Tragedy in IRL

This past weekend I spent most of my time at the hospital with my dad as he underwent his surgery. On an ordinary weekend I would have spent that time in front of the TV with the channel tuned to a channel showing either Formula One, IRL or CART. This past weekend was the weekend when IRL was running a race, the Toyota Indy 300 in Homestead, Florida. I had every intention of watching but seeing as how I was in the hospital, I didn't get around to it so I was late to hear the news of racer Paul Dana's death on the track during warm-ups.

There have been numerous tragedies in the past and there will undoubtedly be more in the future but the crash of Paul Dana is one that resonated with me more than many others. I have long harboured fantasies of driving a race car for a living. I have the right build to sit in a racecar and keep the weight down. I have the penchant for speed and I love all the mechanics involved not only in driving but in building the car as well. I didn't grow up in regions where racing is a regular sport. Had I been in the south, I suppose I could have spent a lot of my time on dirt tracks or kart racing but be that as it may, that is not the case.

I went to college, earned my degree and I'm working towards earning my masters now. Paul Dana was quite similar. He earned his degree from Northwestern and became a journalist. Like me, he also had a desire to actually drive the cars he watched and reported on. He wanted to be one of those drivers out on the track every weekend. Paul Dana did it, he worked his way up and eventually became a driver for Rahal Letterman, one of the premiere teams in IRL. In essence, he was helping live the dream that many fans out there have. At age 30, he was a rookie who was on the verge of making a name for himself in the sport. It's quite possible that he may have never won a race, or even come close to winning the championship, but I'm sure in his mind, he was already a winner. He was doing what he had long dreamed of and was living the dream of many of us out there, myself especially.

I'm nearing the age of 30, not quite there yet but we all get there someday. I have sat down some weekends and watched re-runs or taped races just to catch up and during those times my dad and mom have often sat with me watching and trying to understand the fascination I have with the sport. They often see the gleam in my eyes as I watch these drivers drive in endless loops around tracks going faster and faster. They often tell me that perhaps I should consider pursuing my interest and trying my hand at something I feel so passionately about. I used to consider it impossible or improbable, but seeing Paul Dana out there made me believe that it can happen.

We may never know the exact circumstances of why Paul Dana missed the Yellow lights and flags and why he continued on eventually hitting Ed Carpenter's stricken car. It could have been a rookie mistake, it could have been a problem with his own car. Whatever the reason, Paul Dana died doing what he loved. Thankfully Ed Carpenter has survived with a minimum amount of injury and he is hopefuly he can race again soon, but I can't help but feel the loss that IRL will suffer with the death of Paul Dana.

Dreams can come true.... even those that are dreamt at speeds over 200 miles per hour.