We all like to drive fast from time to time and I especially like the feeling you get as the speedometer moves into the triple digits and the scenery turns blurry. Now imagine hitting those speeds while driving blind, literally. That’s what Mike Newman did this past weekend to regain the title of blind world land speed record holder while driving a Porsche 911 GT2 to 186 mph.
Mike took the title back from Turkish pop singer Metin Senturk (speed of 182 mph in a Ferrari F430 set in 2010). Spotters at the track utilized a satellite linked laptop to track time and position in order to calculate his incredible speed. The record breaking run isn’t 100% official yet as the data still needs to be reviewed by the folks at Guinness Book of Records but it looks like that should be an easy process.
How and Why Mike Did It
The passenger seat in Mike’s specially adapted Porsche might have been empty, but he wasn’t alone. With support from the charity he founded, Speed of Sight, a spotter Porsche drove beside Mike providing information over a radio link in order to keep him on pace and on the track.
Mike’s charity is “committed to the promotion of opportunity for all“. In fact, they have designed and built their first race car; which allows people with disabilities to enjoy the excitement and thrill of driving around a race track. Their first track car, named Usher, after Mike’s first Guide Dog, is the first of ten cars especially designed with dual controls, twin steering wheels, hand controls and a hoist to enable people to get in and out. Specifically, Mike wants to “give other people the excitement I’ve enjoyed today with the cars we’re building“.
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[Source: BBC News Photo Credit: Valentine Low]