IRL Driver Paul Dana Dies
IRL Driver Paul Dana Dies
Driver involved in race warm-up crash with Carpenter
By Dave Lewandowski
indycar.com
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – IndyCar Series driver Paul Dana was pronounced dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital – a Level 1 trauma center – in Miami just before noon (EST) from injuries suffered in a race warm-up crash at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Driver Ed Carpenter was listed in “stable” condition at the hospital, according to Dr. Henry Bock, the Indy Racing’s League’s senior director of medical services. Both drivers were airlifted to the trauma center.
About two minutes (10:03 a.m. EST) into the session in preparation for the season-opening Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Carpenter’s car spun high in Turn 2 and slid down the banking. It almost came to a stop when it was struck in the left-rear by Dana’s car traveling at full speed.
“Obviously, our thoughts and prayers are with the Dana familoy and everyone associated with the Rahal Letterman race team,” Indy Racing League president and COO Brian Barnhart said in making the announcement at the track.
Team co-owner Bobby Rahal said the Nos. 15 (Buddy Rice) and 16 (Danica Patrick) cars would not compete in the race in honor of their teammate. Rahal said the team would compete at the April 2 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and plans for the No. 17 Rahal Letteran Racing Team Ethanol car are unclear.
“It is a very black day for us, and on behalf of our entire team our prayers and sympathy go out to the entire Dana family,” Rahal said.
Last year, Dana competed in three races with Ethanol Hemelgarn Racing with a best finish of 10th at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He suffered a season-ending back injury during the first week of practice for the 89th Indianapolis 500.
He was looking for a fresh start after the setback, and qualified ninth in the No.17 Rahal Letterman Racing Team Ethanol Panoz/Honda/Firestone.
“It is literally a dream come true to be driving for Rahal Letterman Racing,” he said recently. “As a young driver, you dream about an opportunity like this with a championship-caliber team. I am certainly behind my teammates (Buddy Rice and Danica Patrick) in terms of experience, but even though I didn’t run a lot of laps last season, I did log a lot of time in the pits, and I learned a lot of things just by watching.
“I feel great after a strong winter of workouts. I am fully recovered from last year’s injury and I feel better than I have ever have.”
Dana, a St. Louis native and Indianapolis resident, was runner-up in the 2004 Indy Pro Series standings. He literally worked his way up the racing ladder, taking a number of jobs to learn and pay the rent, including mechanic, racing instructor and marketing account representative while competing various series. Dana was 31 and is survived by his wife Tonya.
Carpenter qualified 13th in the No. 20 Vision Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Entering his third year in the IndyCar Series, he had a best finish of 10th last year at Nashville Superspeedway. This year, Vision Racing expanded to a two-car team with the addition of veteran driver Tomas Scheckter.
By Dave Lewandowski
indycar.com
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – IndyCar Series driver Paul Dana was pronounced dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital – a Level 1 trauma center – in Miami just before noon (EST) from injuries suffered in a race warm-up crash at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Driver Ed Carpenter was listed in “stable” condition at the hospital, according to Dr. Henry Bock, the Indy Racing’s League’s senior director of medical services. Both drivers were airlifted to the trauma center.
About two minutes (10:03 a.m. EST) into the session in preparation for the season-opening Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Carpenter’s car spun high in Turn 2 and slid down the banking. It almost came to a stop when it was struck in the left-rear by Dana’s car traveling at full speed.
“Obviously, our thoughts and prayers are with the Dana familoy and everyone associated with the Rahal Letterman race team,” Indy Racing League president and COO Brian Barnhart said in making the announcement at the track.
Team co-owner Bobby Rahal said the Nos. 15 (Buddy Rice) and 16 (Danica Patrick) cars would not compete in the race in honor of their teammate. Rahal said the team would compete at the April 2 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and plans for the No. 17 Rahal Letteran Racing Team Ethanol car are unclear.
“It is a very black day for us, and on behalf of our entire team our prayers and sympathy go out to the entire Dana family,” Rahal said.
Last year, Dana competed in three races with Ethanol Hemelgarn Racing with a best finish of 10th at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He suffered a season-ending back injury during the first week of practice for the 89th Indianapolis 500.
He was looking for a fresh start after the setback, and qualified ninth in the No.17 Rahal Letterman Racing Team Ethanol Panoz/Honda/Firestone.
“It is literally a dream come true to be driving for Rahal Letterman Racing,” he said recently. “As a young driver, you dream about an opportunity like this with a championship-caliber team. I am certainly behind my teammates (Buddy Rice and Danica Patrick) in terms of experience, but even though I didn’t run a lot of laps last season, I did log a lot of time in the pits, and I learned a lot of things just by watching.
“I feel great after a strong winter of workouts. I am fully recovered from last year’s injury and I feel better than I have ever have.”
Dana, a St. Louis native and Indianapolis resident, was runner-up in the 2004 Indy Pro Series standings. He literally worked his way up the racing ladder, taking a number of jobs to learn and pay the rent, including mechanic, racing instructor and marketing account representative while competing various series. Dana was 31 and is survived by his wife Tonya.
Carpenter qualified 13th in the No. 20 Vision Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Entering his third year in the IndyCar Series, he had a best finish of 10th last year at Nashville Superspeedway. This year, Vision Racing expanded to a two-car team with the addition of veteran driver Tomas Scheckter.
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RE: IRL Driver Paul Dana Dies
Yeah I saw the replay on tv earlier. It looked bad. I heard he was in critical condition, but I didn't know he passed away. Sad, but like sx said, its a risk they take every time they race.
I think that was a stand up thing of Bobby Rahal to not run the other cars today in honor of him.
