Who was Dan ‘Lionheart’ Wheldon and what was his cause of death?
HBO is set to premiere its latest documentary entitled The Lionheart on 12 March 2024.
Here, we take a closer look at the main subject of the program, professional racer Dan ‘Lionheart’ Wheldon.
Who was Dan ‘Lionheart’ Wheldon?
Daniel Clive Wheldon was born in Buckinghamshire, England on 22 June 1978.
He began go-kart racing at age four, but joined competitive racing when he was eight.
After finding success early in the United Kingdom, he flew to the United States to further his racing career in 1999.
There, he won the US F2000 and was named Rookie of the Year.
In 2002, he began competing in the IndyCar Series with Panther Racing, and by 2005 he conquered the Indianappolis 500.
He broke the record for the most victories in one season, with six.
The following year, he drove for Chip Ganassi Racing, and ended the season in a tie for first place in points with Sam Hornish Jr.
Hornish had more wins than Wheldon, and was crowned the 2006 Indy Car Champion.
He raced in the 2011 Indianapolis 500 with Bryan Herta Autosport and finished in first place.
What was Dan Wheldon’s cause of death?
Dan Wheldon was part of a 15-car wreck in 11th lap of the IndyCar World Championship on 16 October 2011.
His car went over another vehicle and hit the catch fence at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
He was brought to the hospital by helicopter, where he was declared dead.
CBS reports that Wheldon suffered a “non-survivable injury” and the official cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma to the head.
He was 33.
How can I watch Lionhheart?
The Lionheart is a documentary that will follow Dan Wheldon’s sons as they embark on their own professional racing journeys.
The program premieres on HBO on 12 March 2024, at 9 p.m.
It was will also be available to stream on Max.