If you nearly died, would you want to remember it? Would that moment change how you saw your own shortcomings or the loss of a dream job? What if you had to watch an old friend go through the same thing?

James Hinchcliffe is a Canadian, a former IndyCar driver, a broadcaster, and one of the nicest guys in Indianapolis. Eight years ago, when a 220-mph crash drove a suspension tube clear through his leg and femoral artery, he lost 60 percent of his blood. A few years after, he watched from the cockpit as a teammate and childhood friend was paralyzed in another violent crash.

Hinch has since come to grips with a lot. How that friend’s talent lit IndyCar on fire when his own just didn’t. The importance of brutal honesty in a course change. And what it really takes, once you reach the top, to stay there.

Driven to Fail is a podcast about what happens when things go wrong. What we do when life falls apart, and what we learn while putting it back together. Brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network.

Note: The pre-taped intro states Hinchcliffe’s age as 35. Due to production delays, this episode was not released until after he turned 36. We apologize for any confusion.