Disabled driver joins elite band (From Stroud News and Journal)

Disabled driver joins elite band

Dean Warner is one of only a small number of disabled people in the UK who have been granted a motor sport licence in the UK in recent years.

The 31-year-old Stroud man has spent the last two years competing with distinction against able-bodied drivers from all over the UK in the hugely competitive Rotax Max class.

Last year's highlights for Dean were running in 7th place all year in the Rissington kart club championships until a lack of finances forced retirement with four rounds to go. The other was leading the Isle of Man Kart Grand Prix, a public road race held on the streets of Peel.

He said: "The coverage I had from the national press in the Isle of Man was great. The fact I was the first disabled driver to compete was unique as was the fact that I was the quickest in my class. Only an argument with a kerbstone and ending up in someone's front garden stopped me winning the event!"

This year he took the huge step of gaining permission off the Motor sports Authorities to compete in the premier class of gearbox karts. The 250 national class of karts are extreme racing machines with a 0-60 time of under 3 seconds and are capable of 140 plus mph. The performance of these super karts at major UK circuits is nothing short of amazing as they regularly out lap anything else with 2 or 4 wheels.

With huge brakes and the down force provided by the front and rear wings, they are more like a single seater racing car to drive rather than a kart.

"I have just started to get to grips with the new machine," Warner commented, "and because I have only the one arm to control the machine we developed my unique foot gear change coupled with a hand clutch to overcome the problems of driving with a manual gearbox and the lack of an arm.

"The first race in the new kart was at Donnington Park and we didn't know what to expect as we are still ironing out problems."

Out of 49 entries, Warner finished 10th in his first meeting and won the "Rookie" trophy for highest placed newcomer, a great result and a good start for the season.

Dean has recently contested the British Championships at Pembrey where he qualified 12th out of 47. A few problems saw him drop to 17th spot in the first race but in the second race he was delighted with sixth place.

Running 10th and going well in the final, Dean had a ''happening' with another kart, forcing him to retire minus a front wheel.

Racing is an expensive business but repairs are under way and he is determined to press on with the immediate aim of a top ten place and seeding in the British Championships.

He is very grateful to his supporters and thanks the Lansdown clinic, Rock Oil, and Frasers Motorcycles for the help they have given him so far.