Rockingham, N.C. – Bad weather couldn’t stop Accessible Racing and Shane Hmiel on Saturday, January 26 at Rockingham Speedway.
Two and a half years prior to this day, doctors told Hmiel’s parents that he had a 10 percent chance to live, and that he would never walk or breathe on his own again, after a crash in a United States Auto Club Silver Crown race on October 9th, 2010.
Shane Hmiel’s indomitable spirit and determination helped him to beat almost all of the odds the doctors said he was up against. Accessible Racing’s President Brian Hanaford, Rockingham Speedway’s President Andy Hillenburg, and Hmiels mother Lisa, teamed up to put Shane back where he never thought he’d be again, behind the wheel of a race car.
Accessible Racing, the brain child of Brian Hanaford, is a New Jersey based Nonprofit Corporation, whose purpose is to “Break Down Barriers and Create Opportunities” for person’s with disabilities. Hanaford said that newly injured persons will reach a plateau after traditional therapies, and will make a mental list of things they can no longer do in life. Hanaford said,” We want to give them freedom, hope and inspiration with our accessible cars and other programs, and teach them skills useful in everyday driving through our multi-tier programs.”
On Saturday, Andy Hillenburg and his team at Rockingham Speedway did everything they had to and then some, to make sure the track was ready. Hanaford and his team had the car dialed in and ready to ride. When they helped Shane Hmiel into the driver’s seat and instructed him on the controls specifically adapted for his needs, it was the quietest garage in the history of Rockingham. Everyone present watched, and waited, and slowly, the largest, most genuine, infectious smile crossed Hmiels face, and he looked out at everyone in attendance and said, “I can’t wait to floor this thing.” There were a lot of eyes filled with tears that morning.
The first two track runs were taken by Lance Corporal Cody Evans USMC (ret), and Scout Sniper Jessie Fletcher USMC (ret), injured veterans who lost their legs in IED explosions in Iraq. They had come to Rockingham on Saturday through Hanaford’s invitation to another program, Racing 4 Vets. Hmiel watched every move being made by these Marine Corp veterans. Hmiel said, ”Those guys are the real heroes here today, they are the ones that have made it possible for all of us to just be here, let alone take advantage of this amazing car Accessible Racing has brought here for us.”
And then it was time. The Accessible Racing team got Hmiel buckled in, and, with David Dion buckled in the passenger seat beside him, the window net was raised, the engine was fired, and with a huge grin and a thumbs up, Shane Hmiel did what no one, including himself, ever thought he would do, he drove a race car 10 laps around Rockingham Speedway. When he pulled in the pit afterwards, a sparkle in his eye and a grin on his face, Hmiel said, “I don’t want to get out, let’s go again!”
Whether a part of the Accessible Racing team, Rockingham staff, media, family, or friends that were in attendance at Rockingham Speedway on Saturday, they bore witness to a warrior conquer an enemy.
Brain Hanaford said, “This is what it is all about, this is why we do this. Through our various programs, such as iracing, and the accessible cars, we can give people of the disabled community a chance to do the things they never thought they could.”
For more information on Accessible Racing, and how you can help:http://www.accessibleracing.com ; https://www.facebook.com/messages/accessibleracing
Or, contact Brian Hanaford, President, Accessible Racing : https://www.facebook.com/messages/brian.hanaford
(Photo Credit: Andi Camassar)
