IRL: 'NO MALFUNCTIONS'.(Indy Racing League)

Paul Dana struck a large piece of debris before colliding with Ed Carpenter during the warm-up for the Indy Racing League season-opener March 26 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, likely damaging his car's front brakes and steering. That does not explain, though, why Dana did not slow in response to signals after Carpenter's initial accident.

IRL president Brian Barnhart said the track lights, lights in the cars and radio transmissions to Dana all appear to have worked during the eight seconds between Carpenter's contact with the wall and Dana's impact.

Dana, who died of injuries suffered in the crash, hit the debris from Carpenter's car approximately 30 yards before hitting the car itself at about 175 mph.

An IRL review continues but is not expected to deliver much more information. Barnhart said he will review future event schedules to see if race-morning warm-up sessions can be eliminated.

A memorial service for Dana was held March 30 in St. Petersburg (see Offside Undo, page 12); the funeral was private at the request of the family.

Danica Patrick, Dana's teammate at Rahal Letterman Racing, supported the team's decision to hold its other two cars out of the Homestead race.

"I think he [Rahal] did a very, very good thing,'' Patrick said. "This is life. We drive race cars and it's what we love and it's our job, but we don't walk out there a couple minutes afterward and say, `I've forgotten already.'''