Horrendous Indy car crash in Vegas -- Update: RIP Dan Wheldon

[Clerk Typist]

Here was Dan Wheldon's record for his nine starts at Indianapolis: 19, 3, 1, 4, 22, 12, 2, 2, 1. That's six top four finishes in nine races, and six in the seven races he finished. Superb.

 

[playthrough]

The ABC signoff from the actual race was pretty powerful: "Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon."

That literally has just sent me into sobs on my couch.

Marty Reid has been criticized a lot (and a lot of it justifiably) for his work, but he and Cheever/Goodyear handled today's events beautifully. ABC's producers missed a big one (and I can understand why -- everything was happening very quickly) by not getting the live feed of Bernard announcing the death up until he had already announced it -- thereby forcing Reid to do so -- but he handled it very well.

Did not get a chance to hear Mike King's signoff on radio. He and Wheldon were very close. The gold standard is Sid Collins' eulogy of Eddie Sachs. But Reid hit it out of the park. Simple, understated, and perfect for the moment.

Being late to Bernard was a huge, inexcusable mistake. You could hear someone whispering to ask confirmation if he was dead, since they missed the first few seconds, and that made me cringe.

 

[playthrough]

The ABC signoff from the actual race was pretty powerful: "Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon."

That literally has just sent me into sobs on my couch.

The thing that got me today was seeing a picture of his post-Indy 500 photo shoot with the trophy, his wife and the two sons, one an infant.

I cannot believe next year's Indy 500 will not have the defending champion. It's just surreal.

 

[Dick Whitman]

The ABC signoff from the actual race was pretty powerful: "Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon."

That literally has just sent me into sobs on my couch.

The thing that got me today was seeing a picture of his post-Indy 500 photo shoot with the trophy, his wife and the two sons, one an infant.

I cannot believe next year's Indy 500 will not have the defending champion. It's just surreal.

I was thinking about that, too. A lot. There is already a somber few minutes at Indy because of it being on Memorial Day, first of all, and with the knowledge that people have died in the race over the years being the second reason. But the way it's done, you bounce back really quick and the party begins as the cars roar to life. It's going to be odd next year to pull up early in the morning, toss the beanbags around, throw some burgers on the grill, knowing that we're all going to have to relive this at some point in the early afternoon.

Oh, and you are also dead-on in your prior post. ABC did a terrible job with the announcement. Or IndyCar did. I know it's the last thing on everyone's mind at that point, but you have to make sure the network carrying the race is good to go for the announcement.

I'm still amazed that some of the drivers, according to the broadcast, wanted to finish the race after Kanaan and Franchitti announced the death to everyone. They are a different breed, that's for sure.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

We don't know if some higher-up was on the PA guy's ass to say something. But if I were him, I would have told the higher-up that I was going to say only two things: "We now begin the 5-lap tribute to Dan Wheldon" and "Ladies and Gentlemen, this concludes the 5-lap tribute to Dan Wheldon. Please keep his family in your prayers and please be careful on your way home. Thank you."

Also, I'd heard one report that Danica Patrick thought things were "getting crazy" and backed off.

She said that in an interview with ABC not long after the crash. She talked about how she had nothing to lose, but had everything to lose in that race so she decided to lift off the accelerator and just ride along for a few laps. She came about as close to saying "somebody was going to get killed today" without actually saying it as she could.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

The ABC signoff from the actual race was pretty powerful: "Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon."

That literally has just sent me into sobs on my couch.

Marty Reid has been criticized a lot (and a lot of it justifiably) for his work, but he and Cheever/Goodyear handled today's events beautifully. ABC's producers missed a big one (and I can understand why -- everything was happening very quickly) by not getting the live feed of Bernard announcing the death up until he had already announced it -- thereby forcing Reid to do so -- but he handled it very well.

Did not get a chance to hear Mike King's signoff on radio. He and Wheldon were very close. The gold standard is Sid Collins' eulogy of Eddie Sachs. But Reid hit it out of the park. Simple, understated, and perfect for the moment.

Being late to Bernard was a huge, inexcusable mistake. You could hear someone whispering to ask confirmation if he was dead, since they missed the first few seconds, and that made me cringe.

As someone who produces live TV, I'll cut the broadcast team some slack. The guy walked into the room, picked up the mic and immediately started talking. Without some level of warning it's a bench to get the front end of something like that live.

IndyCar needs to give a warning so the broadcaster is ready to take it.

 

[JBHawkEye]

Our ABC affiliate switched away from the race coverage for an hour-long telethon to raise money for flu shots for the needy. The switch came right before the announcement of Wheldon's death.

 

[playthrough]

The ABC signoff from the actual race was pretty powerful: "Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon."

That literally has just sent me into sobs on my couch.

Marty Reid has been criticized a lot (and a lot of it justifiably) for his work, but he and Cheever/Goodyear handled today's events beautifully. ABC's producers missed a big one (and I can understand why -- everything was happening very quickly) by not getting the live feed of Bernard announcing the death up until he had already announced it -- thereby forcing Reid to do so -- but he handled it very well.

Did not get a chance to hear Mike King's signoff on radio. He and Wheldon were very close. The gold standard is Sid Collins' eulogy of Eddie Sachs. But Reid hit it out of the park. Simple, understated, and perfect for the moment.

Being late to Bernard was a huge, inexcusable mistake. You could hear someone whispering to ask confirmation if he was dead, since they missed the first few seconds, and that made me cringe.

As someone who produces live TV, I'll cut the broadcast team some slack. The guy walked into the room, picked up the mic and immediately started talking. Without some level of warning it's a bench to get the front end of something like that live.

IndyCar needs to give a warning so the broadcaster is ready to take it.

But shouldn't you err on the other side then, maybe showing an empty table for an extra two seconds to make sure you get Bernard as he starts? I'm sure it's very hectic and not easy (and it's a testament to racing today that this was probably the first death for a lot of people involved in the coverage), but the audience was waiting for, what, 90 minutes or so for that one moment?

 

[Dick Whitman]

I wonder if ABC knew what the news was going to be? I mean, we all suspected it, but I wonder if they had any sort of inside info?

 

[lono]

And I disagree with 2CM. Thirty-four cars on a banked 1 1/2-mile oval where the aero packages don't allow for separation of the field is crazy. Indy is 2 1/2 miles (and flat) and they only allow 33.

I am admittedly not knowledgeable about open-wheel. But they'd run full fields at Richmond, which is 3/4 of a mile. Obviously, the speeds aren't comparable because of that, but I guess explain why 33 on a 1.5 is ridiculous while 33 on a 2.5 isn't. I'm not doubting you, I just don't understand it.

Wrong aero package.

They need the Hanford (sp?) device, which allows cars to separate and slingshot.

Best analogy is that at a 1.5-mile track with this aero package, it's like a NASCAR restrictor-plate race. Cars can't get away from each other.

 

[lono]

I wonder if ABC knew what the news was going to be? I mean, we all suspected it, but I wonder if they had any sort of inside info?

They had to know that in a best-case scenario it was a very serious injury and in worst case, death.

Not really any other options.

 

[JBHawkEye]

I wonder if ABC knew what the news was going to be? I mean, we all suspected it, but I wonder if they had any sort of inside info?

I thought that all during the coverage.

Was there an in-car camera on Wheldon's car?