INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted a special guest Wednesday.
Lucas Grounds, a patient of Riley Children's Hospital and a racer in his own right not only had the chance to visit the Ed Carpenter Racing garage; he was also an honorary team member for the day.
Even though the Martinsville teen had never been to Gasoline Alley, the young racer felt right at home.
"There's a lot more going on here than anything I've ever done," Lucas said. "It's super cool and it's a lot to take in, but cool. You can kind of just sit back and look at everything and take it all in."
RELATED | Community rallies around Morgan County teen paralyzed in motorbike accident
The champion motorbike racer suffered a spinal cord injury in a bad accident in December 2020. But that has not stopped him from continuing his passion for motorsports.
"(For) most people it takes something like this to be like, 'Alright, maybe it's time to slow down. I've done probably everything but slow down," Lucas said.
Shana Grounds, Lucas' mother, said, "He really just makes lemonade out of lemons and I had no doubts that he was just going to keep moving forward and he will land somewhere some way in the racing field as a career."
Lucas' honorary team membership marks a continuation of Ed Carpenter's longstanding connection with Riley Children's Hospital.
"It's a great partnership. It's fun. My family is here and I grew up here, so I understand how important that institution is and how much care they provide," said Carpenter. "He's part of the team — he's got a Carpenter racing firesuit on now, so he's part of the squad.
As Carpenter prepares for his 19th Indy 500, Lucas' four-wheel racing career is just getting started.
"Lucas is a racer. Whether we're racing IndyCars or micros or dirtbikes, the mentality is the same," Carpenter said. "It doesn't matter the level that you're at. At a certain level, it's all the same."
-
Daniel Jones gets another chance to prove himself after winning Colts QB job
Daniel Jones has had two weeks to get acclimated to an old title — starting quarterback. And this time, he has no intention of squandering the job.
Indy massage therapist loses $18K to "sophisticated" banking scam
An Indianapolis massage therapist lost $18,750 to a banking scam that experts say used “sophisticated” methods.
Fever forward Chloe Bibby ruled out for remainder of season; Bree Hall signed
Chloe Bibby joins four other Fever players on the injured list with a season-ending knee injury. Indiana signs guard Bree Hall as replacement.
Urban farmer navigates funding shifts with Farm Bill expiring
Urban farmer struggles with federal funding delays as Farm Bill expires. Indianapolis' Soul Food Project forced to furlough workers, shut down operations for months.
