English driver Dan Wheldon killed in a 15-car crash

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English driver Dan Wheldon was killed in a massive 15-car crash that sent his and several other cars airborne early in the Las Vegas 300 IndyCar series finale on Sunday.

An IndyCar official confirmed Wheldon was airlifted from the circuit by helicopter.

"We just hope he's fine," fellow driver James Hinchcliffe of Canada told a television interviewer, before the news of his death came.

Driver Pippa Mann also looked shaky as she was helped to an ambulance. Mann and J.R. Hildebrand were taken to hospital complaining of dizziness.

The crash coming out of Turn 2 of the 1.5 mile Las Vegas oval on the 12th lap of the race left Townsend Bell's car upside down. It left smoking cars and debris strewn around the track.

"I've never seen such a mess in my entire career on the race track," said Danica Patrick, who was in her final race as a fulltime IndyCar driver before heading to NASCAR stock car racing. "Really concerned about Dan right now."

Wheldon winner of the Indianapolis 500 in May, was injured when his car sailed over another one and apparently clipped the catch fencing.

"Just a horrendous accident," said Canadian driver Paul Tracy, who was involved in the wreck. "Lot of prayers right now for Dan, because it's going to be a long recovery.

"They're scrambling in there right now," Tracy said of the medical team attending Wheldon before he was airlifted out. "There's 20 doctors in there."

Despite his Indianapolis 500 triumph and his 2005 series title, Wheldon hasn't been able to secure a full-time IndyCar ride, so he was racing from the back of the field in pursuit of a $5 million prize offered by IndyCar to a non-series driver who could win the finale.

The crash ended Australian Will Power's bid to overtake Dario Franchitti and claim the series title.

Power sat stunned in his car for some time and was reported to have later been sent to hospital to be checked out.

Franchitti secured his third straight series crown and fourth overall after Power was ruled out.

"I could see within five laps people were starting to do crazy stuff," Franchitti said. "I love hard racing but that to me is not really what it's about. You saw what happened, one small mistake from somebody ...."

There were 34 cars entered in the season finale -- one more entry than at the Indianapolis 500 at the bigger Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Drivers had voiced concern about the high speeds being reached at Las Vegas, where they were close to 225 miles per hour in practice this week.

"I'll tell you, I've never seen anything like it," Ryan Briscoe said of the sight of burning cars spinning on the track and sailing through the air.

"The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from Terminator or something. I mean, there were just pieces of metal and car on fire in the middle of the track with no car attached to it and just debris everywhere.

"So it was scary, and your first thoughts are hoping that no one is hurt because there's just stuff everywhere. Crazy."