LONG POND, United States — British IndyCar driver Justin Wilson died Monday after suffering a severe head injury during a wreck in the closing laps of a race the previous day at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, IndyCar officials said. He was 37. Wilson, a former Formula One driver and seven-time winner in IndyCar racing, had been in critical condition in a coma at a hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania, before his death. “This is a monumentally sad day for IndyCar and the motorsports community as a whole,” Mark Miles, chief executive officer of Hulman & Co, the parent of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said in a statement. “Justin's elite ability to drive a race car was matched by his unwavering kindness, character and humility — which is what made him one of the most respected members of the paddock,” Miles added. Wilson's family said in a statement that he was a “loving father and devoted husband, as well as a highly competitive racing driver who was respected by his peers.” Wilson was the first IndyCar driver to die following a race accident since fellow Briton, Dan Wheldon, was killed in a fiery crash in Las Vegas in October 2011. Wheldon, who died aged 33, was just one of two British drivers to win America's most famous race, the Indy 500, on more than one occasion. He won it in 2005 and again in 2011, the 100th anniversary of the race. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Justin Wilson,” Wilson's Andretti Autosport team said in a statement. “He was a tremendous racer, a valuable member of the team and respected representative to our sport. “His life and racing career is a story of class and passion surpassed by none. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Wilson family and fans worldwide.” Tributes to Wilson, who is survived by his wife and two daughters, poured in from his fellow drivers and others in the motor racing world. New Zealander Scott Dixon, who won the Indy 500 in 2008 from pole position, tweeted: “Father, Husband, Friend, just an amazing human being. We will miss you to no end. Love to the Wilson Family. #RIPJustin.” Brazilian Tony Kanaan, winner of the 2013 Indy 500, posted on Twitter: “Why do we do this? Because we love it, don't want to be anywhere else but a race car. We will keep your legacy my friend. Racers race.” Wilson's car had careened out of control and into a wall after he was hit by a large piece of debris from the car of Sage Karam at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Karam, 20, was leading the penultimate race in the IndyCar Series when his car spun out on lap 179 of the 200-lap race, and smacked the outside wall, sending pieces of the car airborne. He was taken to the same hospital as Wilson with heel and wrist injuries but was released Sunday. Karam will be re-evaluated before being cleared to drive, IndyCar officials said. “I can't find the proper words to describe the pain and sympathy I feel for Justin and his family,” Karam said in a statement on Twitter, followed by the hashtag #RIPJustin. Wilson's accident was reminiscent of a 2009 incident when Brazil's Felipe Massa was struck in the helmet by a spring from Rubens Barichello's car during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix and had to undergo surgery. However, the Briton's death will once again raise questions about driver safety in IndyCar. Since 1966 there have been 18 deaths in IndyCar (which includes the series' previous incarnations as Champ Car, CART and Indy Racing League). Eight alone have come at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway and all but two on ovals. Recent deaths at open wheel races Factbox on driver fatalities in open wheel races on North American circuits since 1996 after Briton Justin Wilson died Monday after being hit by debris from another car during a race at the Pocono Speedway in Pennsylvania Sunday. Scott Brayton (US) May 17, 1996 The 37-year-old died in practice for the 1996 Indianapolis 500 having already qualified on pole. Brayton crashed after a tire blew out and he slammed into the wall with the impact of the 370kph crash killing him instantly. Jeff Krosnoff (US) July 14, 1996 Krosnoff was killed with three laps remaining at the 1996 CART race in Toronto when his car made contact with Stefan Johansson's car and it was propelled over a concrete barrier and safety fence hitting a tree and then lamp-post. He was 31. Gonzalo Rodriguez (Uruguay) Sept. 11, 1999 A promising Formula 3000 racer who never made it to Formula One, the 28-year-old was killed in practice for the CART race at Laguna Seca Raceway in California when his throttle was stuck open and he overshot the braking point, hitting the concrete barrier at the Corkscrew turn with the car flipping upside down on the other side of the wall. Greg Moore (Canada) Oct. 31, 1999 Moore, who had injured his hand before the CART race at the California Speedway in Fontana, California, lost control of his car at more than 320kph following a restart on lap 10, hit an access road and careered into the concrete wall. The 24-year-old was pronounced dead after being airlifted to hospital. Tony Renna (US) Oct. 22, 2003 The 26-year-old, who had just signed to join New Zealand's IndyCar champion Scott Dixon at Chip Ganassi Racing, was testing his car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when he lost control at more than 350kph and was sent airborne, hitting a fence that tore the car apart. He was killed instantly. Paul Danna (US) March 26, 2006 A motorsport journalist and mechanic before he got his start racing in 1998, Danna had suffered a spinal injury in 2005 that kept him out for the rest of the season. He returned in 2006 as a teammate of Danica Patrick and was killed in practice at the Homestead Miami Speedway in Florida when he struck debris from Ed Carpenter's car that forced him into a retaining wall. He was 30. Dan Wheldon (Britain) Oct. 16, 2011 The two-time Indianapolis 500 champion was killed in a fiery 15-car pileup on the 11th lap at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 33-year-old's car flew almost 100 meters in the air before striking the safety fence and crashing back onto the track. Wheldon was killed when his head struck a post in the fence. Justin Wilson (Britain) Aug. 24, 2015 The 37-year-old former Formula One driver died a day after being hit in the helmet by debris from race leader Sage Karam's car after he had struck the wall at Pocono Raceway. — Reuters
