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Just read an interview with Mikke van Hool (old teamboss of Astromega) who had both Justin and Gonzalo Rodriguez driving for him in F3000 in 1999. Hard to believe they're both gone now...

Fuck

Such a waste

My memorial banner (you can use it for your social network page of course)

I went to Loudon in September of 2002 and our seats were just outside of turn 3. I couldn't help but just zone out *several* times during that race, staring at the wall where two incredibly bright young stars had been taken away from us far too soon. To be honest, I just felt odd being there, in that space. Now, whenever we go to Pocono, I'll look over at turn one and have that same, weird, gross-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach feeling that I had when I went to Loudon.

I have always been a NASCAR guy, but seeing\hearing things about Justin Wilson - that big smile, winning races in Champ Car, and then incredibly hard-fought wins in IndyCar - always made me think "wow, this is one of the good guys". After reading all the comments on Twitter about him in the last couple days, it really seems like he really was one of the kindest guys out there.

With everyone else on here, I am gutted by this news... race in peace, Justin.

It's often so easy to exaggerate people's good qualities once they have passed. In the cases of Justin Wilson (and Sean Edwards), it's difficult to exaggerate. I had the absolute joy of "working" with them both. Phenomenal talents, determined to win and all just great people to be around.

There aren't enough superlatives to describe their qualities as racers or, more importantly, as humans.

It's devastating and it feels somehow "weird" that after we just lost Jules Bianchi another great driver passed away. Just horrible.

He's received a lot of flack this year, but I can't help but feel for Sage Karam. This was such an innocuous incident, during a brilliant race which he (and Justin) had been showing well at. There was a moment earlier in the race when Ed Carpenter's rear wheel guard went flying, I flinched as I thought it was a wheel.

One thing that I've been thinking about since yesterday is how Indycar this year seems to have been an accident waiting to happen and on Sunday there were shades of Las Vegas 2011. This is a stretch so bear with me.

Throughout 2015 the series has been pushing the envelope on car performance and speed:

1) The introduction of the aero kits with. Yes there was testing done by each engine manufacturer, then group tests but was it enough?
2) The increase in speed and horsepower at Indy. Cars going airborne so Indycar dials back the horsepower. Drivers walk away from the incidents and instead Hinch is sidelined by a horrific but all to normal looking Indy accident.
3) Fontana. It was an amazing and intense race. But it was too far and the end result of two nasty incidents was thankfully met with all drivers walking away from their cars.

Kudos to Indycar for trying to step up and find ways to improve racing, give fans what they want... more horsepower, less downforce, draggy cars and close racing. But while those efforts should be applauded, there was no R&D into increased safety that went alongside. Apart from Hinch's accident, all the incidents appeared to be a get out of jail free card for Indycar which means they could brush themselves off with a "phew that was a close one!" attitude and be reactive to the circumstance. But now Justin is gone. And the incident that took him away from the world is one we've seen thousands of times. A car spun into the retaining wall...

At Las Vegas in 2011 Indycar ignored all the warning signs and the rest is history. Indycar's 2015 seems to have gone along the same lines. Lots of warning signals, almost all ignored. I've seen lots of logical arguments at forums saying "if you don't like it, don't watch it" so I suppose that makes me a hypocrite as I've enjoyed watching this year's racing. But that's also an illogical argument. We're in the 21st century and certain aspects of the racing we love has gone unchanged for decades. It is time to step up with an improved safety program. And that's not just with Indycar, but F1 too. Those series need to set an example to the world.

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BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

Out of death comes life: http://wtop.com/motorsports/2015/08/ind ... ng-organs/

I think that's unfair towards the Indycar organization. They did react on every accident at Indy. They've handed penalties for reckless driving. They said Fontana was too intense, not what they were looking for but the weather and tires surprised them. Had they not dropped Fontana, they would have had a differnt aero regs next year. Just what they've done with the Texas during the last three years, finding the balance between good racing and safety.

The race at Pocono on Sunday was good until Karam spun and the nose cone came off his car. I'm sure the officials are looking for a solution to preven that piece to come off too easily again. I'm sure they learned their lesson from Vegas 2011 and they don't want to push the envelope that far from safe racing ever again. Wilson's accident was not an ignored message from any of the accidents between these two awful accidents.

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"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."

Can't compare the two situations regarding IndyCar's culpability. The Wheldon situation was pure foolishness, with the obvious danger having stared them in the face for years and years. Sunday's incident was much more unpredictable and peculiar. There are definitely things to be done to improve of course, but there was nothing brazen or foolish about how this one happened.

Oh damnit. This is all so surreal, like a nightmare

Beyond devastated by this, Justin was forever the underdog of the Champcar/Indycar scene. In my mind he was the biggest casualty of Champcar being folded into the IRL as he was almost certainly a lock for the 2008 championship considering the dominance of the N/H Mcdonalds car and his obvious talents.

And I'm stunned to learn he was 37. I couldn't believe that as he looked a lot younger and I thought his best years were still to come, competitive wise. Who knows what a driver of his talents allied to the Andretti Autosport team could've achieved next year.
Sadly we never will.

A true gentlemen on and off the track, still saving lives now in death. We must learn from his example and go forward and make this sport safer in his name. But the last thing he would want is for the very foundation of the sport to be eroded as a result of his accident.
He loved the sport as much as we do and knew the risks.

An uncrowned champion and true role model. I only hope I have half as impressive a life of his when my time comes.
RIP JUSTIN

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RIP Birmingham Wheels: here's some of the crash videos I recorded when it was there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaKIE ... 5t9d5PvoHA

Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/paulhadsley

^ Well said.

I just can't believe he's gone.

Wow, six people lives because of one tragedy. Even after his untimely death he plays that role and tells the whole world how important it is to have organ donations. Justin is a hero!

_________________
"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."

For me it's funny how it became harder to accept he's gone as the day went on. Read about it this morning felt sad, shed a tear, went to work. But the thought kept popping into my head quite often, and each time kept hitting me harder and harder.

For those that don't already know I'm part of Downforce Radio's USA show and tonight will be a tribute to Justin Wilson special.

If you want to tweet your memories of him there's just about time to do so @downforceradio for inclusion of the show

I will share the show here or in a Justin wilson tribute thread (is there one? Not really in the mood to browse much atm just came straight here) when it is released.

_________________
RIP Birmingham Wheels: here's some of the crash videos I recorded when it was there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaKIE ... 5t9d5PvoHA

Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/paulhadsley

Anyone who is a donor is a hero, hopefully Justin Wilson's actions opens people's eyes to the importance of organ donors. When you're gone, you're gone. You can't take them with you. One person can change dozens of people's lives. If Justin's actions convince even one person to be a donor, the value of his impact on the world is immeasurable: you really can't put a price on life. Bravo, Justin.

So sad.

Gone way too soon.

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"Many people ask me why I always sign off Till We Meet Again, because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye Dan Wheldon." -Marty Reid

This. It's a tenuous link, but my uncle's organs were used after he suffered a fatal stroke. The NHS actually sent us a letter explaining the good he had done - a couple of lives saved, and a few more measurably improved.

We were still grieving, but it really did give us something to smile about at a difficult time. I only hope that Justin's family can draw some small measure of comfort in the same way.