The special event will give 25 drivers an opportunity to navigate two exercises – the accident avoidance simulator and autocross – that are used in all of the Bondurant School’s classes. Both drills teach principals of vehicle dynamics and emphasize proper vision and concentration, skills that create successful and safe drivers. Several Bondurant vehicles will be outfitted with hand controls to make them accessible to the participants. After the training, attendees will also experience hot laps – a high-speed ride with one of Bondurant’s instructors in a race-prepared Chevrolet Corvette – around the school’s 1.6-mile track. The event will be held at the school’s purpose-built training facility located at Firebird International Raceway.

            “We have equipped our cars with hand controls to accommodate students several times in the past, but Driving to Excel is the first time we have done a specialized event for a large group of disabled drivers,” said Bob Bondurant, CEO and Founder, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. “I’m very excited to provide this training while supporting the Barrow Neurological Institute, whose important work has benefited the lives of so many.”

            Driving to Excel will raise funds for the Barrow Connection and the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, internationally-recognized as a leader in neurological research and patient care.

            “The Barrow Connection at Barrow Neurological Institute is dedicated to bridging the gap between hospital and community for the neurological patients we serve by providing access to adapted recreation,” said Jo Crawford, Program Coordinator, the Barrow Connection. “We are very excited to be partnering with the Bondurant School to spearhead one of the only programs of its kind in the country. We know that this is a rare opportunity to receive advanced instruction from Bondurant’s team of instructors.”

            Also appearing at the event will be Eddie Alexander, a C5-6 quadriplegic from California who races using hand controls. He will speak about how he has overcome physical limitations to compete regularly on the race track.

            Participation for the event is limited, but tickets are still available for participants and for spectators, who will also get to experience hot laps. More information can be found at www.thebarrow.org, or by calling 602-406-6280 Media are invited to cover the event or preview it beforehand.