Canada's Wickens marks return to racing with podium finish in Daytona
Robert Wickens worked for more than three years to get back into a racecar and resume the driving career cut short during his rookie IndyCar season.
His reward was a podium finish at Daytona International Speedway.
And a face full of champagne.
Wickens and Mark Wilkins teamed for a third-place finish Friday in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge touring car class season opener. It was the first race for Wickens since he suffered a spinal cord injury in 2018 in a spectacular crash at Pocono.
Wickens was in his wheelchair for the podium celebration when the champagne was passed out for the customary celebratory spray. But he'd locked the brakes — "rookie move," he said — and was using both hands to hold his own bottle. So he couldn't move out of the way when the other five drivers on the podium moved in for the attack.
1,258 days and here we are. On the podium at Daytona.<br><br>Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/BHA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BHA</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Hyundai?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hyundai</a>, Karli and everyone who has supported me through this journey.<br><br>This isn’t the finish line and I’ll never stop pushing but… I’M BACK.<a href="https://twitter.com/IMSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IMSA</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/DAYTONA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@daytona</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IMSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IMSA</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RW6?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RW6</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROLEX24?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ROLEX24</a> <a href="https://t.co/IFjW9VBLC2">pic.twitter.com/IFjW9VBLC2</a>
The Canadian, from Toronto, was enjoying a breakout rookie IndyCar season before his crash in the 14th race
