Anyone that follows racing remembers the name of Shane Hmiel. Not everyone remembers it in a positive light; many think of a young hot shot driver that lacked respect for his elders (see Dale Jarrett.) Others think of a kid who had everything and gave it all away because he couldn’t stay clean. However, there are those out there that remember a racer’s racer, with so much potential that he had his pick to drive for some of NASCAR’s top teams.
“I blew it,” said Hmiel, “but it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I know it sounds crazy, but being banned from NASCAR has made me a better person and no doubt made me a better racer. Spending time in Indy, racing open wheel, on dirt and asphalt, 3 or 4 times a week, right now I understand the passion. I know it’s a privilege. I see it in the guys I race against. Right now I am a better driver than I have ever been – having fun and starting to figure it out. Life is good.”
Starting to figure it out may be a little modest. Hmiel is racing against the best open wheel dirt drivers in the country and quickly adapting to open wheel driving. At the Chili Bowl this year he won his heat race and out of 300 cars missed the feature by one spot…in his first time ever driving a dirt midget. Recently at the historic Hoosier 100, during the Indy 500 weekend, Hmiel finished 3rd in the main event. His peers have started to take notice.
“We have all been impressed,” said Tony Stewart Racing’s Levi Jones. “Shane has picked this up so fast. I think people were a little skeptical at first, but he has proven himself out here. Most of us have been doing this kind of racing all of our lives, and he comes out here and is competitive his first time running. He keeps getting closer to winning each week. When that happens, I know that winning for him will be a regular thing.”
Hmiel is a regular contributor to 3 Wide Life. On the show, he answers email questions from fans, interviews young drivers on the brink of making it big time, takes us inside the biggest events that he competes in, and occasionally has a little fun. His third place finish at the Hoosier 100 will be featured in this week’s show.
“3 Wide Life has given me a chance to show the real racers out there that I am one of them,” explains Hmiel. “There was a time when I never thought I would be able to race again, much less have it on TV. Right now I really am living a dream. Hardly making any money, driving everywhere I go, sleeping on couches and loving every minute of it.”