1 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁He ▁was ▁ 4 6 . ▁Just ▁over ▁a ▁month ▁later , ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁season ▁finale , ▁Dan ▁Wh eld on ▁died ▁after ▁he ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 5 - car ▁w reck ▁at ▁Las ▁Veg as ▁Motor ▁Speed way . ▁Wh eld on ▁was ▁driving ▁the ▁No . ▁ 7 7 ▁in ▁a ▁joint ▁deal ▁between ▁SS M ▁and ▁Bry an ▁H erta ▁Aut os port . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁SS M ▁field ed ▁a ▁car ▁for ▁French man ▁Simon ▁P ag ena ud ▁for ▁the ▁full ▁season ▁back ed ▁by ▁H ew lett - Pack ard . ▁Dave y ▁Hamilton ▁joined ▁Schmidt ▁to ▁field ▁the ▁number ▁ 7 7 ▁car . ▁P ag ena ud ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁I Z OD ▁Ind y Car ▁Ro ok ie ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁Award . ▁P ag ena ud ▁would ▁score ▁four ▁pod iums ▁that ▁year , ▁while ▁Bell ▁returned ▁for ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁ 5 0 0 " ▁finishing ▁ 9 th . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁P ag ena ud ▁would ▁be ▁te amed ▁with ▁another ▁French man , ▁Tr istan ▁V aut ier , ▁for ▁the ▁season . ▁Schmidt ▁would ▁also ▁bring ▁on ▁another ▁invest or , ▁former ▁Champ ▁Car ▁Atlantic ▁owner ▁Ric ▁Pet erson . ▁While ▁V aut ier ▁had ▁a ▁best ▁finish ▁of ▁ 1 0 th , ▁P ag ena ud ▁would