Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Official report concludes Dan Wheldon's death a "chance" accident]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/16/official-report-concludes-dan-wheldons-death-a-chance-acciden/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/16/official-report-concludes-dan-wheldons-death-a-chance-acciden/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/16/official-report-concludes-dan-wheldons-death-a-chance-acciden/#commentsFiled under: ,

Indy car field post Dan Wheldon crash

The official IndyCar accident review has been released concerning Dan Wheldon's fatal crash at Las Vegas earlier this year. Although Wheldon's head coming into contact with a fence support post was ruled the specific cause of his death, the verdict on the context of the accident is that "multiple factors that are not uncommon to racing that came together in a way that claimed Dan's life."

Two days of safety testing had been conducted at the Vegas speedway, but drivers still knew it could be a "hairy" race. The size of the track allowed for a huge field of 34 cars, and the particular geometry of the track not only allowed high speeds, it also meant that there were no 'racing grooves' that would channel the cars into some kind of order. That meant ''nearly unlimited movement on the track surface under race conditions." The ability for drivers to race just about anywhere the banked oval also meant it would be hard for drivers to know where everyone else was, meaning it was problematic to identify any predictable route to safety without standard racing lines.

Wheldon's car wasn't the only one to go airborne, nor was it the only one to impact the fence above the SAFER barriers. It just so happened, however, that his cockpit was turned toward the fence as it impacted. The report's conclusion was that "While several factors coincided to produce a 'perfect storm,' none of them can be singled out as the sole cause of the accident. For this reason, it is impossible to determine with certainty that the result would have been any different if one or more of the factors did not exist."

IndyCar will not return to Las Vegas next year, but more testing will be conducted at the track for a potential return in 2013. Additionally, the Dallara chassis entering the series next year has been engineered to address issues with wheel-to-wheel contact.

Official report concludes Dan Wheldon's death a "chance" accident originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accident reviewdallaradan wheldonindy carindycarlas vegaslas vegas motor speedwaywheldonFri, 16 Dec 2011 10:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20129278/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/16/official-report-concludes-dan-wheldons-death-a-chance-acciden/20129278/article-detail.xml 20129278 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/danwheldonaccidentreport_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/danwheldonaccidentreport.jpg <![CDATA[IndyCar Series drops Vegas from 2012 calendar in wake of Wheldon crash]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/13/indycar-series-drops-vegas-from-2012-calendar-in-wake-of-wheldon/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/13/indycar-series-drops-vegas-from-2012-calendar-in-wake-of-wheldon/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/13/indycar-series-drops-vegas-from-2012-calendar-in-wake-of-wheldon/#commentsFiled under:

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

The IndyCar Series has yet to announce its calendar for the 2012 season. When it does, it may or may not feature any superspeedways, but one thing's for sure: it won't include Las Vegas.

The high-speed track hadn't been used for this kind of racing since the Champ Car series raced there in 2005. Open-wheel racing returned to the Vegas oval for the first time this year, where a massive, tragic 15-car crash took the life of Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon.

Officials will reportedly be holding test sessions at the Vegas track to determine what, if anything, could be done to make the racing safer. But until then, IndyCar will be racing elsewhere.

IndyCar Series drops Vegas from 2012 calendar in wake of Wheldon crash originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indyindycar serieslas vegaslas vegas motor speedwaylvmsspeedwaysuperspeedwayvegasTue, 13 Dec 2011 10:40:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20126487/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/13/indycar-series-drops-vegas-from-2012-calendar-in-wake-of-wheldon/20126487/article-detail.xml 20126487 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/vegas-indy_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/vegas-indy.jpg <![CDATA[Two-time Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon dies in 15-car wreck at Las Vegas Indy 300 [UPDATED]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/16/indycar-driver-dan-wheldon-dies-in-15-car-wreck/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/16/indycar-driver-dan-wheldon-dies-in-15-car-wreck/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/16/indycar-driver-dan-wheldon-dies-in-15-car-wreck/#commentsFiled under:

IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon dies at Las Vegas 300

Dan WheldonTragedy struck this weekend's Las Vegas Indy 300, as driver Dan Wheldon, 33, died from injuries sustained in a gruesome 15-car wreck just 13 laps into the race. Wheldon's car sailed through the air outside turn two and smashed into a wall.

Yahoo! reports that the other drivers were told of Wheldon's death at a meeting held two hours after the wreck. Some drivers reportedly called the crash the worst they've ever seen. The crash comes after some drivers voiced concerns about the high speeds reached at the Las Vegas circuit, as cars were traveling at up to 225 miles per hour during practice.

IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard issued a statement after the race saying that IndyCar "is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries." Bernard went on to announce that the race had been stopped, but drivers chose to salute the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner with a five-lap run in his honor.

Wheldon, a 16-time IndyCar race winner, 2003 rookie of the year and two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, including this year's, was among the most skilled drivers in motorsports. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Wheldon and his family.

UPDATE: Statement from Honda added after the jump.

Continue reading Two-time Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon dies in 15-car wreck at Las Vegas Indy 300 [UPDATED]

Two-time Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon dies in 15-car wreck at Las Vegas Indy 300 [UPDATED] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Oct 2011 18:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crashdan wheldondeathindycarlas vegas 300las vegas motor speedwaytragedySun, 16 Oct 2011 18:52:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20082796/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/16/indycar-driver-dan-wheldon-dies-in-15-car-wreck/20082796/article-detail.xml 20082796 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/129383274-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/129383274-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Las Vegas campaigning for Indy season closer]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/06/las-vegas-campaigning-for-indy-season-closer/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/06/las-vegas-campaigning-for-indy-season-closer/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/06/las-vegas-campaigning-for-indy-season-closer/#commentsFiled under:



It's been a few years since single-seaters roared through America's Playground, but they could be back before we know it. And back in a big way, if the latest reports from the world of motorsport materialize.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosted IRL races from 1996 to 2000 and Champ Cars from 2003 to 2005, and continues to hold NASCAR races, along with a handful of racing schools and other events. The circuit's chief Bruton Smith, however, is now reportedly campaigning to get the joint open-wheel series back on track (so to speak) for next year. If successful, the Vegas oval could play host to the season finale, a slot currently held by Miami-Homestead.

The IRL is expected to announce next year's calendar on September 10 (just a few days from now), so one way or another, we'll be finding out shortly.

[Source: Autosport]

Las Vegas campaigning for Indy season closer originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indyindy car seriesindy racing leagueIndyCarSeriesIndyRacingLeagueirllas vegaslas vegas motor speedwayLasVegasLasVegasMotorSpeedwayvegasMon, 06 Sep 2010 16:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19621853/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/09/06/las-vegas-campaigning-for-indy-season-closer/19621853/article-detail.xml 19621853 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/vegas-speedway_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/vegas-speedway.jpg <![CDATA[Video: Watch the live reveal of the 2012 Ford Police Interceptor]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/12/video-watch-the-live-reveal-of-the-2012-ford-police-interceptor/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/12/video-watch-the-live-reveal-of-the-2012-ford-police-interceptor/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/12/video-watch-the-live-reveal-of-the-2012-ford-police-interceptor/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2012 Ford Police Interceptor reveal - Click above to watch the video

Earlier today, Ford unveiled its next generation Police Interceptor (they'd rather you not call it a Taurus) at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway before a group of police agency fleet buyers. The event was webcast live, but you can now watch a replay as Ford president Mark Fields and vehicle line director Scott Tobin explain the process of developing the new cruiser and how it differs from a civilian Taurus.

The Dodge Charger has been stomping all over the Crown Vic and Impala in recent years during the annual Michigan State Police vehicle test, but that process could end this year when the new Taurus Police Interceptor hits the track. The 365-horsepower Ecoboost-powered Interceptor should be right up there with the Dodge and may well provide better fuel economy to boot.

Ford isn't talking price yet for the new cop cars, but it aims to make it competitive with the rest of the class, and a claimed 25-percent boost in fuel economy compared to Crown Vic should help ease the pain of transitioning. Check out the video after the jump.


Gallery: 2012 Ford Police Interceptor


[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Video: Watch the live reveal of the 2012 Ford Police Interceptor

Video: Watch the live reveal of the 2012 Ford Police Interceptor originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20122012 ford2012 ford police interceptor2012 taurus police car2012Ford2012FordPoliceInterceptor2012TaurusPoliceCarcrown victoriaCrownVictoriafordford policeford police carford police cruiserford police interceptorFordPoliceFordPoliceCarFordPoliceCruiserFordPoliceInterceptorlas vegaslas vegas motor speedwayLasVegasLasVegasMotorSpeedwaymark fieldsMarkFieldspolice carpolice cruiserpolice interceptorPoliceCarPoliceCruiserPoliceInterceptortaurus police carTaurusPoliceCarFri, 12 Mar 2010 19:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19397061/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/03/12/video-watch-the-live-reveal-of-the-2012-ford-police-interceptor/19397061/article-detail.xml 19397061 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/screen-shot-2010-03-12-at-11.53.41-amopt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/screen-shot-2010-03-12-at-11.53.41-amopt.jpg <![CDATA[Petty and Earnhardt get wax treatment]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/12/petty-and-earnhardt-get-wax-treatment/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/12/petty-and-earnhardt-get-wax-treatment/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/12/petty-and-earnhardt-get-wax-treatment/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Only in Vegas. Madame Tussaud's unveiled their latest ghastly likenesses; we're not sure if the fact that the subjects are still alive makes it more creepy. The work is uncanny in its accuracy and lifelike look, and if you're in Vegas, Tussaud's is a veritable family attraction. The reason for the paraffin-ization of the left-turning legends was the kickoff of this weekend's races at Las Vegas's own Motor Speedway. The flesh and blood Petty and Earnhardt were on hand for the debut of their inanimate doppelgangers at the Neon Garage, though we're not sure if they'll be paying any visits to the exhibit's permanent home at the Venetian. They could roam the exhibit halls and catch glimpses of such luminaries as John Holmes (we're not sure if it's all of "Wad," or a partial model) Siegfried and Roy (before or after the mauling, again, not sure), and of course Fat Elvis. Good times, good times. Now, where's that buffet...

[Source: TCC]

Petty and Earnhardt get wax treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Mar 2007 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dale earnhardtdale earnhardt jrDaleEarnhardtDaleEarnhardtJrdriversearnhardtlas vegaslas vegas motor speedwayLasVegasLasVegasMotorSpeedwaylegendsnascarpettyrace carRaceCarracingrichard pettyRichardPettystock carStockCarvegaswax museumWaxMuseumMon, 12 Mar 2007 09:54:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/850520/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/03/12/petty-and-earnhardt-get-wax-treatment/850520/article-detail.xml 850520 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/tussauds_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/tussauds.jpg -1 2