Dan Wheldon photographed by Michael Levitt of LAT Photographic
Watching racing has always excited me. I look forward to seeing the graceful lines of the race cars accompanied by the roar of the engines. The pilots of these machines show great amounts of skill, strategy and endurance while racing. There is also the additional edge of danger knowing that both drivers and spectators occasionally die during races.
While we have enjoyed tremendous advances in technology making both car and track safer places for people, we still see the occasional fatal accident. With the 2012 Izod IndyCar series starting this weekend in St. Petersburg it is important to remember Dan Wheldon, the champion who lost his life last October.
Dan’s career is filled with wins that include the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona. What’s really amazing to me is the generosity that came packaged with his driving skill. One example is after winning the 2008 Iowa Corn Indy 250, he donated his winnings to help the victims of tornadoes and floods in Iowa. I don’t know of too many other drivers who have shown this level of compassion for their fellow man.
Hot Wheels Dan Wheldon Commemorative Edition Car
Hot Wheels has announced there will be a Dan Wheldon special edition commemorative car that should be available on the shelves in a few weeks. The Union Jack is proudly displayed on the side of this nice red and white Indy car that features rubber textured tires printed with his Lionheart logo. This joins other commemorative items provided by Greenlight, Hot Wheels Collectors and the Dan Wheldon Family Trust Fund.
