NASCAR plans car and helmet decals in memory of Dan Wheldon

NASCAR plans to provide its teams with decals honoring the memory of Dan Wheldon at this weekend's NASCAR races at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Wheldon, a 33-year-old Englishman who this year won the Indianapolis 500 for the second time, was killed Sunday in a 15-car crash at the Izod IndyCar Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR said its car and truck teams would place decals on the so-called B post of their vehicles next to the side windows. NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series is racing Saturday and its Sprint Cup Series on Sunday.

The decal design includes a Lionheart Knight image that was a fixture on the back of Wheldon's racing helmets, NASCAR said, adding that it also was providing a version of the decal to NASCAR drivers to place on their helmets this weekend if they desired.

A moment of silence in Wheldon's memory also will be held prior to the invocations before both races this weekend, NASCAR said.

IndyCar plans a public memorial for Wheldon on Sunday in downtown Indianapolis.

— Jim Peltz

Photo: The decal honoring Dan Wheldon that NASCAR plans to provide for teams to place on their cars this weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Credit: NASCAR