Justin Wilson named NMPA third quarter Spirit Award winner 

Justin Wilson, who passed away on August 24 from injuries suffered during the INDYCAR ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway, has been awarded the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Spirit Award for the third quarter of 2015 after a nationwide vote by its members. The NMPA Spirit award recognizes character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship, and contributions to motor sports.

The Sheffield, England native and resident of Longmont, Colorado was hit by debris from another car during the race. After his car struck a retaining wall inside the track, Wilson was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania where he passed one day after the crash. Justin Wilson, who died at just 37 years of age, helped save six lives as an organ donor.

Wilson, a seven-time winner over 12 seasons in open-wheel racing was diagnosed with dyslexia when he was 13 as he struggled with spelling and reading.  Justin was a true hero and leader in the dyslexic community, principally through his outreach efforts with the Dyslexia Institute of Indiana.  

Photo courtesy of the Dyslexia Institute of Indiana 

Portions of the information for this article were provided by the National Motorsports Press Association http://nmpaonline.com