Susie Wheldon To Wave Green Flag At St. Pete

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – The widow of Dan Wheldon will wave the green flag for IndyCar’s season-opening race at St. Petersburg.

Susie Wheldon will also participate in the pre-race activities at the March 24 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. She left St. Pete, the city she and Wheldon called home, during race weekend last year.

Wheldon, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, was killed in an accident during the 2011 season finale at Las Vegas. Susie Wheldon and the couple’s two sons still live in St. Petersburg, and a portion of the street course was renamed Dan Wheldon Way in his honor.

The Grand Marshal for the race is U.S. Army Specialist and St. Pete resident Charlie Lemon, a double-amputee combat veteran and ambassador for national charity Wish for Our Heroes.