Blind man Ben Felten and his navigator Kevin Magee will challenge the land speed record of fastest speed for a motorcycle ridden blindfolded at Speed Week 2017.
Since going completely blind 12 years ago, Ben Felten’s dream to ride motorcycles again is becoming a reality.
Felten and Magee will enter their motorcycles to compete at Speed Week held on a salt lake at Lake Gairdner, South Australia from 27 February to 3 March 2017. Ben Felten will be the first blind person in the world to compete at a motorsport event.
Felten set an Australian speed record of 219.96 km/h at Temora NSW in 2014 but due to inclement weather fell short of breaking the Guinness World Record of 265.33km/h set by Billy Baxter of the UK.
Former MotoGP winner and motorcycle legend Kevin Magee said “Guiding Ben down the track using a radio is the most challenging task I’ve ever done in my riding career”.
Felten says “When I’m riding my motorcycle, I live more in five minutes than most people do in a lifetime”.
Felten and Magee will be promoting their world record attempt by giving a demonstration ride on the main straight during the MotorWorld Sydney event:
- Sydney Motorsport Park, Eastern Creek NSW
- approximately 1:30 pm, Thursday 1 December 2016
- motorworldsydney.com
- Ben and Kevin will be available for interview after the demonstration ride.
The Blind Speed team is proudly sponsored by Pirelli Tyres.