First Indy Racing League Race turns

[DaveChevyNova]

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – IndyCar Series driver Paul Dana passed away at Jackson Memorial Hospital – a Level 1 trauma center – in Miami just before noon (EST) from injuries suffered in a race warm-up crash at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Driver Ed Carpenter will remain in the hospital overnight for observation, according to Dr. Henry Bock, the Indy Racing’s League’s senior director of medical services. Scans showed nothing broken. Both drivers were airlifted to the trauma center.

About two minutes (10:03 a.m. EST) into the session in preparation for the season-opening Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Carpenter’s car spun and made contact with the Turn 2 SAFER Barrier, and then slid down the racetrack. It almost came to a stop when it was struck in the left-rear by Dana’s car traveling at full speed.

“Obviously, our thoughts and prayers are with the Dana family and everyone associated with the Rahal Letterman race team,” Indy Racing League president and COO Brian Barnhart said in making the announcement at the track.

Team co-owner Bobby Rahal said the Nos. 15 (Buddy Rice) and 16 (Danica Patrick) cars would not compete in the race in honor of their teammate. Rahal said the team would compete at the April 2 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and plans for the No. 17 Rahal Letteran Racing Team Ethanol car are unclear.

“It is a very black day for us, and on behalf of our entire team our prayers and sympathy go out to the entire Dana family,” Rahal said.

Barnhart said the yellow dashboard and track caution lights functioned properly, the starter was waving the yellow flag and spotters relayed the track's status via radio to drivers immediately after Carpenter's car made contact with the SAFER Barrier. The IndyCar Series has long been recognized as the motorsports leader in safety equipment on the cars and at racetracks at which it competes.

Indy Racing League doesn't stop looking at safety improvements

[pfd4life]

Indy Racing League doesn't stop looking at safety improvements

There is till one they are missing and it's the key to eliminating the majority of their injuries and deaths. I prefer to call it the Injury & Death League. The series is embarrasing, management is worse...okay..rant off. I won't get started..

[dragonfyre]

I haven't yet heard where Dana's spotter was during the whole incident. He should have been told to slow down as all the other drivers did that passed through and didn't hit the first car.