Paralyzed IndyCar racer Robert Wickens set to drive again during Rolex 24 week at Daytona

The journey from Long Pond, Pennsylvania to Daytona Beach is long enough — just over 14 hours and a tick over 1,000 miles, the GPS says.

But for Robert Wickens, the trip has been anything but a straight shot down I-95.

Try 1,258 days.

“There’s a lot of emotions,” the 32-year-old Ontario native said earlier this month. "A lot of times during my recovery I thought it was possible, (and then) thought it wasn’t going to be possible. It took a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication, but I wouldn’t be here without the support of a lot of really good people.”

Wickens will make his racing return Friday at Daytona International Speedway, piloting the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai in the 4-hour BMW Endurance Challenge — the season-opening race in the Michelin Pilot Challenge.

Rolex 24 weather: Will Saturday's Rolex 24 at Daytona be the coldest ever? It'll be really, really close

Rolex 24 at Daytona: Weather or not, time to crank 2022 racing season to life

Car classes: Ever wonder what's under the hood of the different Rolex 24 cars at Daytona? Let's compare

Wickens and teammate Mark Wilkins will race full-time this season in IMSA's top minor-league circuit — less than four years after a horrific IndyCar crash at Pocono in 2018 left him partially paralyzed from the waist down.

At Pocono, Wickens’ car went airborne and struck the catchfence. His injuries included a thoracic spinal fracture, spinal cord injury, neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures to both legs and fractures in both hands.

After an extensive hospitalization, Wickens began a lengthy rehabilitation process. Today, he is able to stand with assistance, but admitted his progress has plateaued.

“I’m not regaining any more muscle function,” said Wickens, who was named the 2018 IndyCar Rookie of the Year at the Indianapolis 500. “Unfortunately, it looks like I’ll be in a chair for the remainder of my life as long as modern medicine and science stays where it is.

"But it’s a great life. I was able to regain a lot of function. I can stand with support and take a couple of steps with support. But in terms of leaving the chair permanently, I don’t think that’s in my pipeline right now.”

How Robert Wickens got back behind the wheel

Racing is, however.

Wickens first got back behind the wheel last May when he tested Michael Johnson's No. 54 machine at Mid-Ohio. Johnson, who is also paralyzed, drives a car equipped with hand controls.

Wickens' car this season will be fitted with a similar system that uses a metal ring on the steering wheel connected to the brake pedal by a series of rods. Throttle and shift paddles also are located on the steering wheel, allowing Wickens to accelerate, brake, shift and steer with his hands.

“Hand controls are an open book as far as what you need, and every driver is different,” he said. “We’re trying to make small improvements and trying to make it a little more comfortable and more consistent.”

And once that happens, Wickens said, the sky is the limit.

“I think nothing is out of the question,” he added. “It would be awesome to race in the Indy 500. At the same time, I’m interested in exploring new avenues. I’ve never really done any sports-car driving. Racing at the highest levels of IMSA in the WeatherTech series would be amazing.”

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Rolex 24 Daytona: Robert Wickens racing again after IndyCar crash