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Justin Wilson before a practice for the Indianapolis 500 in May.Credit AJ Mast/Associated Press

Justin Wilson, a British racecar driver who was struck by debris from another car during the closing laps of the penultimate race in the IndyCar Series season, died Monday, racing officials said. He was 37.

Wilson was struck in the head on Sunday at Pocono Raceway by a piece of debris that broke off from the car of Sage Karam, who was leading the race before he crashed. Wilson had tried to avoid the subsequent pileup, but his car hit the debris and veered into an interior wall. He was airlifted to a hospital in Allentown, Pa., where he was in a coma in critical condition before he died.

“I can’t find the proper words to describe the pain and sympathy I feel for Justin and his family,” Karam wrote on Twitter on Monday night.

Wilson, a former Formula One driver and a seven-time winner during 12 seasons in open-wheel racing, began driving the No. 25 Honda for Andretti Autosport this season. In 2012, he won the 24 Hours of Daytona with Michael Shank Racing.

“This is a monumentally sad day for IndyCar and the motor sports community as a whole,” Mark Miles, the chief executive of Hulman & Co., the parent company of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said in a statement. “Justin’s elite ability to drive a racecar was matched by his unwavering kindness, character and humility — which is what made him one of the most respected members of the paddock.”

It was the second time in four years that the IndyCar Series lost one of its drivers because of an on-track episode. Dan Wheldon, a fellow Briton who won the Indianapolis 500 in 2011, died during that season’s finale, in Las Vegas, when his head hit a fence post after his car went airborne and crashed into it.

Wilson grew up in England racing go-karts with Wheldon, and they both decided to pursue their racing dreams in the United States. Off the track, Wilson worked to raise awareness about dyslexia after being found to have the learning disorder at 13.

At 6 feet 4 inches, Wilson was the tallest driver in the IndyCar Series, and his height and his nice-guy reputation earned him the nickname Gentle Giant among his peers.

Wilson lived outside Denver in Longmont, Colo., with his wife, Julia, and their two daughters, Jane Louise and Jessica Lynne. His younger brother, Stefan, is an aspiring IndyCar driver.

Stefan wrote on Twitter on Monday night: “Can’t even begin to describe the loss I feel right now. He was my brother, my best friend, my role model and mentor.”

He added later: “He lived for this sport, he loved it. The only comfort I feel is that he lived a life he loved!”

His family, which includes his parents, Keith and Lynne, said in a statement that a trust fund had been set up for his daughters’ care.

“Justin was a loving father and devoted husband, as well as a highly competitive racing driver who was respected by his peers,” the family said.

In a statement, Andretti Autosport said it was “deeply saddened” by the death of Wilson, who finished a season-best second at Mid-Ohio in early August.

“He was a tremendous racer, a valuable member of the team and respected representative to our sport,” the team said. “While Justin was only part of the Andretti lineup for a short time, it only took a second for him to forever become part of the Andretti family. His life and racing career is a story of class and passion surpassed by none. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Wilson family and fans worldwide.”

The IndyCar season concludes Sunday in Sonoma, Calif.