RIP Paul Dana

[singpilot]

Practice IRL laps today in Miami. Sad end to a promising career.

[gassy]

Nasty crash. He was 30.

[efhughes3]

Amen

[bigchillcar]

condolences to his family. was he married? kids? terrible tragedy..
ryan

[gassy]

Patrick and Rice pulled out. Wonder if Dave will say anything tomorrow night. How fast do you figure he was going when he hit?

[singpilot]

Report was 200MPH, at speed.

[DonDavis]

That just stinks! Very sad to hear.

ESPN has revised their report that the impact was at 200 MPH to 176 MPH.

It's just a very sad thing. My prayers go to he and his family. It was reported that his wife was at Church when this happened.

[bigchillcar]

It was reported that his wife was at Church when this happened.

this is just the sort of thing that pushes my 'faith in christianity' to its limits. the wife was no doubt praying that her husband be safe in the race, etc....but still he winds up dying. meanwhile, some other wife of a 'living driver' is doubtless partying it up..
ryan

[Noney]

The crash was eerily reminiscent of the Alex Zanardi wreck. I had that same sick feeling in my stomach watching Carpenter's car just sitting there helpless for those couple of seconds after he hit the wall.

Then BAM.

I was just at Homestead last Saturday for a DE.... Just terrible.

RIP, Paul.

[singpilot]

Early reports are that several of the cars around the Dana car slowed when the yellow lights came on from the first wreck.

You'd think that a small onboard reciever that flashed a light and a tone in the audio onboard system when the yellow is activated would be required. No one would miss the yellow.

[rfuerst911sc]

It does appear from the video and the comments from other drivers that he did not slow down for the yellow. I felt the same way it looked like the Zanardi accident all over again. Racing is a high risk sport but you still hate to see this happen. My thoughts are with his family.

[Noah930]

Some pretty scathing opinions out there on his (lack of) experience. Whether they're true or not, it's sad to have something like this happen. Everybody loses, to differing degrees.

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by Noah930
Some pretty scathing opinions out there on his (lack of) experience. Whether they're true or not, it's sad to have something like this happen. Everybody loses, to differing degrees.

Once upon a time, A.J. Foyt had a (lack of) experience.

[motion]

Here's Robin Miller's take on it:

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/22748

What a tragedy.

[bigchillcar]

thanks for the link, motion. damn..definitely sounds, according to miller, that he was in over his head..
ryan

[jluetjen]

Originally posted by bigchillcar
this is just the sort of thing that pushes my 'faith in christianity' to its limits. the wife was no doubt praying that her husband be safe in the race, etc....but still he winds up dying. meanwhile, some other wife of a 'living driver' is doubtless partying it up..
ryan

That's a big load to dump on Christianity as a whole, given that everyone dies some time. Christianity has never claimed to be an (earthly) life extending opportunity. It does ask that people do the right thing during their time here on on earth. But people have option of ignoring that request -- as many do unfortunately. Just in case anyone thinks that they can be self serving and "convert" on their death bed, events like this remind us that we never know when our time is up. So if you're going to do something nice to someone -- do it today, because you may not have a tomorrow. His widow's suffering is now an opportunity for the people around her to compassionately "do the right thing" and help her deal with her loss and grief.

It's really sad to see one of our motorsports community taken from us like that.

[bigchillcar]

Just in case anyone thinks that they can be self serving and "convert" on their death bed

hopefully only a very few will actually plan to live life in this way with the intention of 'planning to repent' shortly before death. my statement was not meant to be taken as a 'shot' at christianity, simply sharing my own struggles with doubt in the reconciliation of faith and reason. all christians experience this same phenomenon off and on during their mortal christian existence..
ryan

[jluetjen]

No problem. I just couldn't resist leaving a comment like that hanging out there.

[bigchillcar]

No problem. I just couldn't resist leaving a comment like that hanging out there.

thanks, john..somebody had to do it..
ryan

[Porschekid962]

This was brought up on wind tunnel and speed news with varsha. Most everyone is under the impression that it is simply too easy to obtain a license and drive in the IRL without experience. The view from Scott Speed's in car camera shows Dana flying by him while Speed is way off the gas and downshifting and braking. Such a horrible feeling in my gut at the sight of this crash. Being on a oval speedway it brought to mind when I was at Fontana and witnessed what happened to Greg Moore.

This is a very sad event, almost unexcusable in my mind. The amount of cars on track during practice, the proximity they run to one another and the overall feel that IRL is somewhat of a mixed group of talent, meaning highly talented and experienced drivers mixed in with people who really have no business going that fast.

This is a reminder of what motorsport is, dangerous. Valentino Rossi went down at the first corner, first lap of the MotoGP opener and is crazy lucky that he was not touched by all the other riders going through! This just happens to be one of those freak accidents that go the other way. My mind wanders to Laguna Seca a few years back, Michele Alboreto in the R8, Greg Moore in the Forsythe cart racer, Senna, Eanhardt and this latest.

All accidents were very different yet the same result. With the increase in driver safety, crash walls on superspeedways, warning lights and what not there still needs to be an increase in driver awareness and some of the rules in which these racing classes run.

My sincerest condolences at this point in time go out to anyone involved in one way or another.

To everyone else I say, take heed. Accidents big and small can hurt. Let us not ruin this great tradition of racing by being lax in anyway shape or form. Be it technology, awareness, rules changes, whatever it may be. While the economical institutions have their say in the sport the drivers have the ultimate say for they are the ones that strap in and go racing. If they refuse because of safety then things should change. I hope the IRL shapes up as this is the second horrific crash resulting in fatality in 2 and a half years.

Regards