View Full Version : RIP Dan Wheldon
Napoleon
10-16-11, 06:52 PM
Perhaps we should have a different thread to honor him that does not have the name of the last thread.
We lost a true Racer today.
RIP, Dan.
Terrible news. RIP Dan Wheldon. :(
Not just a driver, but a father and a husband.
Those photos with the family and the Borg Warner trophy are great.
RIP
Goodbye Dan. :cry: for his sons
Funny thing, I just realized that I haven't seen Wheldon turn a wheel since 2001 when he waged some great battles with Townsend Bell in the original Indy Lights series. I was very disappointed that he ended up where he did, but I never bore him any ill will for it. Racers just want to race, and he was a racer. RIP Dan Wheldon
Rogue Leader
10-16-11, 08:00 PM
RIP Dan... too sad for words right now
Insomniac
10-16-11, 08:08 PM
Just heard. Although I gave up on USOWR, this is always tragic. Racers are always too young when they go. RIP. :(
Hard Driver
10-16-11, 08:24 PM
RIP Dan... I always thought he was one of the good guys. :cry:
I never saw Dan Weldon race; the only things I really knew about him I learned reading the news articles about his death today. I hadn't lurked here in a while. This morning I learned of pchall's death last month and now this. I saw this news along with a few horrifying videos of the crash on the NY Times website. Very sad.
RIP Dan Weldon and my condolences to his friends and family.
Mary
My heart goes out his family and team.
:(
Godspeed Daniel. :(
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm54/swift011c/Hero%20Cards/Wheldon-Hero.jpg
:cry:
racer2c
10-16-11, 09:54 PM
Very saddened by his passing. :(
So very sad. And unnecessary. :(
High Sided
10-16-11, 10:42 PM
rip Dan :shakehead
ItVKFYqVBgA
Michaelhatesfans
10-16-11, 11:22 PM
I don't get the five lap thing? I can't help but think that was something to placate the promoter or something? I'm not dissing the effort - I just don't get it.
B3RACER1a
10-17-11, 01:15 AM
I actually had to pleasure of meeting Dan back in 1999 at Gateway. We talked for about a half hour (no one else was there for autographs since it rained). Talked about r/c racing I was doing at the time, how he made it to the US and Indy Lights...etc. We talked about me wanting to move into karting and work my way up...lol...i was just some kid in high school. Very nice guy. Champ Car practice was about to start and we both had to go, but before we parted, he handed this:
http://www.offcamber.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=367&stc=1&d=1318828466
RaceCat
10-17-11, 02:15 AM
RIP Dan Wheldon! You will be missed! :cry::cry:
TravelGal
10-17-11, 03:25 AM
I don't get the five lap thing? I can't help but think that was something to placate the promoter or something? I'm not dissing the effort - I just don't get it.
Think of playing a dirge at a funeral. Slow, heartfelt, and very, very sad. It was the only thing the drivers could actually DO to show their sadness. I thought it was the only decent thing those (expletive deleted) folks that run that series did all day.
Hours later and I'm still tearing up every time I come across the story on the net. Tomorrow, with all the wordy tributes, is gonna be a tough one. My dearest wish is that people who love them are surrounding the Wheldons right now. Godspeed, Dan. :cry:
Napoleon
10-17-11, 04:45 AM
The NY Times quotes Mike Andretti as saying he had signed Dan to replace Danica.
Think of playing a dirge at a funeral. Slow, heartfelt, and very, very sad. It was the only thing the drivers could actually DO to show their sadness. I thought it was the only decent thing those (expletive deleted) folks that run that series did all day.
I couldn't make it out in the video - but if they were doing 3 abreast, they it would have made more sense to do it with a missing man like a fly over.
Too sad.
Michaelhatesfans
10-17-11, 09:28 AM
Think of playing a dirge at a funeral. Slow, heartfelt, and very, very sad. It was the only thing the drivers could actually DO to show their sadness. I thought it was the only decent thing those (expletive deleted) folks that run that series did all day.
Yeah, that part of it I get, I suppose I'm still coming to grips with the fact that the drivers seemingly refused to finish the race after 12 laps, and then they end up doing the tribute laps. Anyway, perhaps not the right thread. And again, I don't question the sincerity - but this is really strange ground for the sport.
Anteater
10-17-11, 09:29 AM
10 years ago this month, I was at Laguna Seca and enjoying a CART Winner's Circle meeting. One of the panelists was a personable young Englishman named Dan Wheldon, speaking of his hopes and dreams for his career (he was in Indy Lights at the time). I liked him, and was sorry when he went off to the IRL the following year. He had much success there, though, and he was living his dream when he died.
I just feel so badly for his family and friends (especially his wife and little boys). :( RIP, Dan Wheldon.
Fine tribute story here:
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/wheldon-322287-series-one.html
Corner5
10-17-11, 10:18 AM
These are the pictures- (even TG)
devastating!
http://www.sheboyganpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=U0&Dato=20111016&Kategori=APC0202&Lopenr=110160807&Ref=PH
Godspeed Dan.
Thoughts and prayers to his family.:(
Old-school Wheldon, Wilson and Button karting footage...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I06YehDOvc
Trevor Longman
10-18-11, 10:36 PM
Graham Rahal is putting is putting together a massive auction of racing memorabilia donated from racing drivers all over the world including Kanaan, Lewis Hamilton, Simona, Jenson Button, Bobby Rahal (with the last of his original helmets in his collection), Jimmie Johnson, Montoya, Justin Wilson, Papis, Marco, Dario, Brandon Bernstein, the list just goes on and on. He should have all the details of specific auctions and what will be for sale up by next week so stay tuned. All the money goes to Wheldons kids.
Ed_Severson
10-18-11, 10:47 PM
Thanks for that info, Trevor. A couple other things that might be of interest ...
A trust fund has been established for the Wheldon family. Contributions can be sent to the following address:
Fifth Third Bank
Attn: Wheldon Family Trust
251 N. Illinois St., Suite 1000
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Also, there will be a memorial service for Dan on Sunday at 4 PM EST. For anyone in the Indianapolis area, the memorial is open to the public and will be held at Conseco Fieldhouse. For those too far away or unable to attend in person, Versus will air the memorial service live.
Lux Interior
10-18-11, 11:49 PM
Graham Rahal is putting is putting together a massive auction of racing memorabilia donated from racing drivers all over the world including Kanaan, Lewis Hamilton, Simona, Jenson Button, Bobby Rahal (with the last of his original helmets in his collection), Jimmie Johnson, Montoya, Justin Wilson, Papis, Marco, Dario, Brandon Bernstein, the list just goes on and on. He should have all the details of specific auctions and what will be for sale up by next week so stay tuned. All the money goes to Wheldons kids.
So awesome of Graham to do that. :thumbup:
Rocketdoc
10-19-11, 12:25 AM
Godspeed, Dan.
Rogue Leader
10-19-11, 10:02 AM
Graham Rahal is putting is putting together a massive auction of racing memorabilia donated from racing drivers all over the world including Kanaan, Lewis Hamilton, Simona, Jenson Button, Bobby Rahal (with the last of his original helmets in his collection), Jimmie Johnson, Montoya, Justin Wilson, Papis, Marco, Dario, Brandon Bernstein, the list just goes on and on. He should have all the details of specific auctions and what will be for sale up by next week so stay tuned. All the money goes to Wheldons kids.
So awesome of Graham to do that. :thumbup:
Always liked him, knew he was a class act. Only wish I could afford to buy some of that stuff but it would likely be out of my price range!
TKGAngel
10-19-11, 11:26 AM
Always liked him, knew he was a class act. Only wish I could afford to buy some of that stuff but it would likely be out of my price range!
Graham has mentioned on Twitter that he's trying to get items that will fit the widest price range possible to allow the most people to participate.
No matter what you think of Bobby, he & his (ex)wife did something good in raising that kid. :thumbup:
Rogue Leader
10-19-11, 12:03 PM
Graham has mentioned on Twitter that he's trying to get items that will fit the widest price range possible to allow the most people to participate.
No matter what you think of Bobby, he & his (ex)wife did something good in raising that kid. :thumbup:
Sweet! I'd love to pick up something cool like a pair of gloves that PT punched someone with or something.
We had a good friend in common and went out to dinner in Hollywood some 10 years ago. He was a good guy and we had a good time. Something funny did happen during the dinner. At the time i posted a lot of stuff on seventhgear. He started talking about seventhgear and asked if I ever visited that site. I said, ya. Do you post? Ya, sometimes. (At the time, I was thinking that I never talked bad about the guy, so nothing bad could really happen if he asks me who I was). Then he asks, what's your handle? I told him and he went crazy.....
4-5 months before, I read in a French magazine an interview with a French driver, maybe Didier Andre, speaking about Indy Lights. He said, he spoke with some teams and mentioned that Wheldon signed with Pac West. So I posted "Wheldon signs with Pac West for Indy Lights". Well at the time, no one knew that and Wheldon was trying to do some pre-season testing with other teams because Pac West didn't have a car or something like that. For some reason Pac West wasn't going to test, so Wheldon decided to test with other teams to get ready. He had the money and everything. Well, after I posted what I posted, no team would touch him. Not one team; money or not. They all said, you signed with Pac West, go test with them!
When he told me the story, I was shocked. You mean people turned down an offer to pay for a test because some guy wrote something on a fan forum? He said, yup. And I said, but you did sign with Pac West, so wtf? Ya, but no one knew that, so how the f did you know? Who is your source he asked? I said, I don't have a source at Pac West, I read it somewhere. It was a while ago ago, I don't know, let me think. Then I remembered and told him about the article in the French magazine. No one in CART reads Auto Hebdo, so no one found out, until I posted the story and didn't name the source. After that he was cool and I took him, his at the time girl friend and my friend around Hollywood. It was a nice time. He was a good guy and great talent! RIP, mate.
TravelGal
10-21-11, 06:31 PM
Twitter feed for the auction is @DWheldonAuction
We had a good friend in common and went out to dinner in Hollywood some 10 years ago. He was a good guy and we had a good time. Something funny did happen during the dinner. At the time i posted a lot of stuff on seventhgear. He started talking about seventhgear and asked if I ever visited that site. I said, ya. Do you post? Ya, sometimes. (At the time, I was thinking that I never talked bad about the guy, so nothing bad could really happen if he asks me who I was). Then he asks, what's your handle? I told him and he went crazy.....
4-5 months before, I read in a French magazine an interview with a French driver, maybe Didier Andre, speaking about Indy Lights. He said, he spoke with some teams and mentioned that Wheldon signed with Pac West. So I posted "Wheldon signs with Pac West for Indy Lights". Well at the time, no one knew that and Wheldon was trying to do some pre-season testing with other teams because Pac West didn't have a car or something like that. For some reason Pac West wasn't going to test, so Wheldon decided to test with other teams to get ready. He had the money and everything. Well, after I posted what I posted, no team would touch him. Not one team; money or not. They all said, you signed with Pac West, go test with them!
When he told me the story, I was shocked. You mean people turned down an offer to pay for a test because some guy wrote something on a fan forum? He said, yup. And I said, but you did sign with Pac West, so wtf? Ya, but no one knew that, so how the f did you know? Who is your source he asked? I said, I don't have a source at Pac West, I read it somewhere. It was a while ago ago, I don't know, let me think. Then I remembered and told him about the article in the French magazine. No one in CART reads Auto Hebdo, so no one found out, until I posted the story and didn't name the source. After that he was cool and I took him, his at the time girl friend and my friend around Hollywood. It was a nice time. He was a good guy and great talent! RIP, mate.
What a story, Fio, wow. Thanks for posting it.
Mary
If Tony George doesn't out bid everybody, I'm gonna be pissed. Pardon me...if Hulman money/IMS isn't at the top of every bid I am gonna be ******.
If Tony George doesn't out bid everybody, I'm gonna be pissed. Pardon me...if Hulman money/IMS isn't at the top of every bid I am gonna be ******.
What would be the point of that? They should just donate to the fund without bidding on items.
I was being facetious and irreverent. :\
High Sided
10-22-11, 03:24 PM
article from todays services....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2052187/Dan-Wheldon-funeral-Large-crowds-gather-IndyCar-stars-funeral.html
that's Dan sitting on the tire, rip danny boy.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/22/article-2052187-0E7BE63D00000578-50_634x895.jpg
Racing Truth
10-22-11, 07:37 PM
Another, St. Pete, article on services. (http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1198121.ece):(
Still makes me emotional.
TravelGal
10-23-11, 01:16 AM
Another, St. Pete, article on services. (http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1198121.ece):(
Still makes me emotional.
Me too. I'm still struggling. It's going to be difficult to get through watching the memorial tomorrow.
Probably not the time to say it but it also makes me emotional in a different way to read: "... he won his first Indianapolis 500. That year he won six races total — including the inaugural Grand Prix of St. Petersburg — on his way to the series championship."
I was at the inaugural Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and it wasn't an IRL race.
cameraman
10-23-11, 03:57 PM
The memorial service is on Versus right now.
Dario looks shell-shocked.
JohnHKart
10-23-11, 05:31 PM
I was just going through my DVR to make space and found Dan's WindTunnel interview in August, which was mostly about his future and the new car. He mentioned wanting to go on for a long time. Really sad watching that. I'm glad I made sure I watched, because sometimes I just delete stuff. I'm still sad for his family, I often think of those two beautiful little boys and Susie. I'm not watching the funeral, I've had enough!
Michaelhatesfans
10-23-11, 07:03 PM
I never saw Dan Weldon race; the only things I really knew about him I learned reading the news articles about his death today. I hadn't lurked here in a while. This morning I learned of pchall's death last month and now this. I saw this news along with a few horrifying videos of the crash on the NY Times website. Very sad.
RIP Dan Weldon and my condolences to his friends and family.
Mary
Good to see you posting again - you were one of the good ones on 7G
Racing Truth
10-23-11, 07:24 PM
Tough watching Nicole Briscoe today:
LtZum7-7FSY
Yep, she dated him back in the day. It shows.
BTW: Memorial was stellar. Laughed and cried.
TKGAngel
10-23-11, 08:02 PM
That was a beautiful ceremony for Wheldon, although I wasn't a fan of the Indy 500 guy's speech. It was a little too heavy on the Indy Speedway kool-aid and felt a bit out of place.
And Mrs. Briscoe dated Wheldon? Huh.
High Sided
10-23-11, 08:35 PM
full memorial services video...
http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/source/espn3/id/304870/
Rest in peace, Dan.
A very fitting tribute for the champion you are. Godspeed...
Wow. It must have been incredibly hard for Nicole Briscoe to do that; you could tell she really lost someone special to her. The last bit when she mentioned his kids was really was emotional. Great job Nicole!
cameraman
10-29-11, 09:41 PM
Formula One will hold a minute's silence before tomorrow's Indian GP in memory of Wheldon and Simoncelli.
Good to see you posting again - you were one of the good ones on 7G
Thanks! I've been a serial lurker for years; enough to keep up more or less, but I was rarely motivated to post. The .1RL is rarely worth either pro or con passion, I'm afraid.
Mary
TKGAngel
12-22-11, 09:56 AM
Bumping to post that the auction that Graham organized raised over $590k, but there were some $*###!~!!!! who bid and then defaulted on the big ticket items, so the total may still grow on the re-bids.
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-dan-wheldon-auction-brings-in-590k-bidders-default-on-major-items
Rogue Leader
12-22-11, 10:10 AM
Bumping to post that the auction that Graham organized raised over $590k, but there were some $*###!~!!!! who bid and then defaulted on the big ticket items, so the total may still grow on the re-bids.
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-dan-wheldon-auction-brings-in-590k-bidders-default-on-major-items
HEY I know how Indycar can get more fans...
A public lynching of the defaulted bidders at the first race. You know we would all be there!
SurfaceUnits
12-22-11, 12:37 PM
if they wanted to do something special, they would kill the IRl,
TravelGal
12-22-11, 05:21 PM
HEY I know how Indycar can get more fans...
A public lynching of the defaulted bidders at the first race. You know we would all be there!
I might actually attend a race just to see that. B'tards. :flame:
datachicane
12-22-11, 08:51 PM
if they wanted to do something special, they would kill the IRl,
That could be cool. I picture TG and Barnhart perching on something like a dunk tank, only filled with something more caustic. Not too caustic, though. I'd shoot for 90 minutes or so to lose consciousness, under 3 hours for total, ummm, dissolution? Rendering? Whatever.
Remember, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate. :flame:
Is there something going on here that we are not seeing? Why all the defaults? Is that typical for an auction of this size?
the weebler
12-23-11, 08:08 AM
Is there something going on here that we are not seeing? Why all the defaults? Is that typical for an auction of this size?
That's what I was wondering. My experience with ebay is limited, but I was always under the assumption you had to pay up. Perhaps the buyers are disputing the charges to credit cards? :shakehead
Spicoli
12-23-11, 09:05 AM
Is there something going on here that we are not seeing? Why all the defaults? Is that typical for an auction of this size?
Like everything related to the IRL....overpromise, under deliver!
Rogue Leader
12-23-11, 09:06 AM
That's what I was wondering. My experience with ebay is limited, but I was always under the assumption you had to pay up. Perhaps the buyers are disputing the charges to credit cards? :shakehead
It doesn't automatically charge you, additional steps are required for you to pay an auction.
Unfortunately I've been screwed a few times by people who "decided not to pay" on eBay, and there is surprisingly little recourse you have against them. They really slanted the rules in favor of the buyers in an attempt to instill consumer confidence and get people to spend more money on stuff on the site.
Methanolandbrats
12-23-11, 09:42 AM
The EARL should just give his family the money he was racing for instead of cobbling together a garage sale of his stuff. Dickheads.
Andrew Longman
12-23-11, 11:26 AM
The EARL should just give his family the money he was racing for instead of cobbling together a garage sale of his stuff. Dickheads.
Sure, if they had the money. I'm pretty sure they took out an insurance policy to cover the cost in case he won.
Methanolandbrats
12-23-11, 11:48 AM
Sure, if they had the money. I'm pretty sure they took out an insurance policy to cover the cost in case he won.
http://haleyfoods.com/images/uploads/logos/clabberGirl.png has deep pockets
Rogue Leader
12-23-11, 12:59 PM
Sure, if they had the money. I'm pretty sure they took out an insurance policy to cover the cost in case he won.
Thats exactly what it was, there was no $5m in cash sitting in a vault somewhere, they had an insurance policy on the whole thing.
trauma1
12-23-11, 01:21 PM
they've thrown $$$ out of windows for 16 fricking yrs. 5 mil to his family is a drop in the ocean for the Clan:shakehead:shakehead
are you guys and gals serious?
Give his family money? You mean going 200 mph in a 1600 pound car is dangerous :gomer:
What were his career earnings? How is this different than an ex NFL football player who's brain is scrambled from getting his head bashed in an effort to entertain?
I didn't know there was a sanctioning body that had a lottery style constituency fund. I mean it worked out well for Gary Bettenhausen
TravelGal
12-29-11, 04:03 AM
"Unclaimed" (my word) items are back up at http://stores.ebay.com/celebritycharityauctions/pages/dan-wheldon-memorial
http://ventura.craigslist.org/clt/2753552722.html
very nice, get your gomer on!:tony:
Methanolandbrats
12-29-11, 03:32 PM
Won't be long and the Gomers will be seeing Wheldon in slices of toast and selling that. :shakehead
SurfaceUnits
12-29-11, 04:43 PM
I perdicked there will be a "Spirit of Dan Wheldon Award" passed out in the near future :gomer:
It will replace the unnecessary and dormant AJ Foyt Oval award
Napoleon
12-29-11, 04:54 PM
Won't be long and the Gomers will be seeing Wheldon in slices of toast and selling that. :shakehead
:rofl:
Rogue Leader
10-16-12, 07:28 AM
RIP Dan
1 year ago today :(
TravelGal
10-16-12, 11:45 AM
Each of us has their own moment when the light went out for us. For many it all changed when Greg Moore died. Or the capitulation, er, mergification, or whenever.
For me, it was when Dan died. It's not the same any more and never can be. Not that I was an Indy fan before. I thought they were all idiots and traitors and still do. I don't bestir myself to drive 35 miles down to Long Beach because I couldn't abide being near those farting bees or be around anything with an IRL stench. But I cared whether it could be come something. I lost that the day we lost Dan. RIP Dan.
SurfaceUnits
10-16-12, 12:47 PM
I perdicked there will be a "Spirit of Dan Wheldon Award" passed out in the near future :gomer:
It will replace the unnecessary and dormant AJ Foyt Oval award
V8 Supercars international co-drivers will all be chasing the Dan Wheldon Trophy at the Gold Coast 600
http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/v8-supercars-international-co-drivers-will-all-be-chasing-the-dan-wheldon-trophy-at-the-gold-coast-600/story-e6frfkp9-1226496733731
The Gold Coast...where have I heard that before? :shakehead:rolleyes:
Kiwifan
10-17-12, 01:44 AM
The Gold Coast...where have I heard that before? :shakehead:rolleyes:
Don't start me Chief, don't start me.
On a side note, the money I haven't spent on going to the Gold Coast since the Champ Cars stopped turning up has allowed me to visit North America, FOUR TIMES! Silver lining and all.
Hi Gal. :cool:
TravelGal
10-17-12, 08:20 PM
Don't start me Chief, don't start me.
On a side note, the money I haven't spent on going to the Gold Coast since the Champ Cars stopped turning up has allowed me to visit North America, FOUR TIMES! Silver lining and all.
Hi Gal. :cool:
Hi Fan! ;)
edit: Ed, if you're reading this, I didn't mean (above) that I thought the people who worked on the crews were idiots and traitors. ("All" is a pretty broad word.) Some thought that I know, but I meant, as PLN used to say, "I have a problem with the management" and that extends to the owners, even my former fave driver, Vasser.
Ed_Severson
10-19-12, 10:06 AM
Hi Fan! ;)
edit: Ed, if you're reading this, I didn't mean (above) that I thought the people who worked on the crews were idiots and traitors. ("All" is a pretty broad word.) Some thought that I know, but I meant, as PLN used to say, "I have a problem with the management" and that extends to the owners, even my former fave driver, Vasser.
No worries; I've been called worse. :p
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.