GENERAL RACING NEWS 2011
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MAY 9, 2011 ----- NEW JERSEY VINTAGE GRAND PRIX & ACCESSIBLE RACING CELEBRATE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND WITH WOUNDED WARRIORS AND DISABLE VETS AT NJ MOTORSPORTS PARK ----- Accessible Racing, in conjunction with NJ Vintage Grand Prix, Sunoco, Texas Road House and Brogata Casino hold a virtual world qualifying round & stock car driving experience at NJ Motorsports Park in Millville NJ. Former NY Giants and Philadelphia Eagle players will demonstrate the process that allows newly injured veterans and active disabled athletes to learn defensive driving skills in the virtual world that seamlessly transition to real world applications. VXP driving simulator powered by iRacing.com software develops muscle memory, in addition to the motor skills necessary to qualify for the world's only "Arrive & Drive" stock car driving experience for persons with physical disabilities.
Accessible Racing board member and driving instructor Ian James Brown is a Wounded Warrior & experienced piloting jets at speeds of over 600 MPH and now has a license to drive Accessible Racecar's competitively. Ian will share his experiences with other Wounded Warriors that helped him adjust to life after being paralyzed in the line of duty, including gaining a Masters degree from Harvard and attending pre med school last year to begin med school this year.
Ian will lead Wounded Warriors of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars through a HUGE day Excitement and Special Activities of festivities.
Every Wounded Warrior is invited to compete on the VXP Video Racing Simulator for 2 exciting prizes:
Winner will ride with Wounded Warrior Ian James Brown as he does hot laps in ACCESSIBLE RACING’s specially modified NASCAR-type race car.
Two Wounded Warriors will be chosen as honorary, active crew members of the TRG race team throughout the Rolex Grand-Am race weekend July 22-24 at NJ Motorsports Park.
SPECIAL PRIVATE LUNCHEON in your honor with exciting guest speakers.
“Best Seats in the House” for the Blue Angels Air Show following the luncheon at the adjacent Millville Airport.
Accessible Racing will be demonstrating their all new VXP driving simulator powered by iRacing.com software. iRacing features real-time, internet based simulated racing competition for newly injured and active disabled athletes, giving them the opportunity to hone driving skills, compete against other hand controlled drivers and emphasize multiple ladders of advancement. "The benefit of the simulator is that it shows how to use adaptive equipment in real-time, giving the user the experience of what they are going to need in real life to drive a car," said Nancy Ruscio, a physical therapy assistant at Shriners hospital.
ACCESSIBLE RACING, The original stock car driving experience with NASCAR style race cars modified with hand-controls for brakes and gas, with variable resistance steering and brakes. The bodies are modified including the roll-cage along with a special transfer seat base to allow people with disabilities to easily enter and exit the race car. There are two (2) ways that people with disabilities will be able to experience the thrill and excitement of the driving experience:
First: As a Driver - Persons will have the opportunity to actually drive the car with a professional driver along side in the car giving encouragement and tips on negotiating the road course. There is also a secondary braking system for the passenger just in case things get out of hand.
Second: As a Passenger - For those who are not capable of driving or just are not ready to jump into driving a more then 400 hp plus race car, will be able to go for a ride in the car with a professional driver.
September 11, 2001 Hanaford was at the New Hampshire International Speedway doing a stock car driving experience to raise funds for the U.S. Army Family Redlines Group. Dave Baskin, Founder of the National Rifle Association of Disabled Shooters, learned about us at a trade show and had been thinking about all the soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan who are paralyzed, missing limbs and desperate for an uplifting experience.
Hanaford and Peter Ruprecht, co-founded Accessible Racing (AR) 501 (C)(3) non profit organization in Fairfield, N.J., is dedicated to bringing adaptive racing to people with disabilities.
As a nonprofit organization, Accessible Racing provides the only NASCAR-style race car modified for wheelchair users, and features an accessible driver's door that opens to 90 degrees. The car also includes specialty features such as dual seats, low resistant steering, hand control brakes and gas pedals, and an instructor's side brake and steering for safety.
VXP is a separate for profit driving simulator developed by Lee Perry, president of Driving Aids Development Corp. in Vienna, Va.
Regional TV exposure from CBS Philly of VXP driving simulator competition between former NY Giants and Philadelphia Eagles demonstrated the same process Wounded Warriors are invited to participate in on NJVGP Wings and Wheels show. NJ Wounded Warrior, Ian James Brown, will chauffeur former Eagles, Giants and media attendees for some hot laps made possible by gracious marketing support from Texas Road House, Sunoco and Borgata Casino that help us achieve together what we could not accomplish individually.
New Jersey Vintage Grand Prix is a awareness and fund raising event for Wounded Warriors, Memorial Day weekend May 27, 28 & 29 at NJ Motorsports Park. Wings and Wheels air show includes Blue Angels, Vintage Car racing, and Accessible Racing (AR) -the world's only 'arrive & drive' for persons with disabilities. AR VXP gaming wheels equipped with a push/pull gas and brake for disabled persons is powered by iRacing software, performance and safety are measured to determine who advances to drive hot laps in the Accessible Race car.
Mobility freedom may be driving the racecar for some, for others it may be regaining the freedom to drive to the corner store for a loaf of bread or pick the kids up from soccer practice after work, but for ALL mobility is something purposeful that we would like to give back. Please contact us to be part of this Memorial Day celebration and feel PROUD to support a GREAT cause, www.accessibleracing.com.
We expect New Jersey Vintage Grand Prix (NJVGP) event to draw more then 10,000 persons and would like to tie you into the excitement with the following offers:
And that has led us to today. What are you doing today?
I’m excited! I’m here with Accessible Racing and their VXP Driving Simulator. We’re working hand in hand with the Wounded Warrior Project and helping those brave service people assimilate back into society. That’s where this simulator comes in. This gives them the opportunity to gain the driving experience they’ll need in the real world. Driving a car means freedom for these people. So I’m getting behind this Texas Road House sponsored racing simulator and taking on www.gosunoco.com Team Drivers like Beasley Reece. This takes us back to the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles battles! And the real exciting part is after working with the simulator, we’ll be heading to the track and getting in the Accessible Racing Race car and taking real laps with Wounded Warrior Lt. Ian James Brown. Lt. Brown started on the simulator after he was injured in the line of duty and now he’s speeding around tracks at 150 mph.
Is it a difficult task for these soldiers to use this simulator?
Not at all. For a person in a wheelchair, the Simulator has gas and brake levers that take the place of foot pedals. You know, they’ll be attaining some high speeds and having fun but the whole purpose of this is to get them ready…meaning their hand- eye coordination, their reflexes and their confidence to perform well enough to get behind some real wheels so they can do the daily tasks that we all do, like going to the supermarket or a job. The great thing about this is injured soldiers can access this simulator thru the internet so they can compete against one another around a race track and from different parts of the world.
Sounds like a blast!
Yeah, and all this is leading up to the 4th year of the New Jersey Vintage Grand Prix and Family Festival this Memorial Day weekend. May 27 thru the 29th. This event is dedicated to raising money and awareness for our Wounded Warriors and Veterans. Tons of activities for the whole family. An air show with the Blue Angels, Vintage car racing. And this simulator will be there for soldiers and those who qualify will be able to drive hot laps in the real Accessible Racing race car.
Why is this something dear to your heart?
I have the utmost respect for these brave men and women and the worst thing we can do as a society is forget about them when they come home, especially the ones who are injured. We need to help provide the skills so they can get back as much normality as
possible. These kids are special. They’re a benefit to our society so providing them with the basic skills, like driving, is important so they can live a healthy and happy life.
So if we can’t make it to New Jersey for Memorial Day weekend, is there something we all can do to help?
Yes and it’s easy. Accessible racing is working with a new program called the Era Card. This membership card gives discounts to hundreds of businesses nationwide. More and more businesses are signing up each day, so you can get discounts at Six Flags, hotels across the nation, even Las Vegas shows. And the great thing! Each time the card is used, a portion of the proceeds goes to charities like Veterans for America and Wounded Warriors. So you can log onto theeracard.com to get more information and help these wonderful charities.
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