zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Racing
/
How To Race A Pro Mazda Without Using Your Legs
How To Race A Pro Mazda Without Using Your Legs-May 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:11:42

How do you race without the use of your legs? started racing motorcycles when he was four, but was forced to change plans after a dirt track accident left him paralyzed below the waist. Now he’s the first and only paralyzed racer licensed by IndyCar, and here’s how he drives his car.

Welcome to , a feature where we spend that pesky time between races looking at awesome footage from inside the car.

According to a interview from several years ago, Johnson told his mother that he wanted to continue racing no matter what, even after his motorcycle accident. That meant a shift into open-wheel race cars, where a modified steering wheel gives him full control of the car.

In addition to the paddles that shift through the gears, Johnson controls the throttle with a lever and pushes in the entire steering wheel assembly to brake. Just like many hand-control-equipped cars, the amount the throttle lever gets pulled correlates to the amount of throttle the car is given. The result? Wicked fast laps, no feet required.

Here are some of Johnson’s laps around Blackhawk Farms Raceway where the camera is pointed back at the wheel to show you how things work.

Despite breaking his hip and pelvis at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, Johnson told that he plans to return to racing in June’s race in Toronto. “The muscles are getting better,” Johnson. “The doctor said I could do pretty much anything I want, really, which is definitely refreshing!” His only real hold-up as to whether he’ll make that race is his vision. As of earlier this month, he was waiting on his vision to return to normal, as the impact also bruised his eyes. Either way, we can’t wait for Johnson to make a full recovery and get back to racing.

[H/T Steve Wittich]

Have an awesome onboard video to share? Drop me a line at or post it in the comments below.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Racing
Get Ready To Spend All Your Money On Retro Formula 1 Merch
Get Ready To Spend All Your Money On Retro Formula 1 Merch
Fellow nerds, get ready to open your wallets, because I’ve found what may be the greatest store of all time. With designs from Formula 1 teams like , you’re sure to find something that fits your particular nostalgic niche. I’d like to introduce you to Racing Retro. I first...
May 25, 2025
Race Team Would Rather Create A Fake AI Woman Rather Than Hire A Real One
Race Team Would Rather Create A Fake AI Woman Rather Than Hire A Real One
In another unsurprising example of motorsport’s inhospitable mindset toward hiring competent women, the Racing team has announced a new partnership with Ava Rose, a literal , who will... engage with fans? Share knowledge about technology? “Navigate the cutting edge of innovation to create positive change” (whatever that means)? I...
May 25, 2025
Listen To In-Car Audio From Race Cars While You Work
Listen To In-Car Audio From Race Cars While You Work
If you follow racing in the U.S., you probably already know about the . Most of the episodes are too much of a distraction to put on as background noise while you work, but a couple of recent entries in his series have been working incredibly well for me....
May 25, 2025
You've Probably Never Heard Of The Coolest Canadian Car Ever Built
You've Probably Never Heard Of The Coolest Canadian Car Ever Built
Name a car from the early 1960s built by a famed racing driver with curvy, lightweight aluminum bodywork, a big American engine, and a reputation for being unruly and fast as all hell. Your first thought was probably the famed Shelby Cobra, did you know there was a who...
May 25, 2025
After Delivering 8 Seasons At The Back Of The Grid, Haas F1 Team Dumps Guenther Steiner
After Delivering 8 Seasons At The Back Of The Grid, Haas F1 Team Dumps Guenther Steiner
The partially North Carolina-based squad has determined that after , it needs to mix things up a little. The team’s firebrand has been following an abysmal 2023 season which saw the team score just four points-paying finishes. The team’s , where scored a fourth-place finish, but that season too...
May 25, 2025
Local Businesses Want Compensation After Allegedly Losing Money During Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
Local Businesses Want Compensation After Allegedly Losing Money During Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
If you listen to Formula 1 or local officials from Las Vegas and Clark County, you’d probably think November’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix was a success. Some sources estimated that the city of Las Vegas made over $1 billion in revenue from the event — but there were...
May 25, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved