Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died late Sunday in a horrific 15-car crash that catapulted the Englishman’s car into the air and into a fence at the Las Vegas 300 IndyCar series finale.

Wheldon, 33, died from injuries sustained in the fiery pile-up, in which several cars were sent flying while others careered down in flames to litter the track with smoking debris.

IndyCar chief executive Randy Bernard said drivers and owners opted not to resume the race.

Wheldon’s fellow pilots decided to drive a five-lap salute in his honour – many of them weeping as they completed the solemn gesture with Wheldon’s number 77 the only one blazing on the scoreboard tower.

The chaos started at Turn 2 of the 2.4km Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval on the 12th lap of the race.

The chain reaction appeared to begin when Wade Cunningham’s car swerved and J.R. Hildebrand clipped him. Hildebrand went airborne while Cunningham went into the wall.

“It was debris everywhere across the whole track, you could smell the smoke, you could see the billowing smoke on the back straight from the car,” said Danica Patrick, who was in her final race as a full-time IndyCar driver before heading to NASCAR stock car racing.

“There was a chunk of fire that we were driving around. You could see cars scattered,” added Patrick, who was among the drivers who had predicted a chaotic race given the high speeds in qualifying and the jam-packed 34-car field.

Despite two Indianapolis 500 triumphs and his 2005 title, Wheldon had not been able to gain a full-time IndyCar ride this season.

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.

IndyCar’s last fatality was the death of driver Paul Dana at the Homestead circuit in Florida in 2006 in a crash during pre-race practice. Wheldon won the race later that afternoon.