Latest News
1st August 2010 - Mike Newman's attempt to break the land speed record failed as his supercar was damaged during a practice run on Saturday. He was forced to use a replacement vehicle which was unable to hit speeds of more than 174mph beating the current record set at 187mph. Mike Newman and his team now plans to wait until the damaged vehicle is repaired before making another attempt at the record.
About Mike
Mike Newman is already the World Blind Land Speed Record Holder. He thought he had hung up his race suit for the last time in 2005 after reaching over 175mph in a BMW M5.
He has now set himself the target of reaching speeds over 200 mph in order to raise awareness and money for the new centre for guide dogs in Atherton near Bolton.
Press Relaease
SOS Press Release
Date: 28/07/2010 - 10:22:25
Pendine Sands to host Mike Newman's Blind world Land Speed Record Attempt
On the 1st August 2010 blind record breaking driver Mike Newman will take to the infamous Pendine Sands in Carmarthenshire to attempt to re-secure his status as the fastest blind man on the planet, whilst raising money for charity.
Mike will be looking to break the 200mph barrier which will smash the existing world record of 187mph, set earlier this year by Turkish singer Metin Sentuk, and to claim his third and perhaps final blind world land speed record on Sunday 1st August* to help raise money for Vision and Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Pendine Sands was chosen for the location not only because of its history for land speed, but because the Speed of Sight team were keen to keep this attempt totally British. The car Mike will be using is a British super car the Keating TKR designed and manufactured by Keating Supercars Ltd in Manchester.
Chairman Simon Morris of Pendine Community Council said, "It is fantastic that Mike and the Speed of Sight team wanted to hold their record attempt on our beach. We are hoping for a great turn out on the Sunday of local and travelling supporters."
John Galloway, Speed of Sight team coordinator, "We are so excited about coming to Pendine after all it is the birth place of land speed records."
The journey so far
The Beginning (89mph) - Mike and his friend sourced a motorcycle from H Robinsons, a motorcycle dealership. In June 2000, under the watchful eye of the BBC's Record Breakers, Mike set a new World Blind Land Speed Record of 89mph. They had however reached their goal of 100mph in an earlier practice, but the weather conditions prevented this from happening on the actual recorded attempt.
The Jaguar XJ-R (144.7mph) - In September of that year, Mike was prompted to consider attempting a land speed record in a car. And so, in August 2003, in front of a worldwide audience, Mike drove his Jaguar XJ-R at 144.7mph. Whereas the motorcycle record was measured by his speed at a specified point, the car record was calculated as the average speed of a measured mile, over two runs in opposite directions.
The BMW M5 (178.5 mph) - Mike Newman broke his existing record of 144.7mph (set in a Jaguar in August 2003 at Elvington Aerodrome) in a specially-engineered BMW M5. BMW produced a one-off, derestricted car for the record attempt capable of a top speed of 205mph. This would usually require a longer test area than available at Elvington, but the record was made possible by state-of-the-art computers, communications and microSAT GPS equipment supplied by Sponsors Scan Computers, Site Link and Datron Technologies. Factory-standard Continental tyres ensured the M5 kept in contact with the runway at all times.