Dan Wheldon was with us for much too brief a time, but in those years he touched a huge number of lives. And I can genuinely say, hand on heart, that he helped to change mine forever....
The 2005 Andretti-Green Dream team of Wheldon, Franchitti, Kanaan and Herta
It’s hard to comprehend that five years have passed since that fateful, awful day in October 2011, when the racing world lost a great champion and we all lost a dear friend. There will be many words spoken and written about Dan Wheldon this weekend, by people far more important than me, but this is my personal story. My journey with a mouthy little karting star who grew into a truly remarkable man, and had a much bigger influence on my life than I could ever have imagined.
I first met Dan back in the mid-nineties, when he was racing Formula Vauxhall Junior and Formula Ford with, among others, future F1 world champion Jenson Button, Le Mans winner Anthony Davidson and the also greatly-missed Justin Wilson. Even then Dan had that characteristic air of confidence and, yes, cockiness, that more than made up for his lack of stature at the time. His lifelong friend, three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti, described him best, calling him a “mouth on legs”!
I first met Dan back in the mid-nineties, when he was racing Formula Vauxhall Junior and Formula Ford with, among others, future F1 world champion Jenson Button, Le Mans winner Anthony Davidson and the also greatly-missed Justin Wilson. Even then Dan had that characteristic air of confidence and, yes, cockiness, that more than made up for his lack of stature at the time. His lifelong friend, three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti, described him best, calling him a “mouth on legs”!
Programmes from the races which Dan raced as a junior (J.Husband)
The telling part with Dan though is that he had the natural talent to back up all the bravado and swagger. As his fiercest FFord rival Button admits, “He was always the guy to beat”. I feel incredibly privileged to have seen DDub race in those early days, as he learned, often the hard way, how to control, manage and cope with the undoubted skills he had. That raw speed, intense competitiveness and fearless determination, nurtured by his father Clive through the karting years, grew with each race; staying with him throughout his career and serving him well in future battles.
The other thing I remember vividly about those days, is how even as an awkward, scrawny teenager, Dan had that special ability to make people happy. For example, when Jenson nearly ran me over following a FFord meeting, Dan’s hysterical ‘piss-taking’ amusement made us laugh so hard that our ribs hurt more than any dented pride ever could!
When Dan left for America, sadly our lives took very different paths. As his career finally started to flourish, mine disintegrated, with injury and illness forcing me to quit my beloved job training horses. To be honest my life was in tatters afterwards, as I lost so much more than just a career. My future, my dreams, my identity.... everything that defined me was gone, and I had no idea what, if anything, was left.
The other thing I remember vividly about those days, is how even as an awkward, scrawny teenager, Dan had that special ability to make people happy. For example, when Jenson nearly ran me over following a FFord meeting, Dan’s hysterical ‘piss-taking’ amusement made us laugh so hard that our ribs hurt more than any dented pride ever could!
When Dan left for America, sadly our lives took very different paths. As his career finally started to flourish, mine disintegrated, with injury and illness forcing me to quit my beloved job training horses. To be honest my life was in tatters afterwards, as I lost so much more than just a career. My future, my dreams, my identity.... everything that defined me was gone, and I had no idea what, if anything, was left.
The four Indy 500 winners who entered the 2011 running
As I struggled to rebuild my life, one of the few constant pleasures I clung to was following Dan and Dario in Indycar. Whether bemoaning close calls, dodgy decisions and dreaded politics or celebrating hard earned victories, championships and Indy 500 wins, these drivers I had watched since we were just kids, helped give me a focus again.
The road hadn’t always been smooth for Dan either, so the pure joy, pride and happiness I felt when he took the chequered flag on that extraordinary day in May 2011 was off the chart. As he stood with his family on the iconic yard of bricks, beaming that whiter-than white smile, all the memories of cold, wet, muddy but marvelous days at Oulton Park, Croft, Silverstone etc came flooding back. The cocky little kid with the precocious talent had grown up to become a true legend of the sport, respected on and off the track and adored by the fans he always had time for.
The road hadn’t always been smooth for Dan either, so the pure joy, pride and happiness I felt when he took the chequered flag on that extraordinary day in May 2011 was off the chart. As he stood with his family on the iconic yard of bricks, beaming that whiter-than white smile, all the memories of cold, wet, muddy but marvelous days at Oulton Park, Croft, Silverstone etc came flooding back. The cocky little kid with the precocious talent had grown up to become a true legend of the sport, respected on and off the track and adored by the fans he always had time for.
Wheldon would win his second 500 in 2011
That Dan had found the success and happiness he deserved, in his career and life, makes the next chapter of this journey so much harder. It would have been amazing to see him return to Andretti in 2012, as a more mature, happier, settled man, and I don’t think anyone in the paddock would have doubted him as a championship contender.
I simply can’t, and doubt I even need to, put into words the emotions and tragedy of that horrendous night in Las Vegas. It is something we, as a racing family, will never forget, no matter how many years pass by.
Rather fittingly given Dan’s character, the shock and grief of his loss brought people together. Complete strangers from opposite sides of the world, joining together in their sense of utter disbelief and sadness, to share stories about the man who made everyone feel like a friend. At the time I was very withdrawn and isolated, naively trying to hide away from the world. But the need to connect with other people who were grieving for Dan, brought me out of that cocoon, and opened up a whole new world to me. That decision to reach out helped me enormously, as I was welcomed into the Indycar family and began reconnecting with a world I’d largely given up on. I owe that, and the incredible journey it created, to Dan.
I simply can’t, and doubt I even need to, put into words the emotions and tragedy of that horrendous night in Las Vegas. It is something we, as a racing family, will never forget, no matter how many years pass by.
Rather fittingly given Dan’s character, the shock and grief of his loss brought people together. Complete strangers from opposite sides of the world, joining together in their sense of utter disbelief and sadness, to share stories about the man who made everyone feel like a friend. At the time I was very withdrawn and isolated, naively trying to hide away from the world. But the need to connect with other people who were grieving for Dan, brought me out of that cocoon, and opened up a whole new world to me. That decision to reach out helped me enormously, as I was welcomed into the Indycar family and began reconnecting with a world I’d largely given up on. I owe that, and the incredible journey it created, to Dan.
Franchitti and Wheldon in 2005 I deeply regretted that I never got to see DDub race in the US, a feeling only compounded by Dario’s career ending crash in 2013. So I decided that in spite of the many hurdles in the way, in honour of Dan I was going to, somehow, get to the Indianapolis 500. Unfortunately three major surgeries in 2014 meant my hopes were dashed, but it only made me more determined that I would make it the following year, come the proverbial hell or high water!
After so many setbacks, challenges and doubts it took a while to sink in when I finally set off from Heathrow in May last year. But as we descended into Indianapolis with the iconic IMS Pagoda and oval track coming into view, the reality suddenly hit. I’m unashamed to admit that my eyes were leaking a lot as we touched down. And my first words in Indy? “I made it Danny Boy!”
To my absolute amazement, the motorsport family I had become part of went out their way to make my first trip to Indy beyond my wildest dreams. The whole week was magical, but the emotion of just being there was mind-blowing. My first glimpse of that track, the bricks, the pagoda, was spine-tinglingly overwhelming. I well and truly earned the nickname ‘Alice in Wonderland’, spending much of the time in wide-eyed wonderment! Standing next to Dan’s 2011 winning car in the IMS museum with his sister Holly in particular was an experience far beyond any describable emotion.
As I stood on the grid before the big race and thanked DW for the journey he’d helped me take, I could have no idea that it was about to go from amazingly surreal, to downright mind-boggling though. That same week, I fell in love with my partner Andy Hallbery, who was putting into place the final pieces of a puzzle that would take us both on an incredible rollercoaster ride together, and give me chance to truly thank Dan.
From that Indy trip, I ended up being heavily involved in the production and promotion of the book, ‘Lionheart – Remembering Dan Wheldon’, a stunning tribute to DDub. The project was a real labour of love and a massive learning curve. I wasn’t so much dropped in the deep end, as out in the middle of the ocean! But working with Andy, Jeff Olson, Steve Moore and the amazing team of talented people, was also a wonderful experience. I learned so much about Dan and myself, as I took on challenges I never thought I could. It certainly wasn’t an easy path, but I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved. Through personal, poignant, moving and often funny stories from his family, friends, teammates, rivals and colleagues from across the world of motorsport, we were able to create a real tribute to Dan Wheldon and his extraordinary legacy.
I never imagined in a million years when I made it to Indy last year, that 12 months later I would be returning for three weeks to help launch and promote a book I helped create about a man I wouldn’t have been there without! May 2016 was an incredible, intense, challenging, stressful, rewarding and utterly overwhelming month. The 100th running of the Indy 500 will always stick in people’s minds, but it will always hold extra levels of memories for me....because of Daniel Clive Wheldon.
After so many setbacks, challenges and doubts it took a while to sink in when I finally set off from Heathrow in May last year. But as we descended into Indianapolis with the iconic IMS Pagoda and oval track coming into view, the reality suddenly hit. I’m unashamed to admit that my eyes were leaking a lot as we touched down. And my first words in Indy? “I made it Danny Boy!”
To my absolute amazement, the motorsport family I had become part of went out their way to make my first trip to Indy beyond my wildest dreams. The whole week was magical, but the emotion of just being there was mind-blowing. My first glimpse of that track, the bricks, the pagoda, was spine-tinglingly overwhelming. I well and truly earned the nickname ‘Alice in Wonderland’, spending much of the time in wide-eyed wonderment! Standing next to Dan’s 2011 winning car in the IMS museum with his sister Holly in particular was an experience far beyond any describable emotion.
As I stood on the grid before the big race and thanked DW for the journey he’d helped me take, I could have no idea that it was about to go from amazingly surreal, to downright mind-boggling though. That same week, I fell in love with my partner Andy Hallbery, who was putting into place the final pieces of a puzzle that would take us both on an incredible rollercoaster ride together, and give me chance to truly thank Dan.
From that Indy trip, I ended up being heavily involved in the production and promotion of the book, ‘Lionheart – Remembering Dan Wheldon’, a stunning tribute to DDub. The project was a real labour of love and a massive learning curve. I wasn’t so much dropped in the deep end, as out in the middle of the ocean! But working with Andy, Jeff Olson, Steve Moore and the amazing team of talented people, was also a wonderful experience. I learned so much about Dan and myself, as I took on challenges I never thought I could. It certainly wasn’t an easy path, but I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved. Through personal, poignant, moving and often funny stories from his family, friends, teammates, rivals and colleagues from across the world of motorsport, we were able to create a real tribute to Dan Wheldon and his extraordinary legacy.
I never imagined in a million years when I made it to Indy last year, that 12 months later I would be returning for three weeks to help launch and promote a book I helped create about a man I wouldn’t have been there without! May 2016 was an incredible, intense, challenging, stressful, rewarding and utterly overwhelming month. The 100th running of the Indy 500 will always stick in people’s minds, but it will always hold extra levels of memories for me....because of Daniel Clive Wheldon.
Wheldon only led one lap in 2011, the last
Danny Boy, I owe you so much. It might be five years since you left us, but you’ll never stop touching people’s lives and inspiring them. The leaps of faith I have taken because of you have given me a whole new future to build on; things I thought I’d never find. I have a new career, a wonderful partner, new dreams and hopes to chase and achieve..... I only wish you could be here to see it.
Thank you Lionheart Xx
Thank you Lionheart Xx
 | ‘Lionheart – Remembering Dan Wheldon’ is available priced US $49.95 or UK £37.75 via amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, the IMS online store and also from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Proceeds go to The Dan Wheldon Foundation which continues his charitable work and The Alzheimer’s Association, which Dan very proudly supported after his mother was sadly diagnosed with the condition. |
(All photo's LAT USA except where mentioned)
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