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 Posts Heisman Trophy Odds

With 3,919 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a mere seven interceptions last season, combined with a powerful South Bend Heisman legacy, odds makers at MySportsbook.com have given Notre Dame senior quarterback Brady Quinn the best Heisman Trophy odds at 5-2.

Quinn isn’t the only big man on campus this season.  Oklahoma junior running back and 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson, listed at 7-2, rushed for a combined 3,033 yards in his first two years as a college player and will give Quinn a run for his money. 

This online sportsbook has also listed Troy Smith, Ohio State senior quarterback, as another strong favorite to win the 72nd Heisman Trophy.  A 7-1 bet, Smith threw for 2,282 yards last season and also led the Buckeyes to a convincing 34-20 victory over Quinn and the Fighting Irish in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.

Current betting odds Heisman trophy are:

Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Dame)
Adrian Peterson (RB, Oklahoma)
Troy Smith (QB, Ohio State)
Michael Bush (RB, Louisville)
Steve Slaton (RB, West Virginia)
Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville)
Chris Leak (QB, Florida)
Mike Hart (RB, Michigan)
Ted Ginn (WR, Ohio State)
Darius Walker (RB, Notre Dame)
Drew Tate (QB, Iowa)
Marshawn Lynch (RB, Cal)
Kenny Irons (RB, Auburn)
Chad Henne (QB, Michigan)
Kyle Wright (QB, Miami)
Drew Stanton (QB, Michigan State)
Kenneth Darby (RB, Alabama)
JaMarcus Russell (QB, LSU)
Drew Weatherford (QB, Florida State)
Blake Mitchell (QB, South Carolina)
Reggie Ball (QB, Georgia Tech)		 5-2
7-2
7-1
10-1
10-1
12-1
12-1
18-1
18-1
20-1
30-1
35-1
35-1
40-1
50-1
50-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1

For complete NCAA Football odds visit MySportsbook.com.

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