There was shock and sadness in US newspapers and online as writers and fans tried to come to terms with the death of the British IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon. The 33-year-old, a two-time winner of the country's most prestigious race, the Indy 500, died after suffering multiple injuries in a 15-car crash at the season finale in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Wheldon had lost his seat this season, but took part in the race as part of a special promotion that might have seen him split a US$5m prize with a fan if he had come from the back of the field to win.
On Sports Illustrated's website, Bruce Martin wrote: "It was supposed to be a day of potential glory and fortune for Dan Wheldon ... Instead, it became one of the darkest days in the history of the sport as the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner was killed in a horrific crash."
ESPN was one of several outlets to report that Wheldon had earlier in the day agreed a deal to join Michael Andretti's race team for next season. "He was a very close friend and we had just literally inked it this morning," Andretti said. "We had great plans to do fun things together. I'm going to miss him. There was a lot of life in that guy. He was part of the glory days here. We had a combination that has never been put together in the sport of auto racing, in my opinion.
"But it's part of our sport. He knew the risks; we all know the risks when we get in the car. It probably touches me a little more because of everything that was going on. It's a terrible thing, but unfortunately in our sport we've had a lot of days like these. They suck, but that's the way it is."
The New York Times' Dave Caldwell described Wheldon as "a popular and congenial race-car driver from England".
He added: "Wheldon, 33, is probably the most well-known driver to die in a race in the United States since Dale Earnhardt died on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500."
Indianapolis is the spiritual home of IndyCar racing, and there the Indianapolis Star carried several articles on the crash. The reporter Curt Cavin described the shock at the track in Las Vegas as the cars performed a five-lap salute after the race had been abandoned.
"The drivers gathered and decided the salute was the best they could do at the moment. Fans remaining in the grandstand stood, reverently at first, then applauding as Amazing Grace played on the speedway's public address system. Those involved with the sport stood at the edge of pit road, holding hands as the cars rolled by. There were hugs, tears, stares. How could this be? There were no answers."
The columnist Bob Kravitz said the time will come for an investigation and review into the incident, but argued it should not be rushed. "In the coming days there will surely be questions about the speed, the number of cars, the composition of the field, and that's to be expected," he wrote.
"We should ask hard questions, should take lessons from these grim teaching moments. The 2000 death of Dale Earnhardt helped NASCAR build in several safety enhancements to its sport. But there is still plenty of time for that. For now, it's time to grieve."
In Wheldon's adopted home of St Petersburg, Florida, the mayor, Bill Foster, told the Tampa Tribune there would be a tribute organised.
"He was our hometown hero when it came to racing," Foster said. "He allowed us to come into his family ... to come into his world and celebrate with him. He was just like us. He didn't want the limelight ... when he took the helmet off."
