Racing world reacts to Dan Wheldon’s death

Yesterday’s reaction to the death of IndyCar star Dan Wheldon in a horrific crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a mixture of sorrow and calls for increased safety in the series.

Wheldon, 33, was mourned in his native England, where his father called him “a true champion and a gentleman.”

“Daniel was born to be a racer and yesterday left us doing what he loved to do,” Clive Wheldon told reporters in the village of Emberton, in southeastern England.

Flowers and candles were left outside Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where Wheldon won the 2005 and ’11 Indianapolis 500  races.

Meanwhile, five-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson said IndyCar should restrict itself to road courses, due to the unreasonably high speeds possible on ovals.