When Robert Wickens is able to return to IndyCar, his team has made sure there is a ride waiting for him.
Wickens suffered a spinal cord injury during a crash in August at Pocono Raceway and has been rehabilitating in a Denver facility. The Canadian won't compete this season, but Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports displayed the No. 6 Arrow Electronics Honda to signify his ride will be waiting for him if he is cleared to return.
The team had three Dallara-Honda Indy cars on display Friday as it unveiled its two-car driver lineup for 2019 -- one for James Hinchcliffe, one for new driver Marcus Ericsson.
The third car was for Wickens, who was in his wheelchair on the stage to help remove the cover on the No. 6 car.
"This is the first time I've seen a race car since I was on the grid for Pocono," Wickens said. "It makes me want to jump in one and see if I can push a pedal or not."
The 29-year-old crashed at Pocono on Aug. 19 and suffered a thoracic spinal fracture, spinal cord injury, neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures to both legs, fractures in both hands, fractured right forearm, fractured elbow, four fractured ribs and a pulmonary contusion.
He has been updating his rehabilitation progress on social media and posted a video last week of him using a walker on a "Friday stroll through the hallways." His videos have shown he is working daily to move and walk again.
Hope everyone is having a great Friday! Getting ready for the weekend! I got to go for a Friday stroll through the hallways🚶🏻. pic.twitter.com/P3zDWMnvhh
— Robert Wickens (@robertwickens) January 11, 2019
"It's not easy," Wickens said. "There's a long way to go, but the support from the fans has been phenomenal. The days that I'm feeling down, those guys pick me up and get me back in the gym."
Arrow Electronics has significantly increased its partnership with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and will enter the 2019 season as the title partner of the team.
Wickens thanked Arrow and SPM co-owner Sam Schmidt for keeping a seat open for him.
"I'm even more grateful that I'll have the opportunity to race for them sometime in the future," Wickens said.
Arrow and Schmidt first partnered in 2014 on a semi-autonomous motorcar. Schmidt, who is paralyzed from the neck down, that same year drove the SAM car 152 mph at Indianapolis Motor Speedway using the Arrow technology embedded in the car.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.