CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Shane Hmiel returned to Victory Lane as a car owner on the one-year anniversary of the accident that almost killed him.
Levi Jones won the Gold Crown Midget Nationals at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill., on Saturday night. He was driving the No. 56 owned by Hmiel’s RW56 Motorsports team in the USAC Series.
Hmiel made the trip with Jones to Victory Lane in his wheelchair. Hmiel was paralyzed last October in a crash during the U.S. Auto Racing Club’s Silver Crown race at Terre Haute Action Track.
Jones won in just his second race driving for Hmiel. A blown engine in Thursday night’s heat races almost caused the team to withdraw, but fellow competitor Zach Daum gave them an engine and Jones went on to win.
