IndyCar Driver Justin Wilson Dies After Pocono Crash

The respected IndyCar driver Justin Wilson, 37, suffered a head injury at Pocono Raceway in the Indy car 500 race in Pennsylvania on Sunday. The former Formula 1 driver was in a coma after the accident but later announced that he died due to traumatic head injury, on Monday at a hospital in Pennsylvania.

The IndyCar website stated, CEO of Hulman & Co., parent of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Mark Miles announced the sad news happened to Wilson to the racing industry, "This is a monumentally sad day for INDYCAR and the motor sports community as a whole."

According to Indystar, the death of Wilson was the second accident occurred in U.S. motor sports in four years when Dan Wheldon, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner was killed.

The report said, Wilson was driving the Andretti Auto sport Honda when he was battered by a debris from a single-car crash on Lap 180 of the 200-lap race on the 2.5 mile-triangular oval. He was then attended by the safety team and airlifted to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

"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," Miles said in his statement. "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," he added.

Wilson's family said in a statement, "[He was a] loving father and devoted husband, as well as a highly competitive racing driver who was respected by his peers," BBC Sports reported. Also, the team of Andretti Autosport said in their statement, "He was a tremendous racer, a valuable member of the team and respected representative to our sport. While Justin was only part of the Andretti line-up for a short time, it only took a second for him to forever become part of the Andretti family."

Meanwhile, motor sports community showed their respect to the IndyCar driver using their social media accounts. Mark Webber, a nine-time F1 winner tweeted: "Last night a very good man left us. So sorry. RIP Justin. My thoughts are with your loved ones." Dario Franchitti, a four-time IndyCar champion also tweeted: "Rest in peace Justin, it was a real privilege to know you and call you a friend."

Furthermore, in The Guardian report, the brother of Justin, Stefan Wilson, also a race driver shared on his Twitter account, "Can't even begin to describe the loss I feel right now. He was my brother, my best friend, my role model and mentor. He was a champion!"

Justin Wilson won the Formula 3000 in 2001. He was also a runner-up in Champ Car series in 2006 and 2007 and joined IndyCar in 2008, the Guardian reported. He was about to start his 174th IndyCar start in Sunday's race.