Obviously, this is a very black day for us," Rahal said. "This is a great tragedy."
Dana is the first IRL driver killed since Tony Renna died in a crash during testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in October 2003, and the third to die in the 10-year history of the series. Scott Brayton perished in a practice crash at Indianapolis in May 1996.
The last NASCAR driver killed was Dale Earnhardt in February 2001, and the last driver to die in Formula One was Ayrton Senna in May 1994.

It is the third racing death at the Homestead track -- John Nemechek was killed in a NASCAR truck race in February 1997 and Jeff Clinton died in a Grand Am sports car event at the track in March 2002.

Dana, 30, a former motorsports journalist with a degree from Northwestern, competed in three IRL races for Ethanol Hemelgarn Racing last year with a best finish of 10th in the race at Homestead.

Carpenter, the stepson of Indy Racing League founder Tony George, spun his Vision Racing car exiting Turn 2 of the 1.5- mile Homestead-Miami Speedway oval and hugged the outside wall before slowly creeping back onto the racing surface. It was nearly stopped when it was hit in the left-rear corner at nearly full speed by Dana's car.

Rahal said that there were no radio communication problems with Dana's car and that he was informed by his spotter of the accident ahead. Dana cannoned into Carpenter's crippled race car approximately six seconds after yellow lights were displayed around the track warning of Carpenter's spin.

Dana's car nearly split in half. The chassis flew about 6 feet off the ground and pieces were strewn down the track. It nearly turned over, but landed on its wheels before sliding to a halt.

It took track safety workers about 15 minutes to get both drivers out of their cars. The practice session did not resume.

Dana and Carpenter both were airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. IRL officials said Dana died shortly before noon.

In 2005 for Hemelgarn Racing, he broke his back in a practice crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Vision Racing team manager Larry Curry was more optimistic about Carpenter's condition. "I've been told he is awake and alert and is going to be fine," Curry said. "They want to check him out at the hospital, but he should be fine."

Information from ESPN.com's John Oreovicz and The Associated Press was used in this report.
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LINK
 
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Saw the wreck on the local news...horrible. Those open wheel cars are so dangerous, because they disintegrate and they are going 30-40 mph faster than the stock cars usually go on the same type of track. He was apparently a NW grad and a local guy...horribly sad situation. RIP and condolences and prayers to his family.
 
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I was just up in the Rahall Letterman facility last week. I supply product for their drivers. Sucks. I am sure I will get the lo-down after a while. Texted my guy but have not heard anything back yet.
 
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Buckeyeskickbuttocks said:
Stroh's is right. Considering the speeds involved, etc.. they are remarkably safe.
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Yes, I know the premise, but it seems there are more deaths in open wheel than other types of racing. I don't follow it as much anymore, so maybe I'm wrong, and maybe the injuries (like the guy who lost his legs) are just more sensational, but happen with no difference in frequency.
 
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