IndyCar Driver Justin Wilson Dies After Crashing On Sunday

IndyCar Series driver Justin Wilson died Monday after injuries he suffered during a race the day before.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Justin Wilson suffered a severe head injury during Sunday’s ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway. This injury caused Wilson to go into a coma.

Justin Wilson was hit by a piece of Sage Karam’s car while driving past Karam’s accident. Karam, who was leading the race at the time, crashed by himself and debris from his car spread across the track. The nose cone of Karam’s car was bouncing on the track and hit Wilson in the helmet and ricocheted into the air. Wilson was knocked unconscious immediately by the incident. Justin’s car then veered to the left and suddenly hit the inside wall.

IndyCar made the announcement of Justin Wilson’s passing at approximately 9 p.m. ET Monday. They did not take any questions about his death, but did say that he was surrounded by his family.

Wilson is survived by his two children and wife Julia.

“This is a monumentally sad day for INDYCAR and the motorsports community as a whole,” IndyCar CEO Mark Miles said in a statement. “Justin’s elite ability to drive a race car was matched by his unwavering kindness, character and humility – which is what made him one of the most respected members of the paddock. As we know, the racing industry is one big family, and our efforts moving forward will be focused on rallying around Justin’s family to ensure they get the support they need during this unbelievably difficult time.”

The 37-year-old, who stood at six-foot-four, was known as a gentle giant among drivers. The Englishman was soft-spoken and deeply analytical. He was one of the most popular drivers among his peers, and his strong technical ability was evident in the Andretti team’s recently improved performance. In his last event before Pocono, Justin Wilson finished second in the IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio Sports Race Course.

Justin Wilson made 174 career starts in IndyCar and Champ Car, earning 47 career top-5 finishes and 94 top-10’s.

Wilson shared his story of growing up with dyslexia to encourage children to work and overcome the reading disability.

“I knew from an early age this is what I wanted to do,” Justin Wilson said in 2012. “It’s the one thing that came easier to me than anything else.”

“Sure, you’ve still got to work at everything in life. But this thing came easy, whereas everything else, all my schoolwork, even soccer at school, it just wasn’t easy. And racing always was.”

My condolences go out to Justin Wilson’s friends, family, and fans. May he rest in peace.

[Image Source: Sarah Cabrill/Getty Images]