| Shane Hmiel | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Hmiel in 2012 | |||||||
| Born | Shane Riley Hmiel (1980-05-15)May 15, 1980 (age 45) Pleasant Garden, North Carolina, U.S. | ||||||
| Achievements | First driver to ever win theUSACTriple Crown in the same season (2010) 2010Hoosier Hundred Winner 2010Rich Vogler Classic Winner 2010Pat O’Conner Memorial Winner | ||||||
| Awards | 2009USAC Most Improved Driver 2009Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year 2001NASCAR Goody's Dash Series Rookie of the Year | ||||||
| NASCARCup Series career | |||||||
| 7 races run over 2 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 51st (2004) | ||||||
| First race | 2004Pop Secret 500 (California) | ||||||
| Last race | 2005Food City 500 (Bristol) | ||||||
| |||||||
| NASCARO'Reilly Auto Parts Series career | |||||||
| 83 races run over 4 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 15th (2003) | ||||||
| First race | 2002EAS/GNC Live Well 300 (Daytona) | ||||||
| Last race | 2005Carquest Auto Parts 300 (Charlotte) | ||||||
| |||||||
| NASCARCraftsman Truck Series career | |||||||
| 29 races run over 2 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 13th (2004) | ||||||
| First race | 2004Florida Dodge Dealers 250 (Daytona) | ||||||
| Last race | 2005UAW-GM Ohio 250 (Mansfield) | ||||||
| First win | 2004Las Vegas 350 (Las Vegas) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Statistics up to date as of November 15, 2019. | |||||||
Shane Riley Hmiel (pronounced: "Meal") (born May 15, 1980) is an American former racecar driver, who competed in all three ofNASCAR's national series. Hmiel's controversial stock car career, marred by accidents from his aggressive driving style, ended in 2006 after he failed a third substance abuse test and was banned from competing in NASCAR for life.[1] After rebuilding his career inopen wheel racing, primarily inUnited States Auto Club sanctioneddirt track racing,[2] Hmiel was paralyzed in a near fatal racing accident on October 9, 2010, inTerre Haute, Indiana. Prior to the accident, Hmiel had become the first driver to win theHoosier Hundred, Rich Vogler Classic, and the Pat O'Connor Memorial, the three premier USAC midget-car races, in the same season.[3]
Shane is the son of Lisa Hmiel and Steve Hmiel, former NASCAR crew chief and later a competition director who worked for several teams includingRoush Racing,Dale Earnhardt, Inc. andSwan Racing. He also has a younger brother, Tyler Hmiel.[4]
At age 5, Hmiel was misdiagnosed withattention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He began smokingcannabis at the age of twelve, and on a daily basis through his teens and twenties. Hmiel also admitted to using cocaine "about one-hundred times,"[3] and used drugs in part to medicate himself.[5]
After entering drug rehab in 2007, Hmiel's condition was properly diagnosed asBipolar II disorder.[4]
Hmiel began racing in go-karts, winning 164 races from the age of twelve to fifteen. After quitting racing for three years, he began runninglate model stock cars.[6]
In 2001, Hmiel competed in theNASCARGoody's Dash Series, earning the Rookie of the Year award with two wins and thirteen top-ten finishes, finishing fifth in points.[6] Hmiel also ran a singleARCA Re/Max Series race atAtlanta Motor Speedway, finishing second.[7] Hmiel also qualified the No. 48Chevrolet forInnovative Motorsports inBusch Series, the second-tier national series of NASCAR, atMemphis Motorsports Park, filling in forKenny Wallace who raced the car.[6][7]
For 2002, Hmiel moved to the Busch Series in the No. 47 Chevrolet for Innovative as a teammate to Wallace.[8][9] Initially planned to run a part-time schedule, sponsorship from Thomas Pacconi Classics,Goulds Pumps, andMike's Hard Lemonade Co. expanded his schedule to the full season.[8][10][11][12] Hmiel opened his rookie season with a fifth place finish atDaytona.[6][8][10] That 2002 season was most notable for his feud with fellow rookieCasey Mears where he and Mears got into some incidents during the season. Despite the feud, Hmiel earned two poles (atNashville andLoudon), two top-fives, and eight top-tens to finish 16th in points and third in Rookie of the Year standings behindScott Riggs andJohnny Sauter.[7][8][13]
In 2003, Hmiel moved into Innovative's No. 48 car. After the first 26 races of the season, he already improved on his rookie season statistics, earning four top-fives and ten top-tens, and sat eighth in points.[7] Hmiel's best NASCAR effort came atIndianapolis Raceway Park in August 2003, where he won the pole, led the most laps and staged a very competitive battle with eventual series championBrian Vickers. Vickers took his first career victory, while Hmiel finished fourth. In December 2009, the race was selected by media members as the greatestNationwide Series race of the decade.[14] Hmiel also attempted to qualify for thePepsi 400 at Daytona in July in theWinston Cup Series forPetty Enterprises' famed 43 car, with normal driverChristian Fittipaldi driving Petty's 44 car.[15][16] He did not, however make the race.
At the Funai 250 atRichmond International Raceway, Hmiel was involved in several on track incidents, beginning on lap 103 when he spun the lapped car ofRandy MacDonald. Late in the race with five laps to go, Hmiel was involved in an accident withJason Keller. Hmiel was moved out of line down the backstretch, then slipped up into Keller in turn three, sendingKeller's 57 car into the wall driver's side first. Hmiel was fined $5,000 and placed on probation for an altercation in the garage area after the race with Keller.[17] Fellow competitorDavid Green would later identify this race as a sign of bad times to come for Hmiel.[18]
A week later on September 18, Hmiel was suspended indefinitely for failing a drug test, testing positive for marijuana. According toNASCAR's substance abuse policy, the sanctioning body is allowed to administer drug tests, based only on "reasonable suspicion", at their sole discretion.[3][19] At the time, he was the highest-profile driver to fail such a test. Hmiel was released fromInnovative Motorsports, replaced with former Busch Series championJeff Green at Dover, then several other veteran drivers for the remainder of the season.[20] He was set to drive the 91 car forEvernham Motorsports that weekend at Dover coming up but the team withdrew after the suspension.
Hmiel was reinstated in 2004 after completing NASCAR's Road to Recovery program, and was picked up for the fullCraftsman Truck Series season byBilly Ballew Motorsports, with crew chiefRitchie Wauters.[21] Hmiel scored his first and only NASCAR victory at theLas Vegas 350 in September, racing hard withTodd Bodine through lapped traffic, eventually bumping Bodine out of the way coming to the white flag.[22]
Hmiel returned to Busch Series competition at the ninth race of the season atFontana forGIC-Mixon Motorsports, starting and finishing 32nd.[23] After running three more races with GIC, he drove two races forAkins Motorsports' No. 38 Dodge,[7] scoring a fourth-place finish atMilwaukee. In late October, Hmiel was signed toBraun Racing, replacingDavid Stremme in theTrimSpa X32 Dodge for the remainder of the season beginning atAtlanta Motor Speedway.[24] He had a best finish of 22nd in four starts for Braun. Hmiel also made hisNextel Cup Series debut in September at Fontana in the 23 car forBill Davis Racing.[25] He ran 5 races for BDR, with a best finish of 24th at Kansas and Atlanta.
For 2005, Braun formed an alliance withDale Earnhardt, Inc. and switched toChevrolet. The team was also joined by new sponsor WinFuel Multivitamins, produced by TripSpa's parent company. Hmiel was in a series of commercials withDale Earnhardt Jr. to promote his sponsor's product.[26] In addition to the full Busch Series schedule and a partial truck series schedule with Ballew, Braun and WinFuel fielded a 08 Chevrolet in a partial schedule in the Cup Series for Hmiel, debuting at Atlanta.[27]
During theSharpie 250 atBristol in April, Hmiel was involved in a very heated incident with Cup Series veteranDale Jarrett after Hmiel spun him out on the front stretch with three laps to go. The two were racing for 12th and 13th place, and Hmiel hadbumped and ran the last three drivers he had passed before getting to Jarrett's90 car. Later, When an angry Jarrett leaned into Hmiel's window to question why Hmiel had spun him out, Hmiel appeared to have no remorse for his driving, then flipped the middle finger toward Jarrett as the latter was walking away. The incident was captured live onFox Sports' national television broadcast (especially thefinger gesture pointed at Jarrett) through Hmiel's in-car camera. Hmiel was fined$10,000 and docked 25 points in the standings for the incident.[28]
AtCharlotte in May 2005, Hmiel was administered another substance test following Busch Series qualifying, afterNASCAR officials observed Hmiel making "erratic moves" on the racetrack. In June atDover, it was revealed that he had failed the test, and he was escorted from the garage by NASCAR officials. Hmiel had tested positive for marijuana andcocaine, and was suspended "indefinitely" starting in May 2005.[3][5][29] Hmiel was offered a chance at reinstatement after his second infraction, under condition that he submit to medical and psychological reviews, and frequent drug testing before reinstatement. In February, 2006, however, Hmiel failed a third and final drug test, and was banned for life fromNASCAR.[3][4][5] He stated onWindTunnel with Dave Despain on April 4, 2010, and on several other occasions that his ban was "the best thing that's happened" to him.[4][30] The ban would be partially lifted in 2012 (see below).
During his four-year NASCAR career, Hmiel appeared in seven Nextel Cup races, 83 Busch races, and 29 Truck Series races. He had one win: in the Truck Series'Las Vegas 350 in 2004.
Hmiel was not paid his 2005 salary for races prior to the suspension, asBraun Racing alleged that Hmiel signed the contract in bad faith due to health concerns, leading Hmiel to sue the team for over $135,000 in earnings and another $135,000 for "bad faith dealings" by the team.[31] Under oath, Hmiel admitted that he violated NASCAR's substance abuse policy with a positive test for marijuana in 2003 and a positive test for marijuana and cocaine in 2005. Hmiel denied he was using drugs on a regular basis (at least once a week) in 2005. Hmiel denied that he had tested positive for heroin at any time from 2003 to 2005, and testified that he was not under the influence of any drug at any time while he was racing.[32] The disposition of the lawsuit is unknown.
During his stock car career, Hmiel's talent was often eclipsed by his fiery temperament, over-aggressive and impatient driving, andunsportsmanlike conduct, leading to several on-and-off track altercations with other competitors. In a 2011 interview withFox Sports'sSteve Byrnes, Hmiel admitted "I'll run you over to win the race. I'd run you over to run seventh."[4] In addition to aforementioned incidents, Hmiel was involved in an incident atRockingham Speedway in 2003 where he spun outMike Wallace entering turns 1 and 2, with analystDarrell Waltrip proclaiming on a replay that "Looking at that you'd say, Shane Hmiel just run over him." The two had a physical confrontation after leaving their cars, requiring NASCAR officials to separate the drivers. Wallace was later fined $3,000 for yelling an expletive on national television.[4][33]
A turning point in Hmiel's life came in July 2007, when he was involved in a bar fight that led to an infection in his hand due to teeth being lodged in it.[3] After spending 10 days in the hospital, Hmiel proceeded to check into drug rehab on July 23, 2007, at the Talbot Recover Center inAtlanta,GA. Deemed "extremely addicted", Hmiel spent 103 days at Talbot before checking out in October. During his stay, Hmiel confronted his emotional issues both on and off the track, leading to the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, as well as depression and anxiety.[3][4][5][34]
After rehabilitation from drug addiction and three-years-sober, Hmiel returned to racing in open-wheeled cars, with the goal of becoming "the nextAmericanIndyCar driver."[35] He competed in all three national touring divisions of theUnited States Auto Club in the USAC Silver Crown Series, the USAC National Sprint Car Series, and the USAC National Midget Series.
In 2009, Hmiel earned his first USAC-sanctioned win in the Sprint Car division atIowa Speedway and scored a then-career-best dirt track finish of second in the Four Crown Nationals atEldora Speedway. Hmiel earned post-season honors as USAC's "Most Improved Driver." He was also named the Rookie of the Year in the 2009 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals inTulsa, Oklahoma.
In 2010, he earned his first career Midget Series victory atHickory Motor Speedway less than an hour fromMooresville, North Carolina, where he currently resides. The momentum from that victory carried on to other divisions. In the Sprint Car division, he broke the world speed record for a non-winged Sprint Car at Iowa Speedway, winning the pole with an average speed of 146.444 miles per hour. In addition to the speed record, he earned three victories, all on pavement, atO'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis (twice) andSalem Speedway. In the Silver Crown division, he earned his first career series win and first dirt track win in the Hoosier Hundred race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. During the season Hmiel became the first driver to win theHoosier Hundred, Rich Vogler Classic, and Pat O'Connor Memorial, the three premier USAC midget-car races, in the same season.[3]
Hmiel was slated to make his debut in theFirestone Indy Lights series (the top feeder circuit to theIndyCar Series) atChicagoland Speedway for the Chicagoland 100 on August 28, 2010,[36] but a back injury kept him from competing in the race.
While qualifying for a USAC Silver Crown race, Hmiel's car crashed at theTerre Haute Action Track on October 9, 2010.[3] The roll cage collapsed after hitting the retaining wall. He was airlifted to Methodist Hospital with head, back, and neck injuries. Shortly after arriving, he was in critical but stable condition after having been put into a medically induced coma to minimize brain swelling.[3] Hmiel was paralyzed as a result of his injuries; Hmiel has since regained limited use of his limbs, but continues to require the use of a wheelchair.[3]
While in recovery from the aforementioned 2010 crash, Hmiel started a new USAC midget car team, partnering with former series champion Levi Jones.[37][38] One year after the accident, Jones would score a victory in a car owned by Hmiel.[38] Nearly two years after the accident, Hmiel was allowed back into a NASCAR garage for the first time since the 2006 ban, as a guest ofBilly Ballew Motorsports and the crew chief,Nick Harrison (who had worked with Hmiel in the past) atAtlanta Motor Speedway, watching asKurt Busch raced the team's No. 51 entry (in the truck Hmiel had won with in 2004) to a top-ten finish.[34]
In January 2013, Hmiel returned to racing in a driving experience event atRockingham Speedway, a track Hmiel had raced on during his career. The event, hosted by Accessible Racing, allowed Hmiel as well as two disabled military veterans to run laps on the track at over 100 mph in a modified Gen-4Ford Fusionstock car.[37][39][40]
In January 2016, Hmiel fielded a car at theChili Bowl for Eric Saunders, a former motocross rider who had also been paralyzed in an accident.[38]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| NASCARNextel Cup Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | NNCC | Pts | Ref | ||
| 2003 | Petty Enterprises | 43 | Dodge | DAY | CAR | LVS | ATL | DAR | BRI | TEX | TAL | MAR | CAL | RCH | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | SON | DAY DNQ | CHI | NHA | POC | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | NHA | DOV | TAL | KAN | CLT | MAR | ATL | PHO | CAR | HOM | N/A | - | [41] | ||
| 2004 | Bill Davis Racing | 23 | Dodge | DAY | CAR | LVS | ATL | DAR | BRI | TEX | MAR | TAL | CAL | RCH | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | SON | DAY | CHI | NHA | POC | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | CAL 39 | RCH 29 | NHA | DOV | TAL | KAN 24 | CLT | MAR | ATL 24 | PHO | DAR | HOM 41 | 51st | 349 | [42] | ||
| 2005 | Braun Racing | 08 | Chevy | DAY | CAL | LVS | ATL 43 | BRI 40 | MAR | TEX | PHO | TAL | DAR | RCH | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | SON | DAY | CHI | NHA | POC | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | NHA | DOV | TAL | KAN | CLT | MAR | ATL | TEX | PHO | HOM | 74th | 77 | [43] | ||
| NASCAR Busch Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | NBSC | Pts | Ref | |
| 2002 | Innovative Motorsports | 47 | Pontiac | DAY 5 | TAL 21 | DAY 34 | 16th | 3416 | [44] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chevy | CAR 36 | LVS 42 | DAR 19 | BRI 10 | TEX 26 | NSH 19 | CAL 23 | RCH 21 | NHA 4 | NZH 19 | CLT 31 | DOV 33 | NSH 9 | KEN 19 | MLW 6 | CHI 23 | GTY 26 | PPR 24 | IRP 39 | MCH 25 | BRI 24 | DAR 29 | RCH 28 | DOV 10 | KAN 14 | CLT 10 | MEM 11 | ATL 20 | CAR 8 | PHO 41 | HOM 16 | |||||||||||
| 2003 | 48 | Pontiac | DAY 17 | TAL 3 | DAY 10 | 15th | 3160 | [45] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chevy | CAR 35 | LVS 12 | DAR 13 | BRI 7 | TEX 3 | NSH 14 | CAL 8 | RCH 8 | GTY 13 | NZH 19 | CLT 38 | DOV 13 | NSH 34 | KEN 19 | MLW 18 | CHI 16 | NHA 15 | PPR 14 | IRP 4* | MCH 9 | BRI 4 | DAR 28 | RCH 10 | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM | ATL | PHO | CAR | HOM | |||||||||||
| 2004 | GIC-Mixon Motorsports | 24 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | LVS | DAR | BRI | TEX | NSH | TAL | CAL 32 | GTY 28 | RCH | CLT 35 | DOV 41 | NSH | KEN | 44th | 868 | [46] | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Michael Waltrip Racing | 99 | Chevy | NZH QL† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Akins Motorsports | 38 | Dodge | MLW 4 | DAY | CHI | NHA | PPR | IRP 12 | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Braun Racing | 32 | Chevy | ATL 34 | PHO 32 | DAR 22 | HOM 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | DAY 39 | CAL 3 | MXC 4 | LVS 36 | ATL 39 | NSH 3 | BRI 12 | TEX 10 | PHO 33 | TAL 43 | DAR 24 | RCH 17 | CLT 43 | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW | DAY | CHI | NHA | PPR | GTY | IRP | GLN | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM | TEX | PHO | HOM | 42nd | 1228 | [47] | ||||
| † - Qualified forMichael Waltrip | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NASCARCraftsman Truck Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | NCTC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||
| 2004 | Billy Ballew Motorsports | 15 | Chevy | DAY 14 | ATL 6 | MAR 35 | MFD 35 | CLT 6 | DOV 23 | TEX 26 | MEM 2 | MLW 12 | KAN 26 | KEN 34 | GTW 16 | MCH 8 | IRP 6 | NSH 11 | BRI 2 | RCH 7 | NHA 20 | LVS 1 | CAL 30 | TEX 10 | MAR 24 | PHO 4 | DAR 33 | HOM 27 | 13th | 2954 | [48] | |||||||||||||
| 2005 | DAY | CAL | ATL 32 | MAR 6 | GTY 14 | MFD 3 | CLT | DOV | TEX | MCH | MLW | KAN | KEN | MEM | IRP | NSH | BRI | RCH | NHA | LVS | MAR | ATL | TEX | PHO | HOM | 42nd | 513 | [49] | ||||||||||||||||
| NASCAR Goody's Dash Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | NGDS | Pts | Ref | |||||||
| 1999 | Steve Hmiel | 77 | Pontiac | DAY | HCY 22 | CAR 22 | CLT | BRI | LOU | SUM | GRE | ROU | STA | MYB | HCY | LAN | USA | JAC | LAN | 49th | 261 | [50] | |||||||||
| 2000 | N/A | 26 | Pontiac | DAY | MON | STA | JAC | CAR | CLT | SBO | ROU | LOU | SUM | GRE 6 | SNM 27 | MYB 15 | BRI 5 | HCY 24 | JAC | USA | LAN | 30th | 596 | [51] | |||||||
| 2001 | DAY 10 | ROU 9 | DAR 1 | CLT 21 | LOU 3 | JAC 10 | KEN 29 | SBO | DAY 3 | GRE 1* | SNM 9 | NRV 16* | MYB 3 | BRI 10 | ACE 2 | JAC 10* | USA 26 | NSH 4 | 5th | 2373 | [52] | ||||||||||
| 2002 | DAY | HAR | ROU | LON | CLT | KEN | MEM | GRE | SNM | SBO | MYB 6 | BRI | MOT | ATL | 58th | 150 | [53] | ||||||||||||||
Shane Hmiel will participate in the Race to the Rock Saturday at Rockingham Speedway
After NASCAR banned Shane Hmiel for life due to drug use, he was involved in an unfortunate open wheel accident. Shane talks to FOX Sports about the good that has come of it.