If you were to ask the average driver to get behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT2, perhaps the most fearsome of all 911s, and take it for a 186mph spin at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, many would be understandably quite nervous. Then if you were to up the ante and ask them to do it blindfolded, they'd probably call you mad and run away.
But that's essentially what Mike Newman, a 52-year-old former bank manager has done, and it's earned him a place in the record books.
Mike was born with glaucoma and has been blind since the age of eight; however, that hasn't stopped him setting numerous speed records over the past ten years, including the blind land speed record for motorbikes, the blind aerial acrobatic record and three blind land speed records in cars.
Mike's new blind land speed record of 186mph beats the previous record, set by blind Turkish pop singer Metin Senturk in a Ferrari F430, by 4mph and reclaims the title for Britain. Mike had previously set the record at 144mph in a Jaguar XJR in 2003 and again at 176mph in a BMW M5 in 2005.
He was directed around Bruntingthorpe via radio link by his stepfather Michael, who is a driving instructor.
Mike now intends to break the blind water speed record, which stands at 90mph, in a Silverline powerboat.
Mike, we salute you.
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