At its best, auto racing is exhilarating and adrenaline pumping. At its worst though, it is random, capricious, and cruel, and so it was Sunday. Eleven other cars had made it through Sage Karam's accident. A nosecone completes its descent as the twelfth car goes through, lands at the exact wrong time and place, and just like that there's goes a respected racer and more importantly, a father of two.
Back in the day, Wilson could've been a Formula One driver. He in fact made for one year, but was just too damn tall for those cars. So, he came stateside and made it as IndyCar driver, never complaining even when the business of racing shit on him so many times. He won 7 races even though he was never with a top team. He won twice with Dale Coyne Racing, which is like the Pirates winning the World Series at the height of their cheapness. His nickname as a driver was Badass because of his skills behind the wheel, an ironic nickname given his personality out of the car.
The tributes that have come in tell the story of Justin Wilson the man. I never knew him, or really talked to. (I'm a little shy when it comes to interacting with drivers) However, he's the one driver that I've
never, ever heard a bad thing about. Not from other drivers, press,
fans, officials, no one. Everyone liked Justin Wilson. He was arguably
the nicest guy in the entire sport, which just makes it more gut
wrenching. Add that his daughters are 7 and 5 and it just makes the pain
more exponentially awful. It always hurts bad when we lose a racer, but
this one hurts especially bad, and it's shown.
The best thing about the rise of the Internet is that it's given IndyCar fans a sounding board with each other. Sometimes that doesn't end well (see: TrackForum), but it's especially important for fans in times like these, especially those that do not live in the Indianapolis area. There was just no one in my real life that I could discuss what happened and have them understand completely. We've all needed that this week.
Discussions on where we go from here have started in fits and spurts, and will certainly compose much of the off season. It's beyond past the point where something has to be done to protect drivers. Fully open cockpits just aren't acceptable anymore. If the solution is canopies, let's do it. If it's something else, let's do that. I'm under no delusion that a solution is immediate, but it's a time for study and a time for action, because we've had way too many deaths and injuries from cockpit intrusions.
In the immediate aftermath, there have been some that have questions whether they can continue following this sport. This is of course well within their rights. Other sports don't have this specter of death and pain and loss attached to it. Racing is unique in that terrible way where everyone knows death is possible every time a car goes onto the track, and that it's always a question of when, not if, no matter what progress is made towards safety. It is perfectly understandable if anyone decides they can't do it anymore. I had those thoughts myself Monday night, and this offseason, will have some thinking to do.
In the end, there are only two things I know for sure: 1.) This loss is indescribably heartbreaking, and 2.) This weekend we will head to Sonoma, race, crown a champion, and most importantly, honor Justin Wilson, one of the finest men to grace the sport of motor racing.
RIP Justin. To say you will be missed is a gross understatement.
The best thing about the rise of the Internet is that it's given IndyCar fans a sounding board with each other. Sometimes that doesn't end well (see: TrackForum), but it's especially important for fans in times like these, especially those that do not live in the Indianapolis area. There was just no one in my real life that I could discuss what happened and have them understand completely. We've all needed that this week.
Discussions on where we go from here have started in fits and spurts, and will certainly compose much of the off season. It's beyond past the point where something has to be done to protect drivers. Fully open cockpits just aren't acceptable anymore. If the solution is canopies, let's do it. If it's something else, let's do that. I'm under no delusion that a solution is immediate, but it's a time for study and a time for action, because we've had way too many deaths and injuries from cockpit intrusions.
In the immediate aftermath, there have been some that have questions whether they can continue following this sport. This is of course well within their rights. Other sports don't have this specter of death and pain and loss attached to it. Racing is unique in that terrible way where everyone knows death is possible every time a car goes onto the track, and that it's always a question of when, not if, no matter what progress is made towards safety. It is perfectly understandable if anyone decides they can't do it anymore. I had those thoughts myself Monday night, and this offseason, will have some thinking to do.
In the end, there are only two things I know for sure: 1.) This loss is indescribably heartbreaking, and 2.) This weekend we will head to Sonoma, race, crown a champion, and most importantly, honor Justin Wilson, one of the finest men to grace the sport of motor racing.
RIP Justin. To say you will be missed is a gross understatement.
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