{alltv} Wheldon, super hero of Battle Force 5

http://indycar.cdn.racersites.com/prod/photos/318806/NEWS_DETAIL.jpg

Dan Wheldon, super hero.

The 2005 IZOD IndyCar Series champion thinks it has a nice ring, and his virtual adventures in the popular Hot Wheels TV series Battle Force 5 Fused involving death-defying racing, mayhem, good versus evil, and – of course -- helping save the Multiverse lend credence to the title.

"I think being associated with Mattel and Hot Wheels is going to win me some real brownie points with my son because, let's be honest, it's likely that before Sebastian is able to really appreciate what I have accomplished on the racetrack he is going to be able to appreciate that his dad is associated with his favorite toys," Wheldon jokes. "That adds another level of pride in this experience for me."

Furthermore, the futuristic ride and attire fit the character (and real-life subject).

"The producers had done their homework and crafted the Battle Force 5 cartoon character in my likeness," Wheldon continues. "So, needless to say, he has a big personality, spot on style and a winning smile. I can't wait to see Sebastian's reaction when he hears my voice and sees my likeness in the Battle Force 5 cartoon."

The episode, Full Throttle, airs Feb. 12 on the Cartoon Network (10:30 a.m. ET) and subsequently will be available on www.battleforce5.com.

"We built the episode around the idea that Dan is playing … Dan Wheldon," supervising producer Audu Paden says. "The Battle Force 5, our team of young drivers who use their vehicles and driving skills to save our world from alien invasion, are also big Dan Wheldon fans. We wanted to find a way to let them take their real-world hero and Indy winner on one of their fantastic adventures.

"The storyline is that a mysterious driver is using the desert salt flats to perfect a secret maneuver. Tracking this superfast intruder, the Battle Force 5 discover that it is their hero, IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon. Later, when faced with a new challenge, an alien 'sonar' pinging the universe to find the location of Earth, they realize that they do not have the unique skills needed to destroy the device. But Dan does.

"They enlist Dan and prove that a secret war is underway, and that only he has the ability to save our world. They teleport down to the planet that houses the device and have to race their way through a high-speed labyrinth to get to the target. Dan's secret maneuver turns the tide and saves the mission."

Wheldon's enthusiasm added to the character's persona, which quickly assisted the production team.

"Bringing Dan into our world was tremendous fun," Paden says. "Getting him into the recording studio with the rest of the voice cast pumped up the energy for everyone. Dan's imagination kicked into overdrive as we talked him through the fantastic adventure and how his character reacted to near death car combat in alien worlds. Hearing his natural patterns of speech also let us rewrite his dialog on the spot to make it more authentically his own way of saying things.

"Since the core of the character that we created for this story was sourced from Dan's natural good cheer, clear focus and courage, he made playing the role seem easy."

Wheldon says he appreciated the support and hopes other IZOD IndyCar Series drivers can be incorporated into future episodes – in addition to reprising his role -- and other Mattel projects.

"I didn't realize how much fun I was going to have," he says. "At first I was nervous that I wasn't going to know exactly what they wanted from me, but once we got going the Hot Wheels producers made me feel at ease and it was as if I had been a part of their team forever. We all ended up laughing and really enjoying the process.

"Anyone in the IZOD IndyCar Series that has had the honor to work with Hot Wheels will agree that they are a top-notch organization. Hot Wheels and Mattel are very generous with their creativity and with their support of what we do as drivers. I think they have become an integral part of helping the fans to connect with each driver's unique personality, and of bringing out the fun and excitement of what we do."

Similarly, Wheldon's contributions were appreciated by the producers of the show that's in its second season and has a cache of related games, merchandise and promotions online.

"Since we record the voices before we animate the performances, the energy and acting that comes out of the voice record is critical to the life of the show," Paden says. "Especially on action shows, to make it authentic you need to get the words off the page and let the character really live in the moment. Dan's real-life adventures gave him a natural edge in knowing how to recreate those moments for the audience.
"The popularity of the show continues to grow worldwide. Our audience thrills to the fact that the scope of the season two storylines is even more epic than season one.

"Dan can come back and help us save the Earth from evil aliens anytime."