Las Vegas Motor Speedway's "limitless" racing surface was singled out Thursday as a significant factor in a "perfect storm" of conditions that led to the death of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon.

Wheldon was killed Oct. 16 in the series' season finale when his car sailed 325 feet through the air into a catchfence, and his head hit a post in the fence. The blow created a "non-survivable injury."

In the wake of the 15-car wreck, many criticized CEO Randy Bernard and IndyCar for creating a deadly mix of circumstances — offering a jobless Wheldon the chance to earn a $5 million bonus if he could drive from the back of a 34-car field to Victory Lane on a high-banked oval, where a 34-car field of mixed experience levels had enough room to race three-wide at over 220 mph.

But IndyCar president Brian Barnhart dismissed those factors and focused instead on Vegas' multi-grooved, wide racing surface that heightened the dangers of pack racing on a high-banked oval. With open wheels and an open cockpit, IndyCar vehicles aren't suited for the pack racing that develops on ovals. Unlike NASCAR, where cars bump and bang on every lap, contact in an IndyCar results in either a crash or a slew of broken parts.

The report found that although Wheldon stayed low on the track in an attempt to avoid the cluster of cars spinning toward the top — he had slowed from 224 mph to 165 — his path was blocked by other cars. His first contact with another car sent him airborne and into the catchfence.

Bernard said the report was shared with Wheldon's widow, Susie, on Wednesday evening, and she spoke with both Barnhart and Bernard afterward.

On the two-month anniversary of Wheldon's death, IndyCar is struggling to move forward. The 2012 schedule hasn't been released, and Bernard already has bought his way out of Year 2 of the Las Vegas contract. The third year is up for review.