LAS VEGAS – Dan Wheldon, who moved to the United States from his native England with hopes of winning the Indianapolis 500 and went on to twice prevail at his sport’s most famed race, died Sunday after a massive, fiery wreck at the Las Vegas Indy 300.

One of the most well-liked drivers in the paddock, Wheldon was 33.

He called the Indy 500 “the biggest sporting event in the world,” and his second and final win there came in most unexpected fashion. Trailing rookie JR Hildebrand with one turn remaining, Wheldon was resigned to finishing second for the third straight year.

Then Hildebrand brushed the wall just seconds away from what seemed like certain victory, giving Wheldon one of the luckiest breaks ever at the Brickyard. He crossed the line in front, making the final lap the only one he led.

Wheldon returned to the track the next morning for the traditional photo session with the winner, kissing the bricks as his 2-year-old son Sebastian sat on the asphalt alongside him, and wife, Susie, who held their then-2-month-old, Oliver.

“That’s Indianapolis,” Wheldon said after this year’s Indy win. “That’s why it’s the greatest spectacle in racing. You never know what’s going to happen.”

Such was the case again Sunday at Las Vegas.

Wheldon started last in the 34-car field and was up to 24th quickly, but still well behind the first wave of cars that got into trouble on the fateful lap, and had no way to avoid the wrecks in front of him. His car sailed into the fence extending high over the track barrier, and about two hours later, his death was announced.

Wheldon moved to the United States in 1999, trying to find sponsor money to fund his dream, and by 2002 – after stints in some lower-profile open-wheel series, such as the F2000 championship, Toyota Atlantic Series and IndyLights – he was on the IndyCar grid for the first time.

Wheldon got his first IndyCar Series ride in 2002, competing twice with Panther Racing, then replaced Michael Andretti when Andretti retired the next season and won Rookie of the Year.

His first victory came the next season, in Japan, and he finished second in the championship standings.

The next year, he was the series champion. Wheldon won the 2005 Indy 500 when he passed Danica Patrick, who was a rookie that year, with less than 10 laps to go and held on for the victory.

It also was widely expected that Wheldon would replace Patrick on Michael Andretti’s team next season when she switches to a full-time NASCAR ride.

Lacking the financial backing to secure a full-time ride for himself this season, Wheldon kept busy by working as a commentator for some races and testing prototype cars that the IndyCar series will be using in the future. IndyCar will have new cars in 2012, much of the changes done with a nod for safety.

“We need to make sure that the product that the IndyCar Series puts out toward the end of this year, beginning of 2012, is something that primarily the fans get very excited about, but also the teams and drivers,” Wheldon said this summer. “And obviously we want to make sure that the product we put out is incredibly safe.”