[Gregg]

Death in motorsports never gets any easier, in fact I find it much tougher now than ever before. The first time I ever saw Indy Cars on the track was May 14, 1966 or the first day of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. A top notch USAC midget driver named Chuck Rodee backed a car in the short chute wall past the first turn while trying to qualify for the race. Rodee at the time was one of my favorite midget drivers. Even though I never seen him win he could manhandle a midget like few others. The car he crashed at Indy wasn't damaged badly and at the time the prevailing thought was he could get back in the repaired car and qualify it next weekend. But injuries were such that by the time Chuck was transported to the hospital he was taking his last breaths. We heard about his death in the middle of the day. Although on that day the death was tragic and we were a little somber because of it we went on to watch the rest of qualifying day unimpeded. Back in 1966 it wasn't unusual to lose a race driver a month. In fact, on two occasions that year we lost two drivers from the same accident in a single day. Whether we sucked it up or was a little more conditioned to things like this happening I'll never fully know. I don't think we were more calloused toward the death of a race driver, we just thought that in the course of time it was bound to happen and maybe learned to accept it.

Here we are on October 16, 2011. I haven't seen an Indy Car race this year live, in fact the Indy 500 of 2008 was the last Indy Car race I've ever attended. My interest in Indy Car racing has waned. I know leading up to my last Indy Car race one of the first graduates of the Indy Lights ladder series was Dan Wheldon. His transition to Indy Car racing was a little rough at times in the beginning but once he got the hang of it Andretti-Green Autosports gave him a car that could win, and win he did. I was fortunate enough to see him win his first Indy 500 with that ride.

This afternoon I turned on the ABC broadcast of the Indy Car race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A few minutes into it was an interview with Dan Wheldon talking about the 5 million dollar to win that he would share with a lucky race fan plus his race plans for 2012. Shortly after that I left the broadcast because it was time to honor my wife with a belated Sweetest Day present which was a dinner at O'Charley's Restaurant. When I came home and turned on the TV. I turned it on to see a lengthy interview with one of the British drivers, maybe James Jakes. I ascertained that there must be a red flag situation on the track. Then I saw a visibly upset Danica Patrick. Sometimes she can wear her emotions on her sleeve but this time it was much different. This was the first hint that something was terribly wrong. What followed was things that were all too familiar; somber announcers, teams huddled in prayer, team members hugging members of different teams and finally Tony Kanaan who could not hide his sorrow. When the ABC crew finally gave us the announcement it hit me like Chuck Rodee's death never hit me 45 years earlier. I told my wife with tears in my eyes that you need to be a race fan to understand the full impact of this. I'm sorry that Dan now has a widowed wife probably 50 years too soon and it is a terrible shame his two small children will not have their dad to love them and help raise them.

I feel bad for Chuck 45 years later as well. He had a family, a loving wife and a legion of race fans too I'm sure. He should be sharing the later years with his wife, grandchildren and great-grandchildren right now but that just wasn't meant to be. I sure did not mean to slight him back then but I'm know it was a different time and I now have 45 more years of being a race fan to reflect on. Losing a race driver today is fortunately a rare occurrence but when it happens it is all too much a reminder that racing can still be a very cruel sport. I've said I distanced myself from Indy Car racing but death in any form of racing is a death in ALL of racing. As race fans of any form of racing we all feel sorrow right now. Yes, Mary. You need to be a race fan to understand the full impact of this.

[Bill Angel]

I am saddened by the passing of Dan Weldon and by all accounts he was a nice guy in addition to being a fantastic talent.

I witnessed Chuck Rodees crash. I didn't know anything about him and don't think I had seen him in a car up to that time. I was surprised to hear that he died in the crash because it appeared to be minor with little damage to the car. As I recall he looped the car and had slowed considerably before he backed into the wall. I don't remember hearing the cause of death but I assumed he broke his neck.

[DonMoore10]

Chuck Rodee was a great midget driver. The Indy cars today are way too fast. A sad day for motorsports.

[ronmil]

Originally Posted by Bill Angel I am saddened by the passing of Dan Weldon and by all accounts he was a nice guy in addition to being a fantastic talent. I witnessed Chuck Rodees crash. I didn't know anything about him and don't think I had seen him in a car up to that time. I was surprised to hear that he died in the crash because it appeared to be minor with little damage to the car. As I recall he looped the car and had slowed considerably before he backed into the wall. I don't remember hearing the cause of death but I assumed he broke his neck.

Bill,

I have seen more than one report that a ruptured aorta was the cause of Chuck Rodees' death.

[767]

A race fan you have to be. I sat there with tears in my eyes as well. I can not imagine being a race fan in the period you refer to. I read stories on here all the time, but just can not imagine it.

[Mud Packer]

Gregg,

I am still rather numb from hearing about Dan Weldon's accident yesterday at Las Vegas. After coming home from the races at Winchester, I turned on the TV and saw the replay of the incident. No question it was very brutal. I hope all of the other drivers are okay as it was a very intense time and the looks on the other drivers faces said it all.

Growing up being an auto race fan like yourself, I remember the 1964 Indy 500 and the death of Eddie Sachs & Dave MacDonald. Of course media coverage back then was much different than today. I was listening to that race on the radio and wondered what really happened that day.

I have personally been at the track and have seen some of the accidents that claimed drivers lives. It is always difficult whether it is a local driver or a national or international star. You are also correct in that if you aren't a race fan, you probably don't understand the full impact.

Thinking back to that May afternoon in 1964, I didn't understand the full impact of that day. Forty-seven years later and as much as the world has changed, somethings never change. We never seem prepared for what transpired yesterday. RIP Dan.