Wheldon Crash Investigation Sets Tone for Improvements

The release of INDYCAR’s 49-page investigation into the fatal 15-car crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which took the life of Indy 500 winner, series champion, and perennial fan favorite Dan Wheldon, has reignited the debate and fervor surrounding the fateful event that was supposed to be a showcase for INDYCAR.

In the immediate aftermath, opinions were abound about the causes of the lap-11 pileup. Some were just and sound, some were understandably rash given the emotional nature of the episode, while many were erroneous and outright unfair, given the series of random events that ultimately led to Wheldon’s passing.

INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard and INDYCAR President of Operations Brian Barnhart, who reviewed the series’ report on Thursday, shed light on the factual causes of the wreck. In opening, Bernard emphasized the broad scope of the problem; that too many variables were in play to specifically label one as a direct cause. “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 certainly the result would be any different if one or more of the factors did not exist.”

Still, based on the report, one can identify two factors that combined to play a significant role in the tragic occurrences of that day: pack-racing and track grip.

Pack-racing is something that we have seen a lot of in INDYCAR, specifically on 1.5-mile ovals. However, when the track holds reduced grip and the tires suffer some wear and spread marbles on the surface, the field can still spread out, even if all cars are traveling at full-throttle, given the reduced grip and fewer grooves to run in. We saw this in the early laps at Kentucky Speedway, when Will Power was able to gap the field after starting on pole; yes, his car contained more sheer speed, but the balance was also perfect, allowing him to pull away. Also, the field of 29 cars had already broken apart into three and four-car “clumps” prior to lap 10. Further still, some of those “clumps” broke up themselves as the race approached a round of green-flag pit stops.

The effect of handling had been reduced with the high-downforce low-horsepower formula INDYCAR used since it created its own chassis regulations in 1997, but that effect could still be seen when the conditions allowed.

The IZOD INDYCAR World Championships in Las Vegas, however, eliminated the handling and balance part of the equation. Las Vegas Motor Speedway was repaved and reconfigured in 2006 to include progressive banking in the corners, the range being 18-20 degrees. The front and back straightaways were also changed, each becoming banked at nine degrees.

The banking, as it turns, was not a major contributor. The still relatively fresh asphalt, though, produced an abnormally high amount of grip, compounded by a lack of wear (and lack of marbles) from the Firestone Firehawk tires (this not to blame, Firestone. It is their job to produce a quality racing tire that can handle the worst of conditions). These factors and others created, as Brian Barnhart described, “nearly unlimited movement on the track surface under race conditions."

In essence, the “gray” or “marbles” we so often hear about didn’t exist that weekend. The racing groove ran, literally, from the apron of the track all the way to the outside retaining wall. The formula of the cars, already conducive to pack-racing, meant there was little-to-no chance of the cars separating themselves from each other over a stint, especially a short one.

These two factors, pack racing and excessive grip, contributed the most to the accident that took Dan Wheldon’s life. Some other factors, widely thought to be primary causes, proved to be of little consequence.

All drivers and teams had been appropriately licensed by ACCUS-FIA to compete. In fact, every driver in the field had competed in at least one race in the 2011 season and every team had fielded at least one car in the Indianapolis 500.

The notion that Randy Bernard’s $5 Million Go Daddy Challenge was a contributing factor is completely false. Before Wheldon was selected to partake in it, he had already been negotiating with a handful of teams to compete that weekend.

In short, as those closely involved in the sport have long asserted, pack-racing and the high amount of track grip were significant factors in Wheldon’s fatal crash. With that in mind, where does the series go from here? What can be done to prevent such an episode from happening again?

The answers to those questions are relatively simple. The elements of pack-racing need to be removed; this much sees near-unanimous agreement. The cars themselves need to have a greatly reduced propensity of launching over the top of each other, evidenced the horrifying images of Will Power and Pippa Mann flying over a handful of cars apiece. This is something the DW12 attempts to address with its back “bumper.” Unfortunately, implementing those improvements is going to be a painstaking process, as the series has already found out. Still, all will continue to push themselves to make these necessary changes a reality.

Regardless, it remains true that many different elements came into play at Las Vegas, making it incredibly difficult to zero in on any specific one as a direct cause (though two of them do stand out somewhat). The furtherance of safety is more complicated after understanding that the sport wants to maintain its core formula of single-seater, open-wheel racing, rather than completely redefining its look.

The shock and emotion surrounding Wheldon’s passing will linger for a long time and may never truly go away. He meant that much to INDYCAR. That said, the reaction and solutions must be reasonable and realistic. INDYCAR needs to continue this direction in order improve its own safety while still keeping it’s “IndyCar” identity that fans fell in love with.