Blind Man Grabs Speeding Record

Yes, even blind people can drive. That’s the statement that Luc Costermans wants to make. And what a statement he made indeed by actually driving a Lamborghini Gallardo and beating a speed record in just two runs.

The actual drive occurred at an airstrip in France where this native from Belgium droved in one of Lamborghini’s fastest vehicle (as if everything from Lamborghini isn’t fast). Costermans was able to hit the top speed of 192 mph and was successful in breaking the speed record set by Mike Newman of Britain, which is at 166 mph. Newman was able to make the record with the help of a speedy BMW M5. But what makes this speed record so unique is the fact that Costermans blindness didn’t affect him one bit, a disability he’s had for the last four years.

For those unaware, the Lamborghini Gallardo used by Costermans is considered the company’s most produced model as of this date. It has around 5,000 units in existence in just three years of production. It’s equipped with a 5.0-liter V-10 engine and comes in either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed single clutch semi-automatic transmission.

Costermans has stated that his recent accomplishment is dedicated to former Formula 1 race car driver Philippe Streiff. Streiff has been tetraplegic after suffering an accident in 1989 at the Grand Prix which was held in Brazil.

Although it seems that what Costermans did is a feat on its own, it’s actually not the first time for him to do something as daring as this. About two years ago, Costermans was able to complete a tour of France by flying an airplane. That’s right, aside from driving; he can actually fly a plane. Of course he was accompanied by a navigator and instructor, but nonetheless; the fact that he was able to do it is just pretty amazing.

Sources: TopSpeed, Wikipedia