I was born blind but love to drag race – it ‘definitely gives me an advantage’ as I aim to break a driving world record
A blind man who drag races his 2022 Dodge Challenger Super Stock said his blindness gave him an advantage behind the wheel.
After drag racing a Ram 1500 TRX around a quarter-mile drag strip, a blind man developed a desire for speed after discovering how his blindness fueled his passion.
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Sheldon Wilson, an Alaskan with a deep-rooted passion for all things fast, took his first ride around a drag strip in his friend’s Ram 1500 TRX and was filmed racing his very own 2022 Dodge Challenger Super Stock just a few years later.
His passion was previously fostered while working as a detailer for his local Chyrsler dealership, Gene’s Chrysler.
As a detailer, he found himself in the driver’s seat of a Dodge Challenger Hellcat and immediately fell in love.
“There’s just something about the Hellcats,” Sheldon told the US Sun.
“You could hear the compressor whining and it would scare me to the bone.”
It didn’t take long for him to sign the dotted line and bring home his first Hellcat.
Because he personally knew the owners of Alaska’s only drag strip, Alaska Raceway Park, he was offered the opportunity to race his very own Hellcat during a private event with someone in the passenger seat.
He did his first run with his friend Rick Nissen and was hooked.
Sheldon drove the car down the strip while Rick told him when to start and stop, keeping the steering wheel straight.
Despite Rick, Wilson was nervous when he made his first attempt, but quickly discovered that his lack of visibility helped him feel closer to his vehicle.
“Being able to feel the car and hear the engine is definitely an advantage,” Wilson said.
“I can feel the rear end falling out before it happens and can correct the car accordingly.”
Because his hearing is improved even without his vision, he can tell how well the car is running and make the necessary changes.
His personal record is 128 miles per hour with a time of just under 11 seconds – a time he can certainly beat with his Super Stock, especially after making some modifications to it.
“My goal is to modify it to just over 1,000 horsepower and have it run in under 10 seconds,” Sheldon said.
Inspired by his good friend Dan Parker, who is also considered the fastest blind man after driving 212 miles per hour in a modified Corvette, Wilson is actively pursuing the title of world’s fastest blind man over a quarter mile.
“I definitely see myself as the fastest blind person on the quarter-mile strip,” Wilson said.
“It may not be tomorrow or next year, but it will happen.”
When he’s not racing the Strip and burning rubber, Wilson repairs cars in his garage as his business, Special Touch Detailing, continues to grow.
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