Racer (Dana) dies after horrific IndyCar crash

[charlie and algernon]

http://msn.foxsports.com/motor/story/5445556


HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) - Driver Paul Dana died after a two-car crash Sunday during the warmup for the season-opening IRL IndyCar Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"Obviously, this is a very black day for us," Rahal said. "This is a great tragedy."

Carpenter spun and hit the wall moments after the practice began at 10 a.m. EST. As Carpenter's battered car slid to a stop, Dana slammed into it at almost full speed - about 200 mph.

Dana and Carpenter, the stepson of IRL founder Tony George, both were airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. IRL officials said Dana died shortly before noon.

[In_The_Wind]

1. That is horrible! Rest in peace Paul Dana.

[Rainscents]

2. RIP

Sad. Prayer goes out to his friends and family. :-(

[AndyA]

3. How awful - he was only 30

And it was just a few minutes after the practice round started. His wife was told of his death while attending a church service.

[frylock]

4. what a shame..

clearly a rookie mistake. He was probably pretty excited at the prospect of running some laps in a full field at Homestead and wasn't paying attention. I hope Carpenter is going to be okay.

[Hosnon]

5. Good God...I go to Indy every year and have seen tons of wrecks but

nothing even close to something like that.

[Wilber_Stool]

6. Just turned it on.

Race starting now. They haven't mentioned it yet.

[LiberalHeart]

7. Here's a link to video of the crash & IndyCar owner interview

http://wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=4683118

[Up2Late]

8. Here's an updated NYT article with more details.

If you haven't seen the video, they are replaying it on CNN/HLN at least twice an hour during their sports segment: <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/26/sports/othersports/26cnd-dana.html?_r=1&oref=slogin>


Luis Alvarez/Associated Press
Dana was a rookie who competed in three I.R.L. races last year.

Indy Racing Rookie Dies in Crash During Practice

By DAVE CALDWELL
Published: March 26, 2006

The Indy Racing League rookie Paul Dana, a new teammate of the 2004 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Rice and the 2005 Indy 500 rookie sensation Danica Patrick, died today after he was involved in a collision during a practice session five hours before the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida.

Dana, a native of St. Louis who would have celebrated his 31st birthday on April 15, was pronounced dead at noon today at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Rice and Patrick, whose cars are co-owned by the 1986 Indy 500 champion, Bobby Rahal, and the late-night talk-show host David Letterman, withdrew from the Toyota Indy 300. "It is a very black day for us," Rahal said at a news conference before the race.

Dana was injured fatally when his car slammed into a car driven by Ed Carpenter, the stepson of the I.R.L. founder Tony George. Carpenter's car had spun in the second turn on the mile-and-a-half oval, then slid down the high banking and came to a stop near the bottom of the track before it was walloped by Dana's car, traveling at nearly 200 miles an hour.

Buddy Lazier, who was on the track at the time of the accident, said Dana passed him and a car driven by Scott Sharp before hitting Carpenter's car. Both Lazier and Sharp were able to slow their cars to avoid hitting Carpenter, whose car is also owned by George. "He carried way too much speed in and wasn't aware of what was going on around him," Lazier told The Associated Press in an interview.

(more at link below)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/26/sports/othersports/26cnd-dana.html?_r=1&oref=slogin>

[evworldeditor]

9. Paul in KC in 2003

Paul arranged for me and three guests to watch him race in Kansas City the year before he moved up to IRL. That day, too, he'd had an accident that took him out of the race.

I have reposted my report from that event at EVWorld.Com

http://www.evworld.com

Paul has a champion in every sense of the word, especially in his effort to promote ethanol in Indy racing.

Bill Moore
Editor
EV WORLD

[Up2Late]

11. What do you think happened? I've been a Indy Car fan for most of...

...my 42 years, and I've never seen an accident like that.

I wonder if they had enough crash spotters on the job during the practice?

If you see the two accidents in real-time, it seems like the Yellow caution lights should have been on in time for him to see them and slow down. :shrug:

[shenmue]

10. Rest in peace

Sorry to hear it.

:cry: