I have always admired people who never give up on their dreams, no matter how hard it is for them to accomplish them. Mike Newman from Manchester, UK, is part of that special breed of people. An ex-bank manager, the 52-year-old has broken the land speed record for blind drivers by setting an average speed of 186 mph (299 km/h).
Newman, who reclaimed the record from Turkish pop singer Metin Senturk, said he hoped his achievement would encourage people with disabilities to take up motor sport. He set the record in a Porsche 911 with the help of a navigator who gave him indications via radio from a chase car. His help was vital as Newman needed indications in order to go in a straight line.
You can watch Newman’s record run at the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicestershire, UK, in the BBC News video below.
By Dan Mihalascu
VIDEO