Dan Wheldon

Daniel (Dan) Clive Wheldon (June 22nd 1978 - October 16th 2011) From England. Dan Wheldon was the 2005 and 2011 Indy 500 winner and the 2005 IRL champion

Wheldon began his Indycar Career with the Panther team in 2002. He moved to Andretti Green Racing for the next three seasons where he captured his first Indy 500 win and his IRL championship. Wheldon moved to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2006 where he won 6 races over the next three seasons. He spent the next two seasons with Panther again.

In 2011 Wheldon joined Bryan Herta's team for the Indy 500 since he had not found a full time ride. Wheldon won the 2011 Indy 500 after passing a wrecked JR Hildebrand who was the leader on the final turn of the race.

Wheldon returned to racing at Kentucky with Sam Schmidt Motorsports in anticipation for the season finale race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where the Izod IndyCar world championship was to be held. If Wheldon was to win at Vegas he would win a 5 million dollar bonus. Sadly just 11 laps into the race at Las Vegas a huge 15 car accident occured that sent Wheldon directly into the catch fencing with the cockpit area towards the fencing. Randy Bernard announced Wheldons death and the end of race a short time after. Bernard also ordered the field to do a 5 lap tribute in Dans honor.

After Wheldons death it was revealed that Wheldon was to drive the Go Daddy car for Andretti Autosport replacing Danica Patrick in 2012. Also the new car for 2012 that Wheldon had been testing for the series to run was re-named the DW12