British flags fly in honor of Justin Wilson at Pocono
The British flags are flying this weekend at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., in memory of Justin Wilson.
At age 37, the British racing driver was struck by a piece of debris from another car during the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway on Aug. 23, 2015. He succumbed to head injuries one day later.
The Verizon IndyCar Series returns to the speedway this weekend, with both Justin Wilson and the late Bryan Clauson on their minds.
“I think about him (Wilson) all the time, but there (at Pocono) it’s right in your face,” Ryan Hunter-Reay told IndyCar.com. “As race car drivers, we learn to compartmentalize it and just put it where it needs to be.”
“Whenever we lose a peer, it’s something we all feel,” added Ed Carpenter, reflecting on both Wilson and Clauson. “It’s never something you want to happen, but at the same time, especially those of us who have been around for a long time and have been through this too many times, it is a part of what we do.
“I think the (Verizon) IndyCar Series especially does a good job of pushing the envelope of safety advancements each and every year, but we’re never going to be able to guarantee this isn’t going to happen. It’s the nature of the beast. It’s a risk that we’re willing to take.”
Mikhail Aleshin was the fastest in Saturday morning’s opening practice session, which was marred by three crashes - although all three drivers were able to walk away.
Meanwhile, the Wilson Children’s Fun website has been updated to facilitate donations as IndyCar returns to Pocono.
