Courtesy of Movement Arts - FlatOutNation - Motorsport Marketing

DETRIOT, MI - Paralyzed INDYCAR-licensed racer Michael Johnson was honored Thursday night as a Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame inductee.

Johnson received the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame Rising Star Award on October 25 during the organization's 14th annual induction ceremony in Troy, Mich.

Each year disabled athletes younger than age 26 who have demonstrated a commitment and accomplishment in a sport and who serve as positive role models achieve the recognition.

"This is an honor I am very proud of and for sure it's the biggest honor I've ever received so far," said Johnson. "I found out a couple of weeks ago that they considered to nominate me but I would have never expected to be chosen as a 2012 inductee."

According to the organization Johnson was the first open-wheel racecar driver to be nominated and inducted into the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame. 

"This year is getting better and better; now I just cannot wait until the new 2013 season starts," Johnson continued, who was accompanied by his parents and brother at the induction ceremony.

About Michael Johnson

Twenty-year-old paralyzed racer Michael Johnson, who currently is the first and only paralyzed licensed INDYCAR driver, was on his way to becoming a professional motorcycle racer, having already won races and championships on a regional and national level, when on August 13, 2005 he was involved in an on-track racing accident which left him paralyzed from the mid-chest down.

After several years of recovery Johnson has started racing and winning again and now has set his goal to become the first paralyzed driver to run the Indianapolis 500.

Johnson drives his specially modified race car with hand controls only and became the first paralyzed racer to win in an open-wheel formula car race during Round Two of the Skip Barber Summer Series at Watkins Glen International Raceway in 2011. Outside of his first time win at Watkins Glen, he additionally scored two wins at Road America, one pole position, four third-place podiums and several top-five finishes in the 2011 season.

In 2012 Johnson moved up to the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda with championship-winning team JDC MotorSports, step one of the “Mazda Road to Indy” program. In his first year as a professional licensed INDYCAR driver, Johnson had several top-ten finishing positions in qualifying and races and finished 15th in overall championship points out of 36 drivers participating in the series.

In 2013 Johnson again will compete with JDC MotorSports in theCooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda.

Follow Johnson on Facebook@michaeljohnsonracing, Twitter @racer54iscool and Instagram @johnsonracing54 

For more information, please visit: www.MichaelJohnsonRacing.com.