This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Marine Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer always knew that despite losing much of his left leg in combat he could win races if he got the chance.
That came Saturday when Dwyer teamed with Tom Long to win the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge event at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.
"Saying I'm excited is a major understatement," Dwyer told The Associated Press by phone shortly after the victory. "I am ecstatic about this."
Dwyer drove the first 22 laps and was 25th in the 32-car field before turning the No. 27 Mazda MX-5 over to Long for the rest of the way. Long took the lead for good five laps from the end and went on to a nearly 20-second victory.
Dwyer served with the Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was injured in Iraq in 2007 when he took shrapnel on the left side of his body while a turret gunner of a Humvee that was hit by a roadside bomb. Dwyer recovered and returned to civilian life when a major he had worked with asked him to join a special team headed to Afghanistan. Dwyer re-enlisted and was searching a compound in Sangin Province when he stepped on an explosive that sheared off his left leg above the knee.
The blast also damaged his right leg and right arm, to the point where Dwyer says he has little feeling in that hand.
The 32-year-old Dwyer reached the attention of Freedom Autosport, and Long came to watch his test run at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway this past January. Long was impressed with Dwyer's steadiness and savvy on the track and gave him a positive review.
Freedom Autosport brought Dwyer into the fold and he'll run select rounds on the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series this year. His next scheduled event is Aug. 23 at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.