A story of a fan who became a friend but never stopped being Dan Wheldon's biggest fan by Darren Jack
Most racing fans are familiar with Dan Wheldon's career moments, these are the  memories I shared with Dan first hand.

Dan and I were both born and raised in England. Much like Dan, I spent most of my  youth at the track. I am sure I attended races earlier but my first real memory was in 1984 when my Family attended the San Marino Grand Prix in Italy. At age four, I remember the F1 cars, the rain and the delight of finding a large Ferrari flag of Gilles Villeneuve that day (which I still have), I was a motor racing fan for life. 37 F1 Grand Prix and hundreds of other racing events later, I still am a huge F1 fan but it doesn't compare to my passion for the Indycar series and in particular my love affair with the Indianapolis 500.

I first recall seeing Dan's name in my program back in Formula Ford at Brands Hatch in 1998. Dan was racing that day in the lower ranks of British open wheel racing with other young up and comers Jenson Button, Christian Horner and Aussie Marcus Ambrose. I was there to watch my boyhood hero of Nigel Mansell at a British Touring car race and at the time had no idea it would be the last time I watched Mansell and also the first time I watched my new hero Daniel Wheldon. It was a memorable weekend for British racing fans as Damon Hill also won the Belgium Grand Prix that day which I remember well as it was only the second F1 race I had missed at Spa in the last eight years. Mansell crashed in his race but I don't remember who won the Formula Ford race.

The following year both our lives seem to head down the same path by both moving to North America in 1999. I remember watching him in Indy Lights in Toronto 2001 and being a big CART fan, it wasn't until 2003 that I attended my first Indianapolis 500. The big boys from CART like Dario, Dixon, Kanaan, De Ferran, Andretti and Helio, had finally made the jump, and now it was my turn. The likeable British rookie made a large introduction to the world of people that didn't know him that May. His speed and natural ability at the Indianapolis  Motor Speedway was evident and he qualified 5th. In true DW style he made the papers the next day this time for the wrong reason though by landing upside down in a crash on lap 186 coming out of turn 3. I was sad to see him out but still excited to see Gil De Ferran win as it was my first 500.

Like Dan, I haven't missed the Indianapolis 500 since 2003 and have felt every high and low of his career with him. In ‘04 he had his first front row start at Indy and came close with a 3rd place finish, it hurt to watch him come that close to winning but was it was still a good result. 2005 was the year it all clicked for Dan though, he had already won 3 of the first 4 races before Indianapolis. When I spoke to Dan the day before the race I said to him in a confident way (our personalities were very similar) "Dan when you win tomorrow I am going to bring
you a flag to winners circle, do you want the St Georges Cross (English flag) or Union Jack (British Flag)?" He thought about it for a second then confidently replied, "The Union Jack". The next day Rookie Danica Patrick had her coming out party and what seemed to be 300,000 Americans all cheering her on. At the finish, the place went silent except for my Dad, brother and I, who went crazy when Dan won. Dan then takes up the rest of the story on page 122 of his book "Lionheart" -

With both of us loving the history of the sport, the last British winners Jim Clark and Graham Hill was on our minds. I knew my flag would help Dan get noted back home and the next day the British Press ate it up. 

My next visit to a race was at the end of the season when Dan won the Championship at Watkins Glen, I was again proud to be there in the stands. From June onwards of that year, the new champion had F1 teams knocking on his door and even a contract offer.

Dan made a bold move by not only turning down an F1 test contract with BMW but also by not re signing with the "dream team" of AGR. Instead he signed for Chip Ganassi's team who had a couple of tough seasons with the underpowered Toyota engine. 

Dan won first time out for Ganassi at the historic Rolex 24 at Daytona and also his first Indycar race of the year at Miami Homestead, a track he dominated at. Soon May came around and Dan was ready to defend his Indianapolis crown. Everyone will remember that race for the incredible last lap pass by Sam Hornish Jr on
rookie Marco Andretti. But what everyone forgot was how Dan Wheldon had dominated that race, almost lapping Hornish before a late flat tyre made him pit. His speed on the last restart was incredible, to come back through to 4th, but he ran out of laps to re-pass Michael, Marco and Hornish. This was explained in my "fan feedback" story and photo in 2007 Indy 500 program on page 128. I described my pain of not seeing my hero win again but was quoted in the program saying that the finish was the most incredible thing I had ever seen. That was back in 2006 though and in the next few years my "most incredible things I had ever seen list" had changed again.

Dan and I were both now married to two great Canadian born girls and in 07 and 09 I had witnessed the birth of my two gorgeous daughters, Dan's boys were born in 09 and 2011. Later in 2011 the Indy 500 finish had now also now made it into my top three list and am sure it was on Dan's too.

Dan had more Indycar wins in 07 and 08 but it was Indianapolis he loved and wanted so much again. In 07 he crashed and 08 led some laps before something went wrong on his car and he finished 12th. It didn't seem to hurt as much as not seeing him win those two years previous, perhaps because he wasn't that close and also
as it was great to see Dario and Scott taste the milk for the first time. 

Dan knew I liked collecting helmets and at his motor home in 08 after the 500 I said to him "you don't need that blue thing anymore do you?" A week later his blue special one off design 500 race day helmet showed up in a box at my home. It was the only Indy 500 helmet not in his own collection and one I will cherish forever.

Later that year, my family and I attended our normal races at Watkins Glen and Detroit. As the season went on many rumours went around about Dan being close to re-signing with Ganassi. On race day in Detroit I spoke to Dan and he just didn’t seem himself, I said to my brother ‘something’s wrong’ and sure enough Dan didn't end up re-signing with the team. A decision he confessed to me later that he regretted.

2009 and 2010 was hard years for Dan and his fans, At Indianapolis I felt upset when I watched Dan came so close to winning in 09 and it was torture to see it repeated in 2010. I had carried my large Union Jack flag in my bag now for 5 years and wasn't able to give it away again. My first trip to St Pete that year also scared me as I witnessed Dan's big crash entering turn 1. I had seen many crashes but this time, I felt scared as it was my friend and hero in that car. The cars are so strong these days though and Dan walked away.

Watching 2011 St Pete this year on TV with my 3 year old daughter, I had to explain that the #4 car wasn't Wheldon anymore and she too felt sad. We were all missing Dan very much. The announcement was made though that he would drive for Bryan Herta's team in the 500. I have to be honest I was a little disappointed that DW was driving for a team with only one Indy 500 start behind them.

We all know what happened next and I don't think I will ever get that feeling again when he overtook JR for the lead right in front of me and my family. My inside pain of the last 3 years watching him in 2nd place on lap 199 (the last lap) was instantly change to pure joy. It is a moment that most race fans will remember for the rest of their life but one that hit my heart as hard as anyone’s. The emotions of myself, my Dad and brother of evident in this last lap video - 

No one can ever take that away from Dan, his family, his managers, his team, his friends, his fans or me. Like many before him and many to come, his Indianapolis 500 legacy will live forever.

Late in the season I had been to a few more races but was looking for an excuse to go cheer on Dario for the Championship in Vegas. When Dan was given the chance to win 5 million it was my perfect excuse to go and support him as well. I had a really nice chat with Dan on Saturday at Mandalay Bay and hoped to spend some
time with him again after the race or at the party on Monday night. Saturday night before the race though I was invited to an Indycar Champion members party.  I was a new member of this club and they had some great prizes that night. 
 
The grand prize was Dan's Indy 500 winning William Rast side pod off his Bryan Herta entered car. I knew the full history of this car and that Wade Cunningham had crashed it the following week after Indy. The staff running the event told me it was the real deal and Dan had signed it. I reached for my wallet to see how much
I had to bribe the winning ticket holder. But as many raffle prizes were drawn I felt more confident of my chances. As Kevin Lee was reaching to draw the winning ticket I looked at the last two digits of mine, they were 99. I touched my friend Mike's Greg Moore tattoo on his arm, and said the words "it is my destiny to win this" and sure enough I did. I was confident and didn't seem surprised when I took the mic and said "it couldn't be going to a better home."  I was ecstatic and I text a picture of me with it to both Dan and Susie. That item will stay with me in my collection forever. 
 
Sadly that was my last lucky day in Vegas. I really can't bring myself to talk about the next day yet but will say this. It was the hardest day of my life and want to thank all of my friends who picked me up that day, they know who they are. Friends in racing, friends in life. But we all must put on our best Dan Wheldon smiles and keep moving ahead.

Often in times where people pass, no one has a bad word to say about that person. But even before we lost Dan, no one said a bad word about him and now every time I hear people talk about Dan, they don't talk about the fact that he is one of the greatest drivers of our time and all time at Indianapolis. They talk about Daniel Wheldon the person. His infectious smile, his larger than life personality and most of all his even bigger heart.

I will continue to be Dan's biggest fan and friend, today, tomorrow and in 20 years from now. The day I left Vegas I designed a tribute sticker for Dan that was sent to Australia. With the help of Alex Tagliani we were able to put those stickers on the driver’s helmets and cars to honour our champion and friend. At the funeral, I gave some to Jamie Little who also gave some out at the NASCAR race. I have many more plans to keep his memory alive so fellow drivers, friends and fans can enjoy memories of Dan Wheldon’s life and career. 

I wasn't born when we lost Jim Clark in 1968 and was only two years old when we lost Gilles Villeneuve, today I am a big fan of both. Dan Wheldon will be the same, he will have new fans today, tomorrow and in many years to come. I will never forget you Dan, Lionheart Forever. 

From Adrian - The world is such a smaller place than ten, maybe fifteen years ago. shortly after Darren first made contact with me throught the @IndyCarUK account, he found out if I was out in Las Vegas that weekend in October. We spoke about the Indycar Nation party on the Saturday night, which I also attended, I spent most of the evening wondering how I would manage to fit the side pod, which Darren won, onto the plane as 'carry-on' luggage. Then again on the Sunday, we did meet post race in the garage area. He asked me if I was walking around with a Union flag draped around my shoulders, I was, I remember we did shake hands then, no words exchanged, neither of us could to be honest.

Darren wrote this shortly after attending Dan's funeral in Florida, you can also find him on Twitter.

This past weekend I appealed via Twitter and Facebook for people who would be happy to share some pictures of either themselves and Dan Wheldon, or some personal pictures that they have taken over the years. Pictures very often say more than words and a lot has be said about Dan these past twelve months, one overriding memory is how he used to interact with fans. I was grateful to meet him a couple of times travelling to watch Indycar racing all over America, some unique memories to carry with me.

Carrie (@indycarrie) with Dan at Nashville in 2006. He took the time to chat with me and ask about my favourite drivers because he liked my Jimmie Johnson hat.

This set comes from Isabelle (@indyfan1994), taken around the 2011 Indy 500, from the downtown parade and also the first time she met him.

These two photos come from Brenda (@Nytewynd18), the first one was the first time she met and spoke with Dan, Brenda asked for a second hero card to send to a friend in the United Kingdom.... Dan replied "I wished I had a friend". The second was from Las Vegas, and after meeting him throughout the weekend he was his usual vibrant and funny self, and even though he wasn't considered one of my favourite drivers, still misses him and has a tribute tattoo done in his memory.

These next two picture collects were sent by Patsy (@patsylwhite) and Jeff (from SSM). First set is from Kentucky race weekend, the second from Las Vegas. Many thanks for passing these on.

After Dan's second Indy 500 win, he and other Indycar drivers came to the Goodwood Festival of Speed as part of a celebration of the centennial anniversary. Matthew Spencer (@Hudders_Matt) took these pictures

Kelsey (@KelseyUSA) took this picture at Kentucky in 2009, and had this to say, "He always had a way of making everyone feel like a friend - even for a ten second stop for a photo on pit lane"

Now to mine, I can honestly say that I have never met anyone who after a few brief conversations, treated you and made you feel like you had known them forever. My pictures are from 2010 Indy 500, Texas Motor Speedway in 2011 and from Las Vegas. After a few discussions he remembered that I spoke to him about my somewhat epic road trips following Indycar all around America, he said thank you to me, it really meant a lot to him. On the Friday practice session, I bumped into Dan in the garage, I had a Union flag I was trying to get fully signed by all the drivers, he, as always, happily signed and we briefly spoke. Just as we heard a bang both turning around, James Jakes had crashed in turn two, without a split second though Dan was apologising to me, he said he needed to go to his team and make sure who it was who crashed was ok. Last time we spoke, thank you for the time you gave me.

My final set of pictures are very special, sent to me by Darren Jack (@Dazincanada), a Brit living abroad in Canada first saw Dan drive in Formula Ford at Brands Hatch competing with amongst others, Jenson Button, in 1998. After moving Darren continued to follow Dan's career in the States, in the end becoming friends with him and his family. His pictures range from flag which he handed to Dan in victory lane at the '05 Indy 500, to his famous new teeth (and smile)!

Strangley enough Darren and myself paths have crossed, although we did not know it, but thanks to twitter the world is a much small place. Later this week, there will be a fuller story with Darren with more stories to share.

I would like to thank everyone who got in contact these past few days, for sharing your pictures and memories and please carry on using #lionheart