WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 SPORTS Wilson’s death triggers calls for safety review PENNSYLVANIA: The death of mph). FONTANA: In this June 27, 2015, file photo, Ryan Briscoe flips through the infield grass in front of Ryan Hunter-Reay during thendyCar I auto race at British IndyCar driver Justin Wilson Indycar officials have intro- Auto Club Speedway. The IndyCar Series has bounced from one problem to another all season as it scrambles for viewers and new fans. — AP has once again raised questions duced a raft of new safety meas- about the safety of motor racing ures over the years, including safer and prompted calls for the intro- walls and collapsible barriers duction of closed cockpits. designed to cushion impact as IndyCar officials announced on well as installing mobile hospitals IndyCar driver Monday that Wilson had died and state-of-the-art trauma cen- from severe head injuries he suf- tres at race tracks. fered in a crash at Pocono IndyCar did not make any com- Raceway in Pennsylvania, the pre- ments immediately after vious day. announcing Wilson’s death, out of dies after wreck Wilson slammed into a wall respect for his family, but said after he was struck in the helmet they would comment in the next by debris from another car he was few days. PENNSYLVANIA: British IndyCar driver Justin and prayers remain with the Wilson family and following. He was airlifted to hos- “We’re always looking at ways Wilson died on Monday after suffering a severe fans worldwide.” pital but never regained con- to make this sport safer,” Wilson’s head injury during a wreck in the closing laps of Tributes to Wilson, who is survived by his sciousness. team mate Ryan Hunter-Reay said a race the previous day at Pocono Raceway in wife and two daughters, poured in from his fel- As tributes began flowing in immediately after the race. “First Pennsylvania, IndyCar officials said. He was 37. low drivers and others in the motor racing following the announcement of we had the innovation with the Wilson, a former Formula One driver and sev- world. New Zealander Scott Dixon, who won his death, there were renewed safer barrier. Oval tracks in gener- en-time winner in IndyCar racing, had been in the Indy 500 in 2008 from pole position, tweet- calls for a review of safety in the al, we need to start looking into critical condition in a coma at a hospital in ed: “Father, Husband, Friend, just an amazing sport. the next 20 years, maybe making Allentown, Pennsylvania, before his death. human being. We will miss you to no end. Love “Safety is not one of those the walls a little bit higher. Maybe “This is a monumentally sad day for IndyCar to the Wilson Family. #RIPJustin”. Brazilian Tony things that because you have a coming up with something a little and the motorsports community as a whole,” Kanaan, winner of the 2013 Indy 500, posted on clear record for a certain amount bit better than just mesh fencing Mark Miles, chief executive officer of Hulman & Twitter: “Why do we do this? Because we love it, of time that you stop doing devel- and poles. “We need to start mov- Co, the parent of IndyCar and Indianapolis don’t want to be anywhere else but a race car. opment,” former race driver Eddie ing forward on it. And IndyCar has Motor Speedway, said in a statement. “Justin’s We will keep your legacy my friend. Racers race.” Cheever told ESPN. always been at the forefront of elite ability to drive a race car was matched by “I think that it is time that solu- safety. I give them a lot of credit his unwavering kindness, character and humili- HIT BY DEBRIS tions are looked for and I think it is for that.” ty-which is what made him one of the most Wilson’s car had careened out of control and time that the drivers got together Wilson’s accident was reminis- respected members of the paddock,” Miles into a wall after he was hit by a large piece of and came up with a few ideas and cent of several other incidents added. Wilson’s family said in a statement that debris from the car of Sage Karam at Pocono I sincerely hope that some when drivers have been hit by he was a “loving father and devoted husband, Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Justin Wilson progress will be made on this debris, sparking calls for the intro- as well as a highly competitive racing driver Karam, 20, was leading the penultimate race again raise questions about driver safety in issue.” Since 1966 there have been duction of plastic canopies to cre- who was respected by his peers”. in the IndyCar Series when his car spun out on IndyCar. Since 1966 there have been 18 deaths 18 deaths in IndyCar, including ate closed cockpits. Wilson was the first IndyCar driver to die fol- lap 179 of the 200-lap race, and smacked the in IndyCar (which includes the series’ previous the series’ previous incarnations as In 2009, Brazilian Formula One lowing a race accident since fellow Briton, Dan outside wall, sending pieces of the car airborne. incarnations as Champ Car, CART and Indy Champ Car, CART and Indy Racing driver Felipe Massa was struck in Wheldon, was killed in a fiery crash in Las Vegas He was taken to the same hospital as Wilson Racing League). Eight alone have come at the League. Eight alone have come at the helmet by a spring from in October 2011. with heel and wrist injuries but was released on famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway and all but the famed Indianapolis Motor another car. Massa underwent sur- Wheldon, who died aged 33, was just one of Sunday. Karam will be re-evaluated before two on ovals. Speedway and all but two on gery and made a full recovery. In two British drivers to win America’s most being cleared to drive, IndyCar officials said. “I think IndyCar has been at the head of the ovals. 2014, Canadian IndyCar driver famous race, the Indy 500, on more than one “I can’t find the proper words to describe the (safety) curve,” American motor racing legend The last driver killed in IndyCar James Hinchcliffe was hit in the occasion. He won it in 2005 and again in 2011, pain and sympathy I feel for Justin and his fami- Mario Andretti told Reuters last year. “There is was Wilson’s fellow Englishman helmet by debris and suffered the 100th anniversary of the race. ly,” Karam said in a statement on Twitter, fol- not a sanctioning body more concerned with Dan Wheldon, who died in a fiery concussion. “These cars are inher- “We are deeply saddened by the passing of lowed by the hashtag #RIPJustin. safety than IndyCar. “But on an oval you have crash at Las Vegas in 2011, a year ently dangerous with the open Justin Wilson,” Wilson’s Andretti Autosport team Wilson’s accident was reminiscent of a 2009 the speed, Formula One doesn’t come close to after he had won the Indy 500 for cockpit like that, head exposed,” said in a statement. “He was a tremendous racer, incident when Brazil’s Felipe Massa was struck those type of speeds and then you have cars a second time. Hunter-Reay said. “Maybe in the a valuable member of the team and respected in the helmet by a spring from Rubens side-by-side at 230mph. His death also triggered calls future we can work towards some representative to our sport. Barichello’s car during qualifying for the “In a nutshell, IndyCar is definitely more dan- for safety reviews, including sug- type of...canopy, not a full jet “His life and racing career is a story of class Hungarian Grand Prix and had to undergo sur- gerous because of the ovals so they are dealing gestions that open wheel racing fighter canopy, but something and passion surpassed by none. Our thoughts gery. However, the Briton’s death will once with a totally different monster.” — Reuters be banned on high-speed, oval that can give us a little protection tracks, where tightly-packed cars but keep the tradition of the reach speeds of 370 km/h (230 sport.” — Reuters Surprise discus Preview victory for Bolt looks to close on Cuban Caballero BEIJING: Cuba’s Denia Caballero landed a shock latest sprint double win in the world championship discus yester- day, her first round effort of 69.28 metres beat- BEIJING: Usain Bolt will try to move while Gatlin also won his heat in a ing all her rivals including defending champion closer to a sprint double over time of 20.19. Bolt, whose victory in Sandra Perkovic of Croatia. Olympic champion American rival Justin Gatlin at the an electrifying 100m provided the cri- Perkovic salvaged the silver medal with a late world championships in the men’s sis-hit sport with a tonic after allega- effort of 67.39, having gone into the final round 200 metres semi-finals in Beijing tions of widespread doping in the facing the prospect of going home empty- today. build-up to Beijing, is looking to win a handed after a mediocre series of throws that Meanwhile, Grenadan Kirani James seventh individual world champi- contained three fouls. will bid to back up his London onship gold. The bronze went to Germany’s Nadine Olympic gold with a world title in the The absence from the women’s Mueller, with her best of 65.53 also coming in 400m but in what should be a thriller, 200m heats of Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann the first round.