This certainly wasn't the Indy Racing League Opening Day post I was planning.
Sadly a practice crash this morning took the life of Paul Dana. Paul was one of the guys we all could relate to as he did what we all wanted to do. He wasn't born into a racing family, but always wanted to race at Indy. He got a Journalism degree from Northwestern, then started as a mechanic at the Bridgestone Racing School so he could get seat time. He worked as a racing writer to fund his driving and it allowed for a natural progression through Formula Dodge, FF2000, F3, The Infiniti Pro Series and finally an opportunity in the Indy Car Series last year. That opportunity in the Indy Car Series didn't come by accident. Paul used his education and background to acquire an Ethanol sponsorship that got him into an Indy Car. An accident in Turn 2 at Indy last year broke his back and forced him to wait until this year to realize his dream of racing at Indy. Unfortunately that dream will go unfulfilled.
Paul Dana 1975-2006
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2 comments:
OMG... how sad! I didn't recognize the name when I heard it. Looks like he truly was a man realizing his dream.
That was a horrific crash with a terrible result. I feel for Paul's wife. But wow. Were the last 15 laps of that race great or what? Those poor saps watching the taxi cabs race in the snow only got to see Jeff Gordon's manliness with a helmet on.
And Dan Wheldon may have just became my favorite driver after his comments and actions after the race.
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