# Paul Dana of Rahal/Letterman dead...
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [March 26, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858 "2006-03-26T13:32:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/1 "2006-03-26T13:32:06Z")
Sounds like he didn’t see the yellow.
He hit Carpenter 8 seconds after the yellow!
Rahal pulled Buddy Rice and Danica Patrick from the race.
link…
[http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/14192921.htm](http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/14192921.htm)
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### Author:  [@Locutus](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Locutus)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 1:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/2 "2006-03-26T13:33:02Z")
? LINK ???
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### Author:  [@rj-92](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rj-92)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/3 "2006-03-26T14:01:59Z")
I saw that on ESPN. That’s F-ed up. Just hours before the race started too.
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### Author:  [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/4 "2006-03-26T15:35:50Z")
speed news sunday @ 7pm
wind tunnel @ 9pm
I’m sure it will be discussed on both…
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### Author:  [@vq30de](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/vq30de)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/5 "2006-03-26T15:37:56Z")
OT: wind tunnel makes me contemplate suicide
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### Author:  [@2TurboZ](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/2TurboZ)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/6 "2006-03-26T15:56:44Z")
Thats why all forms of racing should get rid of the driver recognition and go to a speed cut controller as soon as the yellow comes out much like go carts.
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### Author:  [@Locutus](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Locutus)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/7 "2006-03-26T16:11:32Z")
i just saw the video on speed channel… ☹
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### Author:  [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/8 "2006-03-26T16:16:29Z")
Watched speed news, pretty shitty, but it was avoidable (as other drivers demonstrated).
> [@2TurboZ](#):
>
> Thats why all forms of racing should get rid of the driver recognition and go to a speed cut controller as soon as the yellow comes out much like go carts.
The cons of that may be inadvertent actuation of the speed cuts and/or it could possibly worsen the drivers reaction. There are some instances accidents are avoided with more gas.
Just like go karts; I have spun out at Epic because my kart came to an unexpected hault.
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### Author:  [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/9 "2006-03-26T16:48:32Z")
I have been watching crab fishing on TV tonight and they call it the most deadly job but, I swear I heard a while ago that 10% of race car drivers die while racing.
I know 10% sounds really high but I thought that is what I heard.
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### Author:  [@neurokinetik](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/neurokinetik)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/10 "2006-03-26T16:58:31Z")
I seem to think that more race car drivers die at the controls of an airplane or helicopter than they do racing… :gotme:
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### Author:  [@Rx3](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Rx3)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/11 "2006-03-26T17:00:07Z")
Robin Miller was just on Speed News, and it sounded like Dana’s lack of experience was the main cause. They have in-car footage from Scott Sharp that shows him slowing as soon as the yellow lights came on, then Dana’s car flying past him. When he stayed on the gas for that long after a caution came out, it’s hard to argue that it wasn’t his fault, unfortunately.
Miller said that both the IRL and Champ Car have lowered their standards too much as a result of the open-wheel war and the desire to fill their fields. In other words, maybe a guy like Dana shouldn’t have been out there in the first place, given his experience level. Again, these are Miller’s words, not mine, though it seems like a valid point. Dana only had 2 years of Skip Barber, and Formula Ford experience, and limited Pro infinity(?) seat time before making the jump.
Looking at the video, it seems very similar to the Zanardi wreck, except it looked like Dana hit Carpenter’s car right at the motor, which is probably what killed him (and saved Carpenter).
I find it interesting that there has been a rash of back injuries that have plagued the IRL since it started.
**EDIT: If you are interested in Robin Miller’s full commentary, [here is the link.](http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/22748/)**
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### Author:  [@rj-92](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rj-92)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/12 "2006-03-26T19:45:32Z")
^^ They do have spotters too. THey mentioned on ESPN and durring the race that there was NOT a problem with the in car communications system. I would hope his spotter told him there was a crash and to slow down. :gotme:
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### Author:  [@97Ranger](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97Ranger)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/13 "2006-03-26T20:55:01Z")
any vids of this??
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### Author:  [@Rx3](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Rx3)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/14 "2006-03-26T21:16:31Z")
Just watch ESPN, they are going to play it over and over.
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### Author:  [@73ghia](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/73ghia)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 9:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/15 "2006-03-26T21:22:57Z")
I saw this on the news… it was pretty sad… I thought how could he die from that it just looked like he spun and hit the wall, it looked a little hard but nothing life threatening especially for a Kart… those cars are desigined to take impacts like that… it musta been a freak accident … then WHACK another car T-bones the cart at 200mph…
My thoughts go out to the family… but moreover anyone’s family whose life has been cut short…
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### Author:  [@jeeves744](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jeeves744)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/16 "2006-03-26T21:25:50Z")
> [@73ghia](#):
>
> I saw this on the news… it was pretty sad… I thought how could he die from that it just looked like he spun and hit the wall, it looked a little hard but nothing life threatening especially for a Kart… those cars are desigined to take impacts like that… it musta been a freak accident … then WHACK another car T-bones the cart at 200mph…
> My thoughts go out to the family… but moreover anyone’s family whose life has been cut short…
:word: i thought the same thing, then i was like :eek: holy shit
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### Author:  [@2TurboZ](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/2TurboZ)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2006, 5:45am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/17 "2006-03-27T05:45:30Z")
FYI the canadian channels have been showing different angles and they have a head on shot which is even more crazy/scary to see.
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### Author:  [@dirtye30](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dirtye30)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2006, 11:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/18 "2006-03-27T11:03:35Z")
it wasnt the car who hit the wall who died it was the driver of the car that hit the other that died.
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### Author:  [@dozr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dozr)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paul-dana-of-rahal-letterman-dead/9858/19 "2006-03-27T15:31:16Z")
it doesnt take 25 years of experience to know that yellow means slow.