IndyCar drivers, officials discuss safety in meeting

Autoracing Betting Lines

10/24/2011 - Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eight days after Dan Wheldon's fatal crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, several drivers and officials from the IZOD IndyCar Series convened for a three-hour, closed-door meeting at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to discuss safety issues in the sport.

IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard scheduled the voluntary meeting on Monday, since many competitors were in Indianapolis to attend a public memorial service for Wheldon, held yesterday at Conseco Field.

Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan were among those drivers who met with Bernard, as well as Brian Barnhart, IndyCar's president of competition and racing operations, and Will Phillips, the series' vice president of technology.

Franchitti and Kanaan briefly met with reporters afterwards. Both drivers did not share much information about the contents of the meeting but said it was "positive" and "productive." Franchitti and Kanaan served as pallbearers for Wheldon during Saturday's funeral service in St. Petersburg, FL.

"We all got to talk a lot and listen a lot," four-time series champion Franchitti said. "We just looked at going forward and how do we improve things in all areas, so I think it was a very positive and productive meeting. That's the first step I think today."

IndyCar endured its darkest moment in the early going of the October 16 race at Las Vegas when a horrific 15-car crash claimed the life of Wheldon, a two- time Indianapolis 500 winner and former IndyCar champion. Wheldon's car went airborne into the catch fence along turn two before it erupted into flames during the lap 11 incident. The 33-year-old Englishman died of blunt head trauma.

"We're going to use this terrible thing that happened, and we're going to try to make things as safe as possible," Franchitti added.

Wheldon had recently served as test driver for IndyCar's new Dallara chassis at IMS, a car he thought was much safer than the current one.

"Everybody was in a very positive attitude and in a positive way, trying to makes things better than they are already," said Kanaan, the 2004 series titleholder. "We have a new opportunity with the new car, so it was a very productive meeting. It was everybody trying to get on the same page and brainstorming for the future."

Wheldon was the first IndyCar driver killed at a racetrack since Paul Dana's fatal crash during a practice session at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2006.

"What people need to understand is that we're not going to make motor racing a hundred percent safe," Kanaan noted. "That's the fact. As long as we can leave with the fact that what we do is very dangerous, we can keep making it better."

Hours after the meeting, IndyCar issued a news release, noting it will continue with its investigation into Las Vegas accident. IndyCar said it will conduct the investigation in two phases.

As part of the first phase, an internal team led by series safety and competition officials will evaluate data to make a factual determination of the circumstances surrounding the entire incident.

The team will utilize outside, independent experts and consultants for analysis of the data, and the results will then be turned over to an independent, third-party group for validation.

"We must continue to move forward with a thorough investigation," Bernard said in a statement. "Fortunately, that has already begun, and we have the protocols in place to get this done. This was a tragic accident, and IndyCar needs to understand everything possible about it."

IndyCar expects it will take several weeks for phase one to be completed. Phase two of the investigation will utilize information from the first one to minimize risks in the future.

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MySportsbook.com: NBA Championship Odds

With the playoffs about two months away, the top two teams in the Western Conference are the clear cut leaders to win the NBA Championship. The Dallas Mavericks have the best record in the NBA (44-9) and have been absolutely scorching since the second week of the season.  What makes the Mavs’ record more impressive is the fact that they dropped their first four games of the season.  Currently they have won 17 out of their last 18 and are MySportsbook.com’s favorite (2-1) to win it all.  Right behind the Mavs are the Pacific leading Phoenix Suns (39-13).  Last season, the Suns lost in the Conference Finals to non-other then the Mavericks four games to two.  Of course the Suns were without center Amare Stoudemire who has is averaging 19.9 PPG and 9.5 RPG since coming back from his knee injury.  Unlike the Mavs, the Suns have struggled a bit lately having lost their last three and four out of their last seven.  Of course the main reason for their three straight loses is due to the absence of two time MVP Steve Nash, who is out with a shoulder injury.  Heads-up, the Mavs have beaten the Suns in both of their meetings this season.

In the Eastern Conference, the Pistons (32-19) are the favorites to win it all at 6-1. The addition of Chris Webber seems to have been a good move for the Pistons.  Since coming over from the 76ers, Webber has averaged 13.1 PPG and 7.3 RPG and the Pistons are 11-4.  Even though the defending champion Heat are currently on the playoff making cusp, they are the Eastern Conference team that is getting the most action to win it all (9-1).  The fact that Shaquille O’Neal is back in the starting lineup after missing 39 games probably has something to do with this.  No doubt, Shaq makes a difference when in the lineup as their winning six out of their last seven would indicate.

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Atlanta Hawks 1000-1

Boston Celtics 5000-1

Charlotte Bobcats 5000-1

Chicago Bulls 20-1

Cleveland Cavaliers 20-1

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Denver Nuggets 25-1

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Houston Rockets 12-1

Indiana Pacers 60-1

Los Angeles Clippers 45-1

Memphis Grizzlies 5000-1

Miami Heat 9-1

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Minnesota T-Wolves 200-1

New Jersey Nets 50-1

New Orleans Hornets 150-1

New York Knicks 150-1

Orlando Magic 75-1

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Phoenix Suns 5-2

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