'He left us doing what he loved': Indy champion's grieving father speaks as world of motorsport pays tribute to Dan Wheldon after fatal 225mph crash

• Father-of-two, 33, pushed himself to win as only competitor to take up a $5million challenge
• Clive Wheldon, 59, says his son was 'born to be a racer' who 'left us doing what he loved'
  
• 'I could see within five laps people were starting to do crazy stuff,' says fellow racer Dario Franchitti
• Driver was 'frustrated' with car problems in the days before the race but promised 'pure entertainment'
  
• Voiced concerns about the speeds cars were reaching and crowded 1.5-mile long track
  
• Shocked Lewis Hamilton says Wheldon was an 'inspirational guy and talented driver'
• Former racing driver Mark Blundell brands Las Vegas track as a 'recipe for disaster'
• Coroner says Wheldon died of fatal head injuries
  

By Daily Mail Reporter


Family, friends and leading figures from the world of motorsport paid tribute today to Dan Wheldon, who suffered horrendous injuries after his car hit another vehicle at breakneck speeds in the Las Vegas Indy 300.
The father-of-two was catapulted helplessly into the air in a 225mph smash before landing on a barrier and suffering fatal head injuries.
Fighting back tears, Clive Wheldon, 59, came out of the family home in Buckinghamshire around 5pm and said his son died in a sport he was born to
do.

Tragedy: Dan Wheldon's number 77 car, far left, launches into the air after clipping a vehicle that was in front of it. Moments later Mr Wheldon smashes into the fencing to his right

Devastated: Clive Wheldon, accompanied by sons Austin, 26, and Ashley, 30, makes a statement following the death of his son

Proud family man: Wheldon poses with wife Susie, who is holding baby son Oliver, and older son Sebastian on the day after he won Indianapolis 500 in May of this year. With them is the Borg-Warner trophy

Champion: Mr Wheldon poses with a trophy and his young son Sebastian after winning the IZOD IndyCar Series Indianapolis 500 Mile Race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May this year. Below: celebrating on the track after the race

Proud father: Mr Wheldon holds his son Sebastian, when he was just eight weeks old, at his Snell Isle home in St. Petersburg in 2009

Teenagers: Mr Wheldon, left, and Jenson Button, right, chat during the Formula Ford Festival and World Cup, at Brands Hatch in 1998

Happy times: Dan Wheldon, middle of the second row, enjoying himself during his childhood

Early success: Mr Wheldon, who started racing aged four, is pictured third from the right, on the front row, during the Championship Cadet Series in Shenington near Banbury in 1988

Tributes: The gate to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where fans have been leaving touching tributes to two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon

Patriotic: Drew Boyd places a checkered flag as a tribute to Dan Wheldon underneath a British flag placed in honour of the driver

Dazed: IndyCar racer Danica Patrick walks away from pit road after the tribute laps

Choking back tears: Stunned fans weep as drivers pay their five-lap tribute

Touching tribute: Teams line up on pit row as drivers take five laps in honour of Wheldon

Popular: With his love of racing and golden boy looks, Wheldon was loved among followers of the sport

• Comments (453)

P.S. My comment appeared on their site:

he was the Steve Irwin of high speed racing. Steve also left us doing what he loved.

On top of the world: Daring photographer scales sky-high buildings to take stomach-churning shots of the Earth below By Jessica Satherley Last updated at 1:26 PM on 13th September 2011 Meet the real-life sky walker - the photographer who risks his life scaling sky-high buildings to take incredible photos of the world below. Russian student Marat Dupri, 19, bought a Canon camera 18 months ago and immediately decided to start taking shots of beautiful views. He began climbing onto the roofs of houses to capture spectacular views from the air, before deciding to go to even greater heights. Together with his fearless friends and models, he has sneaked past guards at some of Moscow's tallest structures - to produce incredible yet stomach-churning images. Scared of heights? Russian student Marat Dupri doesn't seem to be, as he photographs amazing views from sky-high structures around Moscow The incredible photos show the teens walking in the sky, as they perch hundreds of feet in the air on pylons, or walking on the edge of a high building with NO safety harnesses. Marat said: 'When I am on the roof I have a feeling that the whole world is by my feet. 'All my problems and trouble are left somewhere down. The height exhilarates me. I am enjoying with my home town views. It gives me energy and fills with enthusiasm to make new and great shots. 'I had always been interested in photography and a couple of years ago,  I bought my first proper camera. 'I wanted to try and get the most spectacular pictures I could - pictures like no-one else had taken before. 'I began by taking pictures from my own roof, but soon I wanted to get bigger and better pictures. Quick learner: Dupri only bought his Canon camera 18 months ago but seems to be getting into the swing of using it and finding artistic inspiration 'So I went with my friend to the top of a 33 storey building.  It was about 120 metres high and we went right out to the edge and I started taking pictures. 'It was such a thrill, we couldn't wait to do it again. 'I've taken a lot of the photos by sneaking past guards and getting access to structures illegally. 'But I think the risks are worth it to take such amazing pictures.' Marat's incredible pictures show several of his friends balancing on the very edge of beams hundreds of feet above the ground. They are not attached to any safety harnesses and could plummet to earth at any time. Desperate measures: Dupri says he has sneaked past guards to get access to structures illegally, but says it was worth every risk One photo shows the teens scaling one of Russia's seven Soviet skyscrapers, using a ladder to scale the side of the building. And another shows his friend perched at the side of a monument to Peter I, 215 metres in the air. The teens even took photos on the top of the Moscow tower - one of the highest buildings in Europe. Marat added: 'The building is 300 metres up in the air and it was really difficult to take photos because of the wind. I had to bend right over and just take a picture straight down. 'That was the most dangerous photo I have taken, it was pretty scary. 'I've also taken pictures from a 270 metre high radio mast that was still in use. 'I got a huge adrenalin rush from taking the pictures, but I had a severe headache for several days after - I think it was from radiation. 'It was worth it to get such amazing photos though.' Higher and higher: The student says 'I began by taking pictures from my own roof, but soon I wanted to get bigger and better pictures'

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