IRL driver Dana dies in practice smash

Indy Racing League driver Paul Dana died yesterday in a practice session accident at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Dana’s Panoz-Honda hit the almost stationary Dallara-Honda of Ed Carpenter, who had spun into the wall, at approximately 200mph. Both were taken to hospital, where Dana died from multiple injuries.

Dana, formerly a motorsport journalist, was in his second year if Indy racing, driving for the Rahal Letterman Racing team co-owned by chat show host David Letterman and veteran team boss Bobby Rahal. The team withdrew both its remaining cars from the race. Rahal said, “This is a very black day for us.”

Dana had qualifed in ninth for the race, the first of the season, which was eventually won by Dan Wheldon (right).

Dana’s death is the third fatality since the IRL formed in 1996.