We lost a great man today.....doing what he loved the most..

Four days before he died, Dan Wheldon sat next to me on a couch reflecting

on a year in which he started out unemployed, won the Indianapolis 500,

then went back to the unemployment line to look for a job. I expected a

bittersweet tone. Instead I got classic Dan Wheldon, ever the grounded

optimist.

                                        
“It’s been incredibly enjoyable,” he said with complete sincerity. “My

wife gave birth to our second son, Oliver, and I was able to enjoy

spending time with them because I didn’t have a ride.”

Wheldon died Sunday in a violent 15-car wreck at the IndyCar season finale

at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The native of Great Britain was 33 years old.

He’ll be remembered as much for his engaging personality off the track as

his dominating skills on it.

Wheldon was airlifted to a local hospital and IndyCar officials halted the

race for more than two hours. When word spread that Wheldon had died,

drivers decided not to race, returning to their cars only for a five-lap

tribute.

Wheldon got a ride in the Indy 500 only because friend and team owner

Bryan Herta was able to put together a competitive deal. Still, no one

gave Wheldon a shot to win it until he actually did. The next day, he was

unemployed again.

But not bitter.

He used the time off as an opportunity to promote the sport that wouldn’t

give him a full-time job. When he won the Indy 500 back in 2005, he hit up

David Letterman, did a few other promotional events, then went back to

racing the next weekend. After this year’s win, with no job, he made

appearance after appearance after appearance. He worked television

broadcasts of IndyCar events, became an ambassador for Indianapolis Motor

Speedway and served as the official test driver for the new race car the

series will unveil next season.

He was happy, content, smiling like he was in love.

courtesy-Yahoo sports

   The upcoming SEMA extravaganza held every year in fabulous Las Vegas is stacking up to be one for the record books.
    With the economy struggling, the best way for 'gearheads' as well as the motorsports industry and survive, is to stay focused and concentrate on making cars more effective and more streamlined.  Better fuel economy of course, but making the styling as well as fuel economy a top priority.
   Cars and trucks these days are becoming much more fuel efficient, but think about how the designers are dealing with such details as......electric cars don't make any noise....how do you design so the hearing impaired know when there is a car in the crosswalk?
   Or how new technology is making cars more economical, but what if you want speed?   Hot Rides TV will address these new technologies, as well as many others at the upcoming 2011 SEMA show.