Stefan Wilson is Justin Wilson’s younger brother and also an IndyCar driver. Justin died after being hit by debris at the Pocono Raceway. The two brothers were close and Stefan has been posting heartbreaking updates. There’s no word yet on when the funeral will be. (Twitter/Stefan Wilson)
Stefan Wilson is Justin Wilson‘s brother. Both were IndyCar drivers. Justin Wilson died after being hit by flying debris following a crash involving fellow driver Sage Karam at Pocono Raceway. The two brothers were incredibly close, despite the 11-year age difference between them. They grew up competing and Stefan always looked up to Justin. Justin once said that a tough part about Stefan becoming an IndyCar driver was that Justin had to remind himself to focus on his own career and not just encouraging his little brother.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Stefan Has Been Posting Updates About His Brother And His Family on Twitter
I often told him, I just want to grow up to be half the man he is, as that will make me a pretty good man. http://t.co/Q3hOCtu5Pv
Ever since the accident, Stefan has been keeping the world informed about his brother’s condition by posting frequent, and often heart-breaking, updates on his Twitter account. He talked about how his brother never stopped giving or caring, even in choosing to be an organ donor. When the accident first happened, he openly discussed how he was trying to get himself and Justin’s wife, Julia, to Pocono.
Praying for my bro right now. Trying to get myself and Julia, JWs wife to Pocono. Thank you for prayers and thoughts at this very hard time.
Later, he said that his brother was in the hospital and asked everyone to please not speculate about what was going to happen:
I have no update on his condition, he’s been moved to the local hospital, and I’m trying to get there to be with him. Please don’t speculate
When his brother died, he began a series of posting about how wonderful his brother is and how much he is going to miss him.
Can’t even begin to describe the loss I feel right now. He was my Brother, my best friend, my role model and mentor. He was a champion!
He lived for this sport, he loved it. The only comfort I feel is that he lived a life he loved! RIP mate, I’ll chuffing miss you.
2. Stefan Is a Successful Driver And Drove on the Same IndyCar Team As His Brother
Stefan Wilson, of England, was driver of this #18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda. Wilson has a successful driving career of his own. (Getty)
Stefan is a successful driver in his own right. He made his IndyCar debut in 2013 in the Grand Prix of Baltimore. He drove for Dale Coyne Racing and placing 16th. Justin also drove Dale Coyne Racing. This marked the first time that two brothers drove for the same team in an IndyCar race since 1983. His career history includes placing third in the Firestone Indy Lights in 2011, second in the Formula Palmer Audi in 2007, and 4th in the British Formula Three Championship National Class in 2008. In the following video, the two brothers discussed their racing plans for 2015:
3. He Is Passionate About Sustainable Living, Even In His Driving
Stefan Wilson wants to use his racing career to highlight his other passion: environmental sustainability. He wants to use solar panels in the Indianapolis 500 in May 2016. (Getty)
Stefan is also very passionate about encouraging sustainable living. On his website, he talks about his goal to expand solar power everywhere, from pits to penthouses. He plans to power his pit-to-cockpit radio with a solar panel during the Indianapolis 500 in May 2016. He wants to use the Indianapolis 500, which is often an incubator for new technology, to show that solar power is practical for everyday applications, according to his website.
4. His Brother Died Following a Crash at Pocono Raceway
Justin Wilson was a very successful IndyCar driver. He died after being hit by flying debris during a crash. (Getty)
Stefan’s brother, Justin Wilson, died on Monday after he was hit in the head by flying debris during a race at the Pocono Raceway on Sunday. He was driving in the ABC Supply 500’s 200-lap race. Fellow driver Sage Karam’s car crashed and broke apart, A piece of the nose cone hit Justin in the head. He was airlifted to the hospital. Justin’s wife and family members were not at the race so Tony Stewart, NASCAR owner/driver, lent his airplane to the family so they could get to Lehigh Valley Health Network Cedar Crest Hospital and be with Justin, according to The Washington Post. Justin was hospitalized and in a coma with severe head injuries before he died. There is no word yet on when Justin’s funeral will be.
5. Stefan Is Eleven Years Younger Than Justin And They Had a Very Close Relationship
Stefan Wilson and Justin Wilson were separated by 11 years, but were very close. They competed against each other growing up and were happy to be teammates as IndyCar drivers. Justin said the hardest part was remembering to look out for his own career and not just focus on encouraging Stefan. (Getty)
Stefan is 11 years younger than his brother Justin. Despite the age difference, the two had a very close relationship. Both grew up in Woodall, England, and they were close growing up but also competitive. In an interview with Arizona Sports, Stefan said that he spent most of his life looking up to Justin and could only hope to achieve what Justin has in his career. The two grew up competing against each other, from go-kart racing to online simulated racing with iRacing, according to The Baltimore Sun. Justin said that when he was 15 and Stefan was only 4, he could remember holding his bedroom door shut with Stefan banging on the other side, because Stefan always wanted to hang out with Justin and his friends. As they grew older, they became closer friends. Before their first race together as IndyCar drivers, Stefan said that he hoped he could prove himself and Justin would see him as a constructive teammate and not a nagging little brother, The Baltimore Sun reported.
In an interview with Autoweek in 2013, Justin said that his toughest issue with the two racing together as IndyCar drivers would be Justin’s desire to help Stefan succeed. Justin said he would have to keep reminding himself that he also needed to focus on his own career.
