Driver dies from head injury suffered during race,
Veteran driver, 37, succumbs day after being struck by debris during race at Pocono Raceway
IndyCar driver Justin Wilson has died from a head injury suffered when a piece of debris struck him at Pocono Raceway. He was 37. IndyCar made the announcement on Monday night at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Wilson is a British driver who lived outside Denver in Longmont, Colo. He was hit in the head during Sunday’s race by piece of debris that had broken off another car. Wilson’s car veered into an interior wall at the track, and he was swiftly taken by helicopter to a hospital in Allentown, Pa.
“Justin was a loving father and devoted husband, as well as a highly competitive racing driver who was respected by his peers,” his family said in a statement.
The last IndyCar driver to die because of an on-track incident was Indianapolis 500 champion Dan Wheldon, who was killed in the 2011 season finale at Las Vegas after his head hit a post when his car went airborne.
“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,” said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Co., the parent company of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Wilson won seven times over 12 seasons in open-wheel racing and finished as high as fifth in the Indianapolis 500.
Wilson once said his injuries and Wheldon’s death did nothing to change his perspective or make him question his career choice.
“You’ve got to know the risks and work out if those risks are acceptable,” Wilson told The Associated Press. “To me, it’s acceptable. But I’m not going to stop trying to improve it.”
In addition to his wife, Julia, Wilson has two daughters, 7 and 5.
His younger brother, Stefan, is also an IndyCar driver.