If you know anything about the Small Tire and Pro Mod Drag Racing scene particularly in the South then chances are you’ve heard of Dan Parker. Dan opened Parker Chassis in 1997, since then Dan has built and driven some of the quickest and fastest door cars on the planet. Driving for the likes of John Gullett, Pat Musi and Bill George, Dan has many wins to his credit. In 2005 Dan earned the title of ADRL Pro Nitrous World Champion.
On March 31st 2012 Dan was involved in a single car top end crash at Alabama International Raceway while testing Bill George’s 1963 Corvette Pro Mod. Dan suffered multiple broken bones and head trauma that ultimately left him blind. During his recovery Dan decided he wasn’t going to let his disability keep him from the sport he loves and began laying the ground work for the next stage of his racing career.
Enter the “Red Rocket”, a three wheeled motorcycle Dan designed and built after the accident with help from his friends and family. The Rocket sports a Parker Chassis with Airtech Streamline body and fenders, a 70 cc Aprilia 2 stroke engine with Athena “Big Bore” kit, Lectron carburetor and Aero exhaust. Micron data acquisition handles the vitals and it all rides on Mickey Thompson racing tires. The most important and amazing feature of the Rocket is its guidance system. Dan worked with Patrick Johnson and Alan Dudley of MFI Electronics to develop a GPS based guidance system that uses audible tones in Dan’s ears to keep him centered on the course. Built in safety features shut the motorcycle off in the event Dan goes out of bounds.
On Thursday August 28th during the 2014 Bonneville Motorcycle Land Speed Trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover Utah. Dan, his crew and sponsor the National Federation of the Blind “Blind Driver Challenge” set an official FIM Land Speed Record with a two way average of 62.05 MPH in the 85 cc single cylinder two stroke cycle car class. Dan is the first blind person to set an official land speed record without any other human assistance.
While 62 MPH might seem like a far stretch from 200 plus MPH Pro Mod speeds, this is an incredible accomplishment by an amazing and inspirational individual and it’s only the beginning. To find out more about Dan Parker you can visit Dan Parker’s Quest for the Salt