Likeness of Dan Wheldon to appear on Indy 500 ticket

The first tribute to Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon will come Tuesday when this year’s race ticket bearing his likeness will be unveiled at Avon Middle School South.

The Hendricks County school was selected because of guidance counselor Paul Quirke, who submitted the winning Facebook thread describing why he has the best seats for the 500. Quirke’s tickets are in the Northwest Vista overlooking the part of the track where Wheldon passed rookie JR Hildebrand last May.

Quirke will receive an oversized ticket showing Wheldon celebrating the second of his two 500 wins. Wheldon, who also won Indy in 2005, lost his life in October during IndyCar’s season-ending race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Wheldon will be honored Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla., his U.S. hometown, with a waterfront street named for him. The street is the part of the race course where Wheldon made the winning pass in IndyCar’s inaugural race there in 2005.

Wheldon’s wife, Susie, will be present for the dedication.