DAN WHELDON 1978-2011 THE RISK FACTOR IS OVERLOOKED FAR TOO OFTEN
The loss of any driver in the pursuit of a win is tragic and it evokes an array of emotions.
One of the strongest is anger at people who use any form of racing as a bad punch line to a worn-out joke.
There are mental midgets among us who still love to drag out a very tired joke about car racing: “Hit the gas and turn left”. Most of these witless cavemen wouldn’t understand humor if it kicked them in the groin, but they love to parrot this massive distortion of car racing as an easy sport.
It is far from easy-unless you have mastered the ability to fend off g-forces that would push non-racers to the point of a blackout on some tracks.
It is far from easy– unless you like driving bumper to bumper for 500 miles at speeds well beyond any reasonable comprehension for 99.99% of the global driving population.
It is far from easy-unless you have the motor skills of a neurosurgeon and about twice his or her reaction speed.
It is far from easy-unless you can measure your decision time in milliseconds instead of a 5 minute process just to decide to order a burger with fries.
It is far from easy-unless you have ice water in your veins and a white- hot competitive fire in your belly.
It is far from easy-unless you can categorically state that a bad day at the office might result in your untimely and sudden death.
We at mystarcollectorcar.com mourn the tragic loss of two time Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon in the Indy Car race at Las Vegas.
Dan Wheldon was a very popular and enormously respected driver who will be sadly missed by the racing fraternity and its millions of fans.
Jim Sutherland
