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The 33-year-old racer was a two-time Indy winner, including this year’s race.
Three other drivers, including championship contender Will Power, were hurt in the pileup during Lap 11.
Wheldon was airlifted from the track to University Medical Center; about two hours later, his colleagues were told of his death by IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard, who said Wheldon’s injuries were “unsurvivable.”
With the race canceled, drivers, many sobbing openly, took part in a five-lap salute around the 1.5-mile oval in honor of one of the sport’s biggest stars.
The race was only minutes old when Wheldon, who started at the back of the 34-car field and was in position for a $5 million payday if he won, couldn’t steer clear of a wreck that started when two cars touched tires.
Within seconds, several cars burst into flames and debris covered the track nearly halfway up the straightaway. Some points of impact were so devastating workers had to patch holes in the asphalt.
Video replays showed Wheldon’s car turning over as it went airborne and sailed into what’s called the catch fence, which sits over a barrier that’s designed to yield a bit when cars make contact. Rescue workers were at Wheldon’s car quickly, some furiously gesturing for more help.
“I’ll tell you, I’ve never seen anything like it,” driver Ryan Briscoe said. “The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from ‘Terminator’ or something. I mean, there were just pieces of metal and car on fire in the middle of the track with no car attached to it and just debris everywhere.”
Also injured in the crash were JR Hildebrand and Pippa Mann. Both were to remain in the hospital overnight. IndyCar said Mann was being treated for a burn to her right pinkie finger and will be released this morning; Hildebrand was awake and alert but will be held overnight for further evaluation. Power was evaluated and released. An autopsy was planned today for Wheldon.
It was IndyCar’s first fatality since Paul Dana was killed at Homestead in 2006, during a crash in a morning warm-up.
The accident appeared to start when Wade Cunningham’s car swerved on the track and Hildebrand drove over the left rear of Cunningham’s car. Hildebrand appeared to go airborne, and Cunningham’s car shot up into the wall, setting off a chain reaction among the cars behind him.
Some of those cars slowed, others didn’t, and others spun in front of Wheldon and Power. Power appeared to fly over Alex Lloyd’s car, rolling into the catch fence and landing on its right side. His in-car camera showed one of the front tires coming toward him in the cockpit.
Wheldon then appeared to drive over a car driven by Paul Tracy, who seemed to be slowing down. Wheldon, however, went airborne and spun into the fence.
“It was like a movie scene which they try to make as gnarly as possible,” said Danica Patrick, making her final IndyCar start before going to NASCAR. “It was debris everywhere across the whole track.”
ELSEWHERE
Jack Beckman took the Funny Car standings lead with two events remaining, racing to his third career victory at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Ariz. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the fourth of six races in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship. … Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel won the Korean Grand Prix in Yeongam, South Korea.
