Racing world mourns the loss of Dan Wheldon
Autoracing Betting Lines
10/17/2011 - Las Vegas, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dan Wheldon was hugely popular and greatly admired by his fans and fellow competitors around the auto racing world. His tragic death in a crash during Sunday's IndyCar race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has the auto racing community in a deep state of mourning. Wheldon was an inspiration to all in the sport. He will be sorely missed.
In what was figured to be one of the most thrilling IZOD IndyCar Series races in memory suddenly turned into the racing circuit's darkest moment. Wheldon, 33, was involved in a horrific 15-car crash on lap 11 that sent his car sailing into catch fence along turn two before it erupted into flames.
Wheldon, driving the No.77 Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, had an opportunity to split a $5 million bonus with a fan if he would have won the scheduled 300- mile season-ending race at Las Vegas. The Englishman had to start from the rear of the record 34-car field due to the rules of bonus program.
The race was also to determine the series championship. Dario Franchitti came to Las Vegas with an 18-point lead over Will Power.
Instead, the race was called off and no championship celebration took place. Roughly two hours after the accident, IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard had the difficult task of announcing Wheldon's death.
IndyCar had not experienced a fatality at a track since Paul Dana was killed in a practice crash at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2006.
With heavy hearts, drivers later paid tribute to the fallen two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and 2005 IndyCar champion with a five-lap parade around the 1.5-mile track. As bagpipes played "Amazing Grace" during the tribute, a somber mood was felt along pit lane, the garage area and the grandstands.
Franchitti claimed his record third straight and fourth overall IndyCar title, but that didn't matter to him. Franchitti, who was Wheldon's teammate at Andretti-Green Racing (now known as Andretti Autosport) from 2003-05, sobbed heavily while sitting in his car just before partaking in the parade laps.
"I was driving around there on the parade lap we did, and I was thinking about Dan," Franchitti said. "I was thinking of all Dan's stories and just things that we did. In situations like this, I think obviously the sadness, I was thinking of some of the fun times we had. But really right now it's just sad. It's just really, really sad. It's the ugly, ugly side of our sport. You see it all."
Danica Patrick, who ended her full-time career in IndyCar, could not hide her emotions as well.
"We're all very sad, and he was a friend to all of us," she tearfully said. "He'll be missed, and I just feel for his family."
Wheldon is survived by his wife, Susie, and two sons, Sebastian and Oliver.
With Patrick moving over to NASCAR full-time in 2012, Wheldon was expected to replace her at Michael Andretti's team.
Wheldon was also scheduled to compete in next weekend's V8 Supercars event in Surfers Paradise, Australia. Tony Kanaan had planned on joining Wheldon for the race, but the Brazilian has since withdrawn. Kanaan and Wheldon were former teammates as well.
"He was one of my best friends and one of my greatest teammates back in the day," Kanaan said. "We race car drivers have to block this possibility, and unfortunately when it happens, it's really hard."
Wheldon pulled off a stunning upset in the May 29 Indy 500. His second win in IndyCar's most prestigious race of the year came at the expense of rookie J.R. Hildebrand, who crashed coming out of final turn of the last lap while leading. Wheldon made his first start of the season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, driving an entry for Bryan Herta Autosport. His first Indy 500 victory came in '05, as he became the first driver from the United Kingdom to win it since Graham Hill did so in 1966.
"Everyone at Bryan Herta Autosport is reeling from the loss of our friend and teammate Dan Wheldon," team owner Bryan Herta said in a statement. "Dan was the glue that bound our little team together. It was his spark and belief in us that carried us all to victory lane at Indianapolis this year, and his legacy within the sport as a tremendous champion and competitor is unquestioned."
"But more than that, Dan became my little brother from our time together as teammates at AGR. I watched with pride as he developed from the brash young hotshot on the circuit to a man who was a great husband and father, ambassador, friend, champion and hero."
At the end of the 2010 season, Wheldon lost his ride with Panther Racing after spending two years with the team. Hildebrand replaced him in the Panther's No.4 car.
Wheldon had recently served as test driver for IndyCar's new Dallara chassis at IMS.
In preparation for Las Vegas, Schmidt placed Wheldon in the No.77 car, which is normally occupied by Alex Tagliani, for the October 2 race at Kentucky Speedway. Wheldon started 28th and finished 14th there.
Wheldon's IndyCar career began in 2002, running two races for Panther. He drove for Andretti Green Racing and then Chip Ganassi Racing before returning to Panther for the start of the 2009 season.
"We're all going to miss him. A little bit of everybody in IndyCar racing died today," Ganassi said during a press conference on Sunday at Las Vegas.
Condolences from members of the racing community worldwide have been pouring in, particularly Formula One and NASCAR.
Wheldon had explored his options in F1 and NASCAR after his '05 IndyCar championship season, but his future in either circuit did not come to fruition.
He competed against many of F1's current stars, including McLaren driver and 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton.
"Dan was a racer I'd followed throughout my career, as I often followed in his footsteps as we climbed the motorsports ladder in the UK," Hamilton said. "As a British guy, who not only went over to the [United] States but who twice won the Indy 500, he was an inspirational guy, and someone that every racing driver looked up to with respect and admiration."
Hamilton's teammate and 2009 F1 titleholder Jenson Button raced with Wheldon in Formula Ford and Formula Three.
"I have so many good memories of racing with Dan in the early 90's, a true fighter," Button noted.
Following Wheldon's death, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France issued a statement.
"NASCAR offers its deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of Dan Wheldon, his teammates, and the entire IndyCar Series community for their tragic loss [Sunday]," France said. "They will be in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of many drivers who shared their memories of Wheldon.
"I had the pleasure of meeting Dan Wheldon at the National Guard Youth Challenge dinner about five years ago, and we crossed paths several times since then, mostly through our mutual partnership with the National Guard," Earnhardt said. "His success as a racer speaks for itself, but I will remember him as a true professional who was friendly, respectful, and genuine. On behalf of everyone at JR Motorsports, I send condolences to Dan's family, team, and friends in the racing community."
The 2012 IndyCar season is scheduled to begin on March 25 at St. Petersburg, FL, where Wheldon had resided.
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of high profile trotters have been added to the 2011 Breeders Crown Three-year-old Trot. The mile race will be part of the 12 championship harness races set for Saturday, October 29 at Woodbine. Daylon
<< Texans QB Schaub has MRI on hip
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub
reportedly underwent an MRI Monday morning.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Schaub had a precautionary MRI on his
hip. He came out of Sunday's 29-14 loss at
<< Rams' Bradford has high ankle sprain
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford has
a high left ankle sprain, coach Steve Spagnuolo announced Monday.
"It is a high ankle sprain," said Spagnuolo. "It will be day-to-day. There's
no question tha
<< Raiders QB Campbell hopes to return this season
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Campbell is hopeful that his season is
not over.
According to the Oakland Tribune, the Raiders quarterback was scheduled for
surgery Monday on his broken right clavicle, but envisions a return i
<< Kesler to make season debut Tuesday night
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vancouver forward and reigning Selke Trophy
winner Ryan Kesler will make his 2011-12 season debut Tuesday night when the
Canucks host the New York Rangers.
Kesler had been recovering from offseason surger
Bilbao, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Athletic Bilbao claimed a second straight win on Monday as the club scored three first-half goals in a 3-1 win over Osasuna at San Mames. Iker Muniain tallied the opening goal on the half-hour mark after bei
Hildebrand, Mann released from Las Vegas hospital >>
Las Vegas, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - IndyCar drivers J.R. Hildebrand and Pippa
Mann were released from the University Medical Center in Las Vegas on Monday,
one day after suffering injuries in a 15-car crash that claimed the life of
two-tim
Southern chancellor issues apology about brawl >>
Baton Rouge, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The chancellor of Southern University
issued an apology on Monday in response to the post-game brawl that involved
his school's football team and Arkansas-Pine Bluff Saturday night in Pine
Bluff, Ark.
In t
Pens F Kennedy out with concussion-like symptoms >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tyler Kennedy
has been diagnosed with concussion-like symptoms.
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma is uncertain how long Kennedy will be out and when
the forward was injured.
Kenne
Kessel highlights NHL's 'Three Stars' >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Phil Kessel,
New York Islanders center John Tavares and Dallas Stars goaltender Kari
Lehtonen have been named the NHL's 'Three Stars' for games played from October
6 throu
How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?
The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.
While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.
For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.
1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.
2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.
How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.
Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.
Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.
How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).
Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.
Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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.
Just because it is the All-Star break doesn’t mean that you can’t bet on NBA hoops this weekend. Be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com to bet on who you think will cut down the nets this July. Also, be sure to check out all of the lines and props for All-Star weekend. With the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry, there are plenty of ways to cash in on the NBA this weekend.
MySportsbook.com’s NBA Championship odds:
Atlanta Hawks 1000-1
Boston Celtics 5000-1
Charlotte Bobcats 5000-1
Chicago Bulls 20-1
Cleveland Cavaliers 20-1
Dallas Mavericks 2-1
Denver Nuggets 25-1
Detroit Pistons 6-1
Golden State Warriors 250-1
Houston Rockets 12-1
Indiana Pacers 60-1
Los Angeles Clippers 45-1
Memphis Grizzlies 5000-1
Miami Heat 9-1
Milwaukee Bucks 1000-1
Minnesota T-Wolves 200-1
New Jersey Nets 50-1
New Orleans Hornets 150-1
New York Knicks 150-1
Orlando Magic 75-1
Philadelphia 76ers 1000-1
Phoenix Suns 5-2
Portland TrailBlazers 1000-1
Sacramento Kings 250-1
San Antonio Spurs 9-1
Seattle Sonics 5000-1
Toronto Raptors 35-1
Utah Jazz 20-1
Washington Wizards 25-1
About MySportsbook.com:
MySportsbook.com is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best online Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, MySportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, MySportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and it's products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.