One of the world’s fastest blind racing car drivers has given people the chance to experience what it is like for him behind the wheel at an event in Bolton.
Charity Speed Of Sight was at Bolton Wanderers Football Club's Mental Live event on Friday, February 3 in an event that encouraged people to take up sport and fitness activities to help their mental health.
At the event, Mike Newman, founder of Speed Of Sight, based in Farnworth, offered people the opportunity to drive while blindfolded.
Sat in open top buggy cars with dual controls, drivers were able to manoeuvre around cones put in place outside the University of Bolton Stadium.
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Mike said: “We are pleased to be able to come and give something back.
“We work with people with disabilities and since their day-to-day life can be different, it can have a big impact on mental health.
“And we offer these experiences to show people that they can still enjoy exciting activities and that realisation helps them look forward to things they may be able to try and improves their way of looking at life.”
People trying the thrilling experience were in awe at how Mike was able to race alone.
The 61-year-old drove 200mph in a Nissan GTR back in 2014.
He said: “They’re experiencing doing something in an unusual environment, so driving is something people do every day.
“It’s also teaching people to listen to instructions in a different manner and to focus your mind in a different way.
“People enjoyed it and said it’s surreal to them, they feel quite chuffed with themselves that they actually managed to achieve it.”
An instructor sat next to all drivers trying out the experience but Mike is known to drive without anyone next to him.
He said: “I’ve always been into motorsport so I wanted to see if I could find a way of enjoying the experience of being in control of such a vehicle rather than just being a passenger.
“I have a navigator relaying to me directional information via radio link, so I am in the car and responsible for the car and nobody else is doing it for me.
“It is one of the most fabulous things I have ever done.
“It’s a common thing and something that everyone misses the most and that’s why Speed Of Sight exists.”
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