I was going to have an evening writing up a blog entry after my last marshalling event of the year at Rockingham, reflecting on the season and how, overall, it’s not been that bad. Three countries, one grand prix, two 24 hour races, two big incidents, lots of little ones, new friends (and to be honest a new list of people to avoid in the future).
Highlights were the trip to Le Mans and the trip to Long Beach, California, for the American Le Mans Series and Indycar races. In fact I was going to write the entry while watching the season ending race for the Indycars from the Las Vegas 1.5mile oval track (same size as Rockingham, where I’ve been this weekend).
The build-up did it’s job, the race started, it looked crazy with 34 cars jostling for position on a sub-30second lap. Then it happened.
13 laps in, what can only be described as hell broke loose. Cars touched and flew over each other. As cars slowed, unsighted cars came piling over the top. Cars caught fire, cars broke apart. 15 cars were caught up in it. It was over in seconds, and it was devastating.
When the race was stopped, attention was being drawn to two cars. One was upside-down and being righted by the safety crew, and the other was wheels down, but worryingly missing it’s all important roll hoop from above the drivers head. British driver Pippa Mann (still recovering from a cracked vertebrae sustained less than two months ago) was helped from the rolled car into the ambulance. The other car with fellow Brit Dan Wheldon onboard was still being attended to.
The power and the peril of social media went into a frenzy for the next hour or so, while the tones from the track became more sombre. Drivers who had given confident interviews to camera shortly after the crash were now in team tents openly crying. Then it was confirmed that Dan Wheldon had succumbed to his injuries.
I feared it was coming. After seeing some of the photos and footage, if most people are honest, they would all have suspected it was coming. But it hasn’t happened for so long in such a high-profile event, that when it does, it’s a dreadful shock.
If it had been a driver with a reputation, or a dark side, or a reckless streak then the comments I’m seeing fill my Twitter stream now would have been massively different to what I am seeing. Dan Wheldon was a good guy, a professional driver, a respected driver, a multiple Indy 500 champion, and the guy given the responsibility of developing the new car that all the drivers will race next year. Drivers-for-hire don’t get those chances, but respected drivers do.
I’ve rambled enough, but it helps me get the thoughts out of my head. I’ll talk about my season and the plans for next year another time. One less driver will be part of those plans.
Rest in peace Dan Wheldon, and condolences to family, friends, colleagues and supporters.
)
