The luck part is everything working and you driving out of it, no one hits you. You don't hook a wheel, ect.
Come racing with us and I'm pretty sure after awhile if you had the choice of being the luckiest or most skilled you'd pick the luckiest. After awhile theres more lucky racers around then talented ones. Lucky to be there in the first place, lucky to have a ride, lucky to not get taken out. He was lucky in life just to get to that position and his luck held up thru that race also.

Yes thru talent and dedication you make your own good luck, just don't think bad luck doesn't exist, I've seen it make great riders disappear.

p.s. how do you know his eyes were open ? or that he was doing anything but hanging on, till after the car straightened out ? You don't, although I'm sure he drove out of it with skill but the same amount of luck.