Tony Stewart claimed his first victory at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday after last year's event slipped through his fingers because of pit strategy. It was a real accomplishment and an exciting finish to a great race. But in all the post race pomp and circumstance, the important part of Sunday's event was lost.
This was the first race at LVMS since Dan Wheldon was tragically killed in a vicious accident in turn two of the speedway. He was just 33-years old and taken from us in the prime of his career. All weekend long, fans left a tribute to the three-time Indy 500 champion in that fateful corner. Chip Gannasi's cars also ran a tribute decal for Wheldon during Sunday's race as a tribute to his former driver.
While Fox dropped the ball and did not do a silent lap 77 in his honor, fans took part in a tribute to Wheldon by tweeting #RIPDan77 on lap 77 of Sunday's race. The tweet was soon trending worldwide, which just shows how many fans still remember and still miss the driver known simply as "Lionheart."
As fans, we get so caught up with which drivers we like and which ones we hate, we lose sight of the fact that what they do is dangerous and they are risking their lives to entertain us. We love some drivers and hate others, but we should never take what they do for us for granted. Because sometimes they win, sometimes they lose and sometimes they don't come back at all.
There were tweets and decals and notes in turn two, but perhaps the best tribute to Dan Wheldon on Sunday was the fact that all 43 drivers made it to the finish line. Win, lose or draw, when nobody gets hurt, that's what is most important. Watching a clean, exciting and safe race is what fans should hold paramount.
Rest in peace "Lionheart." You are still, and always will be, sorely missed.
This was the first race at LVMS since Dan Wheldon was tragically killed in a vicious accident in turn two of the speedway. He was just 33-years old and taken from us in the prime of his career. All weekend long, fans left a tribute to the three-time Indy 500 champion in that fateful corner. Chip Gannasi's cars also ran a tribute decal for Wheldon during Sunday's race as a tribute to his former driver.
While Fox dropped the ball and did not do a silent lap 77 in his honor, fans took part in a tribute to Wheldon by tweeting #RIPDan77 on lap 77 of Sunday's race. The tweet was soon trending worldwide, which just shows how many fans still remember and still miss the driver known simply as "Lionheart."
As fans, we get so caught up with which drivers we like and which ones we hate, we lose sight of the fact that what they do is dangerous and they are risking their lives to entertain us. We love some drivers and hate others, but we should never take what they do for us for granted. Because sometimes they win, sometimes they lose and sometimes they don't come back at all.
There were tweets and decals and notes in turn two, but perhaps the best tribute to Dan Wheldon on Sunday was the fact that all 43 drivers made it to the finish line. Win, lose or draw, when nobody gets hurt, that's what is most important. Watching a clean, exciting and safe race is what fans should hold paramount.
Rest in peace "Lionheart." You are still, and always will be, sorely missed.
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