IndyCar driver Justin Wilson dies of head injury

Mark Miles, CEO of IndyCar’s parent company Hulman & Co, said in a statement: “This is a monumentally sad day for IndyCar and the motorsports community as a whole”. We’ve always been lucky to have garage passes and he’s the one that’s always standing there with the kids, doing stuff for the kids and just his wife and two young daughters…

Wilson’s death followed that of Formula One driver Jules Bianchi, who was fatally injured in a weird incident at the Japanese Grand Prix past year. IndyCar had flown Wilson’s wife to Pennsylvania and NASCAR driver Tony Stewart had his private plane fly Wilson’s brother from Indiana so they could visit with him before he passed.

He later added on ABC News: “It makes you feel even prouder to be his brother and just sort of exemplifies the life that he led….” He was a champion!

“He never stopped giving & caring for others”.

The seven-time IndyCar victor donated his vital organs – immediately helping six people in desperate need.

There was an enormous outpouring of messages of tribute to Wilson, who drove in Formulation One in 2003 earlier than switching to racing within the US.

Wilson’s death is the first on-track fatality in the IndyCar series since Dan Wheldon was killed during the final race of the 2011 season at Las Vegas.

Justin Wilson’s death was ruled an accident Tuesday morning by the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office, but an autopsy will still be done Wednesday to determine the cause, officials said. Andretti Auto Sport paid tribute to Wilson saying he was a tremendous racer and a valuable member of our team who was a respected representative to this sport. “@justin_wilson was a good man. A great man. I had the pleasure of knowing him and pray for his family”, wrote Danica Patrick. Justin will be missed. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family, friends and legions of fans.

Brazilian Tony Kanaan, victor of the 2013 Indy 500, posted on Twitter: “Why do we do this?”