Warrior At The Wheel

Horrific injuries sustained as a Marine didn’t prevent Liam Dwyer from becoming a professional racer— something he insists saved his life

THE FIRST TIME Liam Dwyer lost his left leg, he stepped on an improvised explosive device while on patrol with fellow Marines in Afghanistan. Four years later, he lost the leg again—while at the wheel of a race car.

“I was at Circuit of the Americas [in Austin, Texas] in 2015,” retired Staff Sgt. Dwyer, now 36, says. “And it’s so hot I’m almost seeing spots. I’m sweating like crazy, losing weight. So about 25 minutes into my driving stint, suddenly my leg falls off. Literally. My prosthesis just fell right off at the suction cup. But, hey, I think we still ran 14th place.”