Grand Prix of Long Beach: Paralyzed IMSA driver makes debut at Grand Prix of Long Beach

LONG BEACH — Sometimes in motorsports, finishing a race is more important than winning it. For IMSA driver Robert Wickens, an auto racing journey that started seven years ago is nearing the finish line at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Wickens is making his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series debut in Long Beach this weekend. He was once a promising driver in the IndyCar Series, one of the top rookies in 2018. But at a race at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, his career took a tragic turn when he was in a devastating crash that left him paralyzed.

He broke both his legs, both his hands, his arm and ribs. He also suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed in his legs. Even though he can stand for brief moments, he uses a wheelchair to move around.

He was in rehabilitation for two years, spent six hours a day, six days a week recovering from his injuries, and learning how to use his arms and legs as best as he could.

“I knew in the back of my mind I still wanted to race,” Wickens said.

The 36-year-old driver from Toronto returned to racing with the Bryan Herta Autosport team driving a Hyundai Elantra in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series. He won the series championship in 2023 and was third in the standings in 2024.

“It wasn’t until great people like Bryan Herta and Sean Jones who run Bryan Herta Autosport in a Hyundai Elantra. They gave me a chance to race again,” Wickens said.

“That was enough evidence to give me another opportunity with Chevrolet and Corvette. My goal was to get back to the highest levels of motorsports again.”

Wickens will be driving the DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R equipped with Bosch Motorsports’ new electronic braking and throttle control system with teammate Tommy Milner in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

He said he wanted to race in the IMSA season-opening 24 Hours of Daytona, but the car wasn’t ready for that long of a race. Instead, the team waited for a shorter race to test the new electronic braking system. The IMSA race at Long Beach is 100 minutes.

His team tested the car for two days in Sebring last month, but this will be the first time the car will race against other teams.

“I’m really looking forward to this weekend in Long Beach,” Wickens said. “This is the ideal place to debut in a new series and a new car. It’s a huge race. There’s so much history. But there’s also no room for error.”

Racing against top teams at one of the most famous race courses in the world is a huge step forward for Wickens, but he is trying to keep it in perspective.

“I’m trying to go in with zero expectations,” Wickens said. “I have no idea what to expect. The testing went well in Sebring a couple weeks ago. I felt great. Who knows? A lot of stuff can happen in motorsports.”

Wickens was eighth fastest in qualifying Friday for the IMSA GT Daytona race, and he has inspired Milner.

“For him to go through what he went through and with his drive and determination to get back in a race car again and be competitive and win races, that’s something that can be an inspiration for anybody,” Milner told The Associated Press. “Anybody who’s gone through some sort of hardship like he has, it’s what you make of your life and that situation. You can tell that it does change parts of his life. But the one thing that he doesn’t want it to change realistically is him driving race cars and driving them as fast as he does.”

Patrick Thompson, driving a Lexus RC F GT3 for Vasser Sullivan Racing with Jack Hawksworth, was the fastest qualifier for the GT Daytona race.

They will start next to Jonny Edgar, who was second fastest in qualifying in a Mercedes-AMG GTS for AO Racing.

Dries Vanthoor, driving a BMW M Hybrid V8 for BMW M Team RLL with Philipp Eng, won the pole for the IMSA GTP race.

Sheldon Van der Linde, driving a BMW M Hybrid V8 for BMW M Team RLL, will start on the front row with Vanthoor.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race is Saturday at 2 p.m.

SRO GT America Series

Gray Newell won the pole for today’s GT America race, taking advantage of a red flag that wiped out the second half of the qualifying session.

Newell, driving an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO for the Heart of Racing team, turned the fastest lap in 1:21.754.

“I knew we were going to be in the mix going out for qualifying,” Newell said. “It worked out. I’m really happy about that. I don’t think we lucked out here. I’m excited for tomorrow.”

James Sofronas will start on the front row with Newell. His fastest lap in the Audi R8 LMS GT3 for GMG Racing was 1:21.904.

Patrick Mulcahy, driving a Porsche 911 GT3-R for GMG Racing, will start third.

The GT America race, the first of two in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, starts Saturday at 5:20 p.m. The second race is Sunday at 11:20 a.m.

Stadium Super Trucks

The first Stadium Truck Series race is Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The second race is Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

Historic Formula Challenge

The Historic Formula Challenge is an exhibition race with cars from three eras on the Grand Prix of Long Beach, Formula 5000, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series.

Cal Meeker from Oceanside was the fastest in practice Friday. He is driving a 1979 Tyrrell 009 from the Formula 1 era.

Ethan Shippert from Corona was second fastest in practice in a 1975 Eagle 755 from the Formula 5000 era.

Jordan Roddy from Bittern Victoria, Canada was third fastest in practice in a 2005 Lola 05/00 from the IndyCar era.

The first Historic Formula Challenge exhibition race is Saturday at 10:45 a.m. The second one begins Sunday at 10:45 a.m.