In 2018, Robert Wickens faced one of the few worst-case scenarios in racing. While competing at Pocono, his No. 6 Lucas Oil Arrow IndyCar hit another car (Ryan Hunter-Reay), resulting in a brutal crash that red-flagged the race. Wickens surprisingly survived the incident, but his injuries would leave him paralyzed. Chances were likely that he wouldn’t be able to walk, or race again.
Technology has made considerable strides over the years for disabled racers. Enough to where paraplegic drivers have been using experimental hand-controlled systems, typically built specially for that specific racing vehicle, that allowed them to return to the very thing they loved doing: racing. Michael Johnson was one of those drivers, and in 2021, after Wickens' long road of recovery and rehabilitation, he offered the former driver a chance to return to the track, using his specially modified Hyundai Veloster TCR equipped with a hand-controlled system. The offer led to Wickens signing on for a full season ride with Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA), nabbing a championship win in 2023, and provided a way to further the development of the hand controls to make them more realistic and accessible for other paraplegic drivers who also want a chance at a championship — or just be able to artfully hoon a car around a track again.
