This year’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg honored the life of the race’s inaugural winner with a special tribute.
British race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon won the 2005 IndyCar Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
However, in the 2011 series season finale, the 33-year-old driver died in a 15-car pileup, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Last Sunday, on the 20-year anniversary of his St. Petersburg win, his wife and sons honored his legacy at this year’s race day.
Susie Wheldon, the late racer’s wife, said the racing community is “like a big family.”
“Obviously, when I lost Dan…they really just kind of rallied around the boys and I and supported us and carried us for so many things,” Wheldon said.
Sebastian, the couple’s son, led one of the pace cars in the parade lap.
Wheldon, who waved the green flag to signal the start of this year’s season, said her late husband’s legacy was “felt” in the race.
“That is Dan’s legacy, is Sebastian and Oliver, and I’m just so proud of both of them,” she said. “For us to be here and for them to be able to participate in some of these special things to honor their dad is really, really cool.”
Both sons are following their dad’s footsteps, with one of them recently returning from racing in Qatar, Wheldon said.
“That’s his real legacy, it’s those two boys, you know, and what they’re doing to carry on his legacy now…I’m just trying to follow along and keep up, so that’s really special to see,” she said.
Credits:
Anchor: Sam Poulin
Reporters: Gracie Campbell, Luana Martins, Sam Poulin, Tatyana Purifoy
Web Editor: Clara Rokita Garcia
Audio: Carter Timmons
Tech Director: Ricardo Cuomo
Producer: Abigail Saxe
Assistant Producer: Debora Gruenberg
Social Media: Karli Kibbee
Teleprompter: Luana Martins
Camera: Gracie Campbell
Editor: Paula Sanchez Ruiz
Graduate Assistant: Grace Ficara
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Stephanie Anderson