Growing up in Indiana, especially so close to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, you get a tremendous appreciation for race car drivers, especially the drivers in the IndyCar series. You get to learn about the past, present, and future of the open-wheel racing in America better than anybody else in the world. This is the home of the IndyCar Series Headquarters, several IndyCar teams, and the USAC National Headquarters. Growing up here also gives you a much better appreciation for the select few that have won the Indianapolis 500. Drivers like A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears, Parnelli Jones, Al Unser, Tom Sneeva, Arie Luyendyk, and Helio Castroneves are all like super heroes around here. Even if you’ve never met those guys, you feel like you know them. They are the ones that we have cheered on during the month of the May. They are the ones that fill us with hope and happiness when they cross the finish line in first place.
Sometimes though, we forget that these superheroes are not immortal. We forget that even though it is all just a sport, there is danger involved. Those times that we are reminded of this are horribly depressing. Nobody wanted what happened to Dan Wheldon to happen, but we all knew it was possible. It was possible for any of the other drivers I listed and the ones I didn’t. It’s possible for all drivers now and all the ones that will someday become our new superheroes. That is what makes these men and women superheroes though. They are able to do what none of us can, and that is to look death right in the face and drive past him, at over 200 M.P.H.
Wheldon was a great man and an even better driver. It didn’t matter who you were, he would take the time to sign an autograph or pose for a picture. He always had a smile on his face, whether he had come in first place or last. He should not only be remembered for his on-track success (2 Indy 500 wins, 16 IndyCar wins, 1 IndyCar championship) but also how he acted off the track. He was a superhero, and he will be missed.
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