Driver Dan Weldon dies after fiery crash at Las Vegas IndyCar race

[crash1371]

Open-wheel racer Dan Wheldon was airlifted to University Medical Center with undisclosed but apparently severe injuries Sunday after a fiery crash involving 15 cars brought Sunday's IZOD IndyCar World Championships at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to a red-flag stop on Lap 12.

Doctors worked on Wheldon in the infield medical center before he was airlifted by helicopter. No report of his condition was immediately available. Wheldon, who started in the back of the 34-car field, was racing for a special $5 million bonus.

There was one unofficial report that a car ran over the top of Wheldon's, shearing off the top. Wheldon's car remained on the track covered by a tarpaulin.

Other drivers reported to have suffered minor injuries were J.R. Hildebrand, Pippa Mann and Will Power, who were transported by car to UMC.

Power was contending for the series points title. His departure from the race gave Dario Franchitti, who led by Power by 18 points entering the event, his third straight series title.

The crash appeared to have started when James Hinchcliffe lost control exiting the second turn on Lap 12. Cars began sliding into the retaining wall, with some on fire. At least two cars hurtled through the air.

Danica Patrick, racing in her final IndyCar event before moving to NASCAR next season, described the scene as being "like something out of a movie, which they like to make gnarly." Fellow driver Ryan Briscoe called it something out of the movie "Terminator."

There was no word when the race would resume. The red-flag stoppage lasted more than 1 hour, 10 minutes before the remaining drivers were called into a meeting with race series officials.

RIP DAN

[Barryd]

Terrible crash,

I watched Dan win the Indy 500 this year due to a crash on the last lap.

He will be missed.