Highlights

Driver Dana dies in IndyCar crash

(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-03-28 06:04

MIAMI: IndyCar driver Paul Dana died on Sunday after his race car, travelling at almost full speed, plowed into the back of another car during a practice run at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Dana, 30, slammed into the left-rear of a car driven by Ed Carpenter at about 200 mph (322 kph). Carpenter had spun, hit the wall and nearly come to a stop on the 1-1/2-mile (2.4-km) oval track, according to Tom Blattler, a spokesman for Dana.

Both drivers were ferried by helicopter to Jackson Memorial Hospital in downtown Miami, he said.

"Trauma personnel worked on Paul and then pronounced him dead at the hospital a little before noon," Blattler said.

Carpenter was listed in stable condition at the hospital, according to Dr Henry Bock, the Indy Racing League's senior director of medical services.

Dana was in his second year in the open-wheel racing series, and this year he had joined the Rahal-Letterman team, named after owners TV talk show host David Letterman and racing legend Bobby Rahal.

"It's a very black day for us," Rahal told reporters.

"On behalf of all of our team, David, our sponsors and associates, our prayers and sympathies certainly go out to Paul, his wife Tonya and the whole Dana family. This is a great tragedy," he said.

Rahal declined to speculate on the cause of the crash, but Brian Barnhart, president and chief operating officer of the Indy Racing League, said yellow caution lights had been switched on for drivers at the track immediately after Carpenter's spinout.

"All systems functioned properly," Barnhart said. "It was just a busy time out there with a lot of cars and a lot of traffic."

Dana had qualified in ninth position for Sunday's Toyota Indy 300, his highest ever.

Last year, Dana competed in three races with Ethanol-Hemelgarn Racing with a best finish of 10th at Homestead-Miami Speedway, IRL officials said.

They said he suffered a season-ending back injury during the first week of practice for the Indianapolis 500 and had been looking for a fresh start after last year's setback.

A St. Louis native and Indianapolis resident, Dana was a runner-up in the 2004 Indy Pro Series standings.

A former motor sports journalist, Dana had held a variety of jobs in racing ranks including work as a mechanic, a private racing coach and driving instructor.

(China Daily 03/28/2006 page15)