IRL Driver Paul Dana Dies

Schwartz Fan · 03-26-2006, 11:58 AM

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/s...d=1&id=2384873

Paul Dana died from injuries suffered in a horrific practice crash at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday.

Ed Carpenter had lesser injuries Sunday morning, the result of the two-car crash during the warmup for the season-opening IRL IndyCar Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The race will start as scheduled, officials announced.

Paul Dana died after suffering injuries in a horrific practice crash Sunday.

Carpenter, the stepson of Indy Racing League founder Tony George, spun his Vision Racing car exiting Turn 2 of the 1.5- mile Homestead-Miami Speedway oval and hugged the outside wall before slowly creeping back onto the racing surface. It was nearly stopped when it was hit in the left-rear corner at nearly full speed by a car driven by Paul Dana, a 30-year old rookie driving for Rahal Letterman Racing.

Dana, a former motorsports journalist with a degree from Northwestern, started three IndyCar Series races in 2005 for Hemelgarn Racing before breaking his back in a practice crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dana qualified a career-best ninth for Sunday's race, which would have been his first with the Rahal Letterman team.

Vision Racing team manager Larry Curry was more optimistic about Carpenter's condition. "I've been told he is awake and alert and is going to be fine," Curry said. "They want to check him out at the hospital, but he should be fine."
************************************************** ***********

The race was expected to be run as scheduled. Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Racing for which Dana was to race this season, said the team's other two cars will be pulled out of the race.

"Obviously, this is a very black day for us," Rahal said. "This is a great tragedy."

RaCeDuDe621 · 03-26-2006, 12:45 PM

This is so sad..........

Scooters · 03-26-2006, 12:45 PM

Another tragedy for the sport ....

RaCeDuDe621 · 03-26-2006, 12:47 PM

One of my best friends dad is a pit reporter for the IRL.

admin · 03-26-2006, 05:28 PM

I posted this in another thread, but I'll say it once again that I pray God give's his family the strength to get thru this.

riverpop · 03-26-2006, 07:05 PM

It is sad, God be with his Family.

RaCeDuDe621 · 03-26-2006, 08:36 PM

I cant even imagine how hard it is for his wife to go to bed tonight...Not sleeping next to her husband and waking up to his face... Exact same with his family...God bless there family.

blueyedfairy_1 · 03-26-2006, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by RaCeDuDe621

I cant even imagine how hard it is for his wife to go to bed tonight...Not sleeping next to her husband and waking up to his face... Exact same with his family...God bless there family.

Yea thats a hard one to do.. with any death!!

Schwartz Fan · 03-28-2006, 05:02 PM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Letterman pays tribute to Dana
Posted: Tuesday March 28, 2006 4:56PM; Updated: Tuesday March 28, 2006 4:56PM

NEW YORK (AP) -- David Letterman paused on the Late Show to offer condolences to the family of race car driver Paul Dana, who died after a crash Sunday during warmups for the season-opening IRL IndyCar Series race at Homestead, Fla.

Dana was a driver for Rahal Letterman Racing, one of the top teams in the IRL.

Letterman saluted Dana, whose picture appeared on the screen, shortly before a commercial on his show Monday. He said the racing world was thinking about the young driver's family.

"Hopefully that will give them the slightest amount of comfort in their horribly dark days ahead," the CBS host said.

Racing is thrilling, exhilarating but also very dangerous, Letterman said. The people who do it love what they do despite the danger, he said.

Dana's experience should remind everyone that "getting there one day does not guarantee the next," he said.

Scooters · 03-28-2006, 05:08 PM

Dave Letterman IS the Letterman in that race team, isn't he?

03-26-2006, 11:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
Schwartz Fan Co-Administrator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The flatlands...Where dirt is for farming, clay is for racin' and asphalt is for gettin there!!! Posts: 7,431	IRL Driver Paul Dana Dies http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/s...d=1&id=2384873 Paul Dana died from injuries suffered in a horrific practice crash at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday. Ed Carpenter had lesser injuries Sunday morning, the result of the two-car crash during the warmup for the season-opening IRL IndyCar Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will start as scheduled, officials announced. Paul Dana died after suffering injuries in a horrific practice crash Sunday. Carpenter, the stepson of Indy Racing League founder Tony George, spun his Vision Racing car exiting Turn 2 of the 1.5- mile Homestead-Miami Speedway oval and hugged the outside wall before slowly creeping back onto the racing surface. It was nearly stopped when it was hit in the left-rear corner at nearly full speed by a car driven by Paul Dana, a 30-year old rookie driving for Rahal Letterman Racing. Dana, a former motorsports journalist with a degree from Northwestern, started three IndyCar Series races in 2005 for Hemelgarn Racing before breaking his back in a practice crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dana qualified a career-best ninth for Sunday's race, which would have been his first with the Rahal Letterman team. Vision Racing team manager Larry Curry was more optimistic about Carpenter's condition. "I've been told he is awake and alert and is going to be fine," Curry said. "They want to check him out at the hospital, but he should be fine." ************************************************ ********* The race was expected to be run as scheduled. Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Racing for which Dana was to race this season, said the team's other two cars will be pulled out of the race. "Obviously, this is a very black day for us," Rahal said. "This is a great tragedy." __________________

03-26-2006, 12:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
Scooters VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,432	Another tragedy for the sport .... __________________ Have you ever felt like doing this to someone?

03-28-2006, 05:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
Schwartz Fan Co-Administrator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The flatlands...Where dirt is for farming, clay is for racin' and asphalt is for gettin there!!! Posts: 7,431	Letterman pays tribute to Dana http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html Letterman pays tribute to Dana Posted: Tuesday March 28, 2006 4:56PM; Updated: Tuesday March 28, 2006 4:56PM NEW YORK (AP) -- David Letterman paused on the Late Show to offer condolences to the family of race car driver Paul Dana, who died after a crash Sunday during warmups for the season-opening IRL IndyCar Series race at Homestead, Fla. Dana was a driver for Rahal Letterman Racing, one of the top teams in the IRL. Letterman saluted Dana, whose picture appeared on the screen, shortly before a commercial on his show Monday. He said the racing world was thinking about the young driver's family. "Hopefully that will give them the slightest amount of comfort in their horribly dark days ahead," the CBS host said. Racing is thrilling, exhilarating but also very dangerous, Letterman said. The people who do it love what they do despite the danger, he said. Dana's experience should remind everyone that "getting there one day does not guarantee the next," he said. __________________

03-28-2006, 05:08 PM	#10 (permalink)
Scooters VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,432	Dave Letterman IS the Letterman in that race team, isn't he? __________________ Have you ever felt like doing this to someone?

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03-26-2006, 12:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
RaCeDuDe621 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 434	This is so sad..........

03-26-2006, 12:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
RaCeDuDe621 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 434	One of my best friends dad is a pit reporter for the IRL.

03-26-2006, 05:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
admin Administrator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 4,364	I posted this in another thread, but I'll say it once again that I pray God give's his family the strength to get thru this.

03-26-2006, 07:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
riverpop Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 667	It is sad, God be with his Family.

03-26-2006, 08:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
RaCeDuDe621 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 434	I cant even imagine how hard it is for his wife to go to bed tonight...Not sleeping next to her husband and waking up to his face... Exact same with his family...God bless there family.

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