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SPORTS Saturday 13 July 2019

Wickens to drive parade lap at Toronto with hand controls

TORONTO (AP) — Robert Ted Klaus, President of Hon-
Wickens has attacked his da Performance Develop-
rehabilitation from a spinal ment, said of the Acura. “I
cord injury with aggressive do hope that as Robby re-
goals. The Canadian wants ally enjoys re-learning how
to dance at his upcoming to control the car with his
wedding, one day walk hands, I’m sure he’s going
again with zero evidence to realize he’s just using dif-
his legs once did not work ferent parts of his brain and
and, of course, Wickens his body with this man-ma-
hopes to return to racing chine. It’s his desire to get
cars. back to the relevant and to
Nearly a year after his dev- grow and challenge him-
astating injury in an Indy- self.”
Car race, Wickens will get Wickens grew up in Guelph,
to drive a car again at a Ontario, west of Toronto,
track. He will lead the pa- and this weekend is con-
rade lap Sunday before sidered his home race. He
the Toronto IndyCar race finished third last season
in an Acura NSX equipped — one of his five podium
with hand controls. finishes in a remarkable
“It’s just been quite the ride rookie season cut short six
and we are not even one laps into the 14th race of
year in of what’s going to the year. He was racing
be a very long recovery,” at Pocono in Pennsylvania
Wickens said Friday. “Hope- In this March 8, 2019, file photo Robert Wickens sits in the pit area at the IndyCar Grand Prix of St. when contact with another
fully, I can keep on driving Petersburg auto race in St. Petersburg, Fla. car launched Wickens into
because I think that’s the Associated Press the fence. He was left par-
best therapy I can have. I tion with a ring on the steer- both hands and access the control from the driver — alyzed from the waist down
am a little bit concerned ing wheel and through brake with both hands.” an important distinction and his injuries included a
by how eager I am to get software. The brake is a Arrow also has updated between independence thoracic spinal fracture,
back in the car.” mechanical handbrake the brakes, tires and seat- over convenience. Arrow’s neck fracture, tibia and fib-
Wickens got a chance with the driver’s right hand, belts, and Arrow CEO Mike celebrated “SAM” car has ula fractures to both legs,
Thursday to drive the car — there is no clutch and Wick- Long said the company is given Schmidt the opportu- four fractured ribs and a
he thanked Honda for trust- ens will shift using paddles invested in getting Wickens nity to drive up Colorado’s pulmonary contusion.
ing him with the $157,000 on the steering wheel. back into a race car on a Pikes Peak, perform an ex- Most of his rehabilitation is
Acura — and said he He’s had roughly two hours regular basis. hibition at Indianapolis Mo- being done in Denver, near
quickly bent a wheel dur- behind the wheel of the “I think everybody in the tor Speedway and reach Arrow’s Colorado head-
ing his laps around Exhibi- car that included a shake- world was wondering is 190 mph on the runway at quarters, but he has been
tion Place. down this week at Cana- will Robert go fast again?” Nellis Air Force Base in Ne- able to travel more and
“I am notoriously hard on dian Tire Motorsports Park. Long said. “I will tell you vada, a speed record for a attend IndyCar races as a
equipment,” he laughed. “In my head I’ve been think- I don’t think there’s any semi-autonomous vehicle. consultant to the team.
The modifications to the ing about this for hours and question. We wanted to Honda, sponsor for Sun- He will be accompanied
car were made by Ar- hours and hours at night start this now with Rob- day’s race at Toronto, on his parade lap by fian-
row, sponsor of the Arrow while I was in rehab,” Wick- ert so we can be a part joined the project in March cee Karli Woods, who will
Schmidt Peterson Motors- ens said. “I figured out how of his rehab together with after meeting with Wickens be in the passenger seat
ports team Wickens drove to throttle on the one side, our friends at Honda and and Arrow at the IndyCar in front of their hometown
for last season. In 2014, brake on another side, and get Robby back to racing, season opening race. It crowd.
Arrow developed a Semi- it was very important to me because that’s what he provided the Acura NSX. “Obviously, being in front
Autonomous Motorcar that my hands can’t leave wants, and we’re going to “It’s just an amazing for- a hometown crowd, with
(SAM) Car that allowed the steering wheel. So I was be there to support that ef- ward-looking product for a friends and family around,
team owner Schmidt, who always thinking I’d have fort all the way.” forward-looking platform. It it makes it even more spe-
is paralyzed from the neck brake on one side, throttle Talks began over the winter is an electrified vehicle, so cial,” Wickens said. “In the
down, to get back in a car. on the other, and once I between Wickens and Ar- it has interesting opportuni- winter when we first started
For Wickens’ drive, Arrow got on track, I quickly real- row, which has developed ties, I think, to be responsive planning this, the goal was
devised a kit that controls ized that I need to be able technology that assists the as we move forward with always to have everything
the throttle and accelera- to access the throttle with driver but does not take some of these next steps,” ready for Toronto.”q

Porzingis officially re-signed by Mavs without playing game

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas done. who was the NBA’s Rook- Porzingis, who turns 24 on In 186 games over three
Mavericks have officially Porzingis and the Mav- ie of the Year last season Aug. 2, sat out all of last seasons with the Knicks af-
re-signed Kristaps Porzingis, ericks agreed earlier this when he averaged 21.2 season after tearing the ter being the fourth over-
the 7-foot-3 All-Star selec- month on a $158 million, points. anterior cruciate ligament all pick in the 2015 draft,
tion who still hasn’t played five-year maximum con- Dallas sent a pair of first- in his left knee on Feb 6, Porzingis averaged 17.8
a game for them since be- tract — the last season be- round picks and Dennis 2018, in what turned out points and 7.1 rebounds.
ing acquired in a big deal ing a player option. That Smith Jr., the ninth overall to be his last game for He averaged 22.7 points
before the trade deadline will pair the Latvian stand- selection in the 2017 draft, the Knicks. The injury hap- through 48 games in 2017-
last season. out with fellow young to the New York Knicks for pened not long after Porz- 18 before the injury that
The Mavericks announced Euro star Luka Doncic, the Porzingis in a seven-player ingis was named an All- has since kept him out of
Friday that the deal was 20-year-old from Slovania trade last Jan. 31. Star. NBA games.q