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James Hinchcliffe
Six-Time Indy Car Winner & Dancing with the Stars Alum
James Hinchcliffe
Six-Time Indy Car Winner & Dancing with the Stars Alum
Biography
A consummate competitor in the ultimate team sport, six-time IndyCar winner James Hinchcliffe shares an inspirational story of following dreams, leading high-performance teams, achieving success in multiple arenas and surviving a near fatal accident that changed his perspective forever. In 2015, during a routine pre-Indy 500 practice, a mechanical failure sent James crashing into a wall at 220 MPH, forcing a suspension rod into his left thigh to puncture his femoral artery. Extracted from his race car within 120 seconds of bleeding to death, James pushed himself through healing and rehab, defying all predictions for recovery. He not only returned to racing in only four months but went on to win both a Grand Prix and the admiration of millions of television viewers with his second-place finish on Dancing with the Stars.
Hinchcliffe’s dream of Indy glory began as a boy racing go-karts in his native Ontario. By 2010, his passion had taken him to the IndyCar Series, where he was voted Rookie of the Year in 201l. He went on to capture one pole position (Indianapolis 500, 2016), 16 podium finishes and six victories (St. Pete, Sao Paulo, Iowa 2013; New Orleans 2015; Long Beach 2017; Iowa 2018). Currently driving for Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, "Hinch" or "The Mayor of Hinchtown" has remained one of the most popular personalities on the circuit. He has been named IndyCar Favorite Driver of the Year twice, in 2012 and 2018. Hinch has even had a beer named in his honor: "Hinchtown Hammerdown." Since stepping back from full time racing but still dabbling a little bit in the IMSA Sports Car Space, Hinchcliffe has expanded his reach across the globe even further as he is part of the F1 TV Broadcast for the Formula One network and has been a lead analyst on the IndyCar Broadcasts for NBC the last three seasons.
Hinchcliffe’s drive for success and competition has extended beyond racing. In addition to his star turn on Dancing with the Stars, he has excelled as an in-demand corporate keynote speaker, starred in a popular Canadian ad campaign and flexed his muscles as an entrepreneur. Committed to giving back, Hinchcliffe has raised money for Racing for Cancer, a charity headed by his mother, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Motivated by his own near-death to blood loss, Hinchcliffe has also founded a nonprofit foundation to raise money for bloodmobiles and to increase the number of first-time blood donors.
Bringing the adrenaline rush of an IndyCar race to corporate themes of leadership, high stakes teamwork, technology and analytics, overcoming adversity, and pursuing goals with perseverance, Hinch’s keynotes leave audiences energized and motivated—and event organizers doing a victory lap and if you’re looking for an audience-pleasing, brand-building addition to Hinch’s appearance? Consider having an IndyCar racecar wrapped in your company’s logo on display for photo ops at your event. James always makes the effort to spend extra time with the decision makers in the room to enhance your marquee guests time at the event.
Speaker Videos
Driven
What My Accident Taught Me
Mindset & Teamwork
Experience on Dancing with the Stars
Indycar Fanswers
Life and Racing
Mayor on Air Live Show at the PRI Trade Show
James Hinchcliffe Hosts the Race of Champions Q&A
Mayor on Air Live Show at PAIN Tour Pocono 2016
Speech Topics
Mounting a Charge to Win & Succeed
As an Indy Car winner who has overcome adversity and challenges on the track and in his life, James knows what it takes to create a mindset that wins and succeeds. In this highly inspirational speech he draws parallels between racing and any profession. Challenging audiences to look at tasks as a scoreboard he motivates us to always mount a charge and anticipate that the next opportunity may be just around the corner.
Leadership Lessons from the Ultimate Team Sport
While there is only one driver at the wheel in auto racing, there is a whole team of about 25 professionals working like clockwork behind the scenes to ensure safety and success. James celebrates the impact of teamwork in a sport where split second decisions can be the difference between winning and losing and life or death, drawing clear and memorable analogies between the role of leadership and teamwork in racing to your organization.
Using Data to Drive Success
In Indy racing, data and analytics has become the winning edge. James discusses the use of technology and data points on a race car. He also shares examples of how his team uses information manage risk, optimize performance, ensure better outcomes and create a team devoted to continuous process improvement.
Racing to Recovery: A Story of Positive Healthcare Outcomes
In this moving and heartfelt talk for healthcare audiences, James tells the story of his near-death accident and a recovery and rehab that raced ahead of every predicted timeline. Bringing an enthralling Indy backstory to a universal patient perspective, James shares how the manner and attitudes of the healthcare team can make a huge difference in patient experience and outcomes.
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