Dan Wheldon: What Happened in Vegas...

Sombre Scene: Laps of honour for
the passing of Dan Wheldon, only hours
after he lined up on the starting grid.

Normally when I come to start a blog entry, I start off well; no hesitation, no struggled-for thought, just a torrent of ideas/sentences that I have managed to clump together in my mind prior to clicking on the 'new post' option. The same should have applied for this entry; one on Red Bull Racing recently clinched constructors title, maybe even one based on Sebastian Vettel's win in the Korean Grand Prix yesterday (Sunday). Unfortunately however, these events were overshadowed by much more daunting events across the pond in North America; the tragic loss of home nation Indy Car Racer, Dan Wheldon.

Two times a Winner: Surprising yet
deserving winner of a second Indy 500
Victory earlier this year in June.

I'm not a big Indy Car follower if im honest. I know of the basic principles and figures in the the sport, but nothing in-depth. Nothing, except the career of the now former English racing driver Dan Wheldon. I vividly remember reading numerous race reports, interviews, and features based around Wheldon in copies of Autosport magazines of which I used to collect almost religiously. Dan was a great talent, of that there is no doubt; not many men past or present are in a position to boast not one but two Indy 500 victories, a race that is without doubt one of the few blue riband races on earth, along side the Monaco Grand Prix and the Le Mans 24 Hours events. In addition to these two remarkable victories, the latest of which came only 5 months ago, Wheldon was also crowned an Indy Race League (IRL) champion in the season of 2005, a title he would also have won the following year with the assistance of a mere extra point to topple eventual champion Sam Hornish,Jr's points total (Hornish had more wins that season so won the championship on the race win count back only).

Family Man: Son's Sebastian and Oliver,
and wife Susie Behm shortly after
Indy 500 triumph this year.

Besides the career total of 16 victories in the premier class of open wheel racing in North America, Wheldon's legacy is much more vital than these stats & figures, as he leaves behind him wife Susie Behm, who he married in 2008 after she became his wife from being Wheldon's P.A. Since then, the couple have gone on to produce two sons, of which will grow up now with the pride and feelings of remorse that undoubtedly will come with losing a father figure such as Dan. His parents, Clive & Sue Wheldon, were essentially instrumental in bring Dan up through the fiercely competitive young driver ranks in the U.K in the late nineties, prior to drivers decision to hop continents for financial reasons and embark on  a successful journey through the North American racing scene. Before this move however, Wheldon was learning his trade wheel to wheel with the likes of Jenson Button, Anthony Davidson, and indeed Dario Franchitti, who similarly jumped from Europe to North America. All four were the stars of a generation, with Wheldon perhaps not being the most publicised champion in his home nation, but certainly the most prolific out of the four to date.
It would be nothing but tasteless and twisted to relive the circumstance of Wheldon's death yesterday at such short notice, but what I can say regrettably is that I witnessed live, the death of one of the 21st century's truly great racing drivers. 'a younger brother', 'a part of Indy Car Racing', 'great talent'; three resoundingly short quotes that speak huge volumes from former teammate Dario Franchitti, former team boss Chip Ganassi, and BRDC chairman Derek Warwick, all three of which were at the very heart of Wheldon's career throughout various stages of it's illustrious course.

Great Driver, Family Man, and an idol to millions. Dan Wheldon, misplaced but never lost. 

R.I.P
Dan Wheldon

22 June 1978 - 16 October 2011