IN SCR0002

Dan Wheldon, a 33-year-old IndyCar driver, died on October 16, 2011, from injuries sustained in a 15-car crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Wheldon won the Indianapolis 500 twice (2005 and 2011), achieved IndyCar Series champion status in 2005, and earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2003 during his eight-season career.

He served as driver of the Army National Guard IndyCar during 2009-2010 and visited soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and veterans hospitals; he also served as a spokesperson for the National Guard Youth Challenge Program.

Wheldon championed the Alzheimer's Association after his mother developed early-onset Alzheimer's and added the organization's logo to his car at the Indy 500 to raise awareness.

The Indiana General Assembly and Motor Sports Caucus express sympathy to Wheldon's wife Susie and children Sebastian and Oliver, and acknowledge his contributions to auto racing and the community.