Racer Shane Hmiel’s amazing road to recovery

Some say that from the time Shane Hmiel was young, he was destined to become a NASCAR driver.

However, a series of failed drug tests ended that dream, but after a stint in rehab he got clean and was building a new career in open racing.

He was very close to getting a ride for the Indianapolis 500 when he was nearly killed in a crash.

Shane suffered a broken neck and a closed head injury. He is paralyzed, but is some what of a medical marvel. He’s off a ventilator and able to move his arms especially his right when doctors didn’t think that was possible.

Shane’s recovery continues to the point he’s back in a race car. He is now associated with Accessible Racing, an organization designed to allow wounded veterans to drive a race car.

He recently drove a specially designed car for the very first time at the Rockingham Speedway in front of family, friends and his father.

Just a few laps, but the miles Hmiel and his family have traveled on this journey to get to this point. Once a racer: always a racer.