The worst injury of all was damage to his spinal cord that left him paralysed from the waist down.<\/p>\n
Stan Sport is the only place to watch the 2023 IndyCar Series, featuring Will Power, Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon. <\/strong><\/em>All the action streaming ad free, live and on demand<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Determined not to let his disability stop him from racing, the Canadian spent years rehabilitating to the point where he could drive again.<\/p>\n In 2022, he made a comeback by way of the IMSA SportsCar Challenge in a Hyundai Elantra TCR car fitted with hand controls where he won two races.<\/p>\n Now, he feels an IndyCar comeback is on the cards.<\/p>\n "I think doing the Indy 500 would just be an amazing opportunity," Wickens told Motorsport.com.\u00a0<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>Three Dragons stars could walk after Griffin axing<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>'Horribly difficult': WWE legend on life support<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>Gruesome injury ruins star's Origin debut dream<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n "If I can get on the grid in 2024 for the Indy 500, it will be 108th running of the race, and there's never been someone (racing) with a disability.<\/p>\n "I never thought that would be my legacy. But if that's what it is, I think it'd be a pretty cool thing to do. And it'd be great for spinal cord awareness.<\/p>\n "I think it'd be great for any person struggling with something, to show that you can achieve anything in life if you have a great support system, and a lot of hard work and a positive attitude."<\/p>\n Although Wickens would be the first paraplegic to contest the 200-lapper, he wouldn't be the first to have contested the Indianapolis 500 with a disability.<\/p>\n Al Miller, Cal Niday, and Bill Schindler all contested the Greatest Spectacle In Racing with prosthetic legs.<\/p>\n Like his Hyundai, Wickens would need to have a car modified for him to return to IndyCar.<\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/robertwickens\/status\/1486764607238807552<\/a><\/p>\n That, unfortunately, comes with a hefty price tag.<\/p>\n "For me, just to step foot into an IndyCar again, and do laps, would be an accomplishment in itself," said Wickens.\u00a0<\/p>\n "We need to get a car adapted with hand controls, to see if it's even possible.<\/p>\n "Right now, we're in the fundraising state of trying to find a partner that's willing to help us adapt in IndyCar because as you can imagine, it's not free.\u00a0<\/p>\n "Once we have substance, something on track, then we can start thinking about other options, other opportunities.<\/p>\n "From there, we can evaluate if the Indy 500 is a possibility, or maybe I get my closure in that and maybe it's just not possible, and then we go our separate ways, and I start focusing on IMSA and other categories."<\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/robertwickens\/status\/1657908537907982338<\/a><\/p>\n Bryan Herta, who is a strategist for Andretti Autosport and owns the team that Wickens races for, said the concept of a modified car is being explored.<\/p>\n He said IndyCar is supportive of Wickens' idea.<\/p>\n This year's Indianapolis 500 takes place on May 29 featuring Australia's Will Power and two New Zealanders in Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon.<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here<\/strong><\/em><\/a>!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
![\"Robert](\"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/50389e82-77f0-43db-b9f0-a2147b23938e-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Robert](\"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/8205a4c4-fe20-47f8-818f-e49adc541a50-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n