Nineteen-year-old Michael Johnson, paralyzed from mid-chest in a motorcycle-racing accident at age twelve, has successfully completed his first year in the USF2000 National Championship, first step on the IndyCar Road to Indy program. He is the first paralyzed racer ever to enter the series.
In recognition for the extra effort he made to compete using only hand controls in the hotly contested series, the series gave Johnson the 2013 USF2000 Spirit Award, as the driver who best displayed “the heart of a champion” in striving to succeed.
“I know it sounds cheesy but I really was surprised when they announced my name. I was even more surprised by the reaction of the room with everyone stood and gave me such a wonderful reception,” Johnson said in a press statement.
“The USF 2000 series has been going out of their way to help us as much as they can to make it easier for me to compete, but I also want to thank all the other drivers and competitors in the series in just treating me as one of the guys. That really means a lot to me and I cannot wait to race them all again next year.”
USF2000 is the first step of a program which trains drivers to race single-seat, open wheel cars, progressing to the Star Mazda and Indy Lights series and Ultimatley to IndyCar, the nation’s highest form of open-wheel racing. Johnson’s goal is to be the first paralyzed driver to compete in IndyCar.
Johnson, who drives for JDC Racing, finished 15th out of 36 drivers in the highly competitive series, scoring several top ten finishes. He plans to return with JDC in 2013 to use the experience gained in 2012.
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