It wasn’t just riding a bicycle that spurred Hammel’s path forward. It was being successful in the discipline that powered the journey.
“Me being a kid out in Arizona, there’s no water out there, so I didn’t know how to swim … but I wanted to take on a triathlon,” Hammel said of his thoughts after completing the Tour De Tucson.
“Of course, instead of working my way up, I just went straight in and did an ironman,” he laughed. “I trained for two years and just did it right off the bat. Never did a triathlon, and haven’t done (an ironman) since, but I knocked it out and got some more notoriety. Three years down the road, I got enough notice to be able to fund half of an off-road racing program, and I got some money in my pocket when I saved up during that time, and I was able to get a vehicle and hit the track.”
The funding came together and Hammel finally returned to professional motorsport in off-road trucks, eventually working his way up into the premier Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series.
This season, Hammel competed in the Production 1000 class, finishing 16th in class points running a partial schedule while preaching the safety of the discipline and its cars allow him to continue to compete at a high level despite his past challenges.
“The trucks I drive are really stable and really safe,” Hammel explained. “We build them with roll cages, and they have quite a bit of horsepower … the power-to-weight ratio is amazing in these things. I mean, we can go into corners at 70 miles per hour and never hit the brakes. We just turn the car sideways and cruise through corners, but we can also hit jumps and jump 100 or 200 feet pretty easily.”
Hammel’s highest finish of the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series season, a seventh-place result, came at Nevada’s Wild West Motorsports Park in the 10th round of 13 for the year on Aug. 27.
But Hammel says that despite his competitive nature, it’s not just the numerical results that are his ultimate goal.
He stresses that his higher purpose in everything he does is to inspire those like him who go through challenges or tribulations in their own right, pushing anyone with hurdles in their life to never give up.
“Being paralyzed or disabled can be one of the most difficult things for any human to endure,” Hammel admitted. “Many are forced to live life in wheelchairs, needing assistance on a daily basis. I was one of the lucky ones. I was given a miracle and was able to partially recover from a severe spinal cord injury after seven years in a wheelchair and going through a lot of rehab.”
“I try to share my story wherever I go so that I can help inspire and show people that with hard work, dedication, and medical technology, life doesn’t slow down. Instead, you can have just as much happiness and fulfillment as any able-bodied human being.”
“My journey has been filled with many highs and just as many lows, but through it all, I continue to be amazed what the human body can overcome. I try to tell people wherever I go that they can achieve the impossible, just like I have. It’s a special feeling.”
For more on George Hammel and his inspirational story, visit his website at www.georgehammel.com.
For more information on the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, visit the series website at www.lucasoiloffroad.com.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: editor@racechaseronline.com
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
Email Race Chaser Online: news@racechaseronline.com
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