2021-10-16 07:25:04
Bartek Ostalowski lost both hands in a motorcycle accident in 2006, but that wasn’t enough to kill his dream of becoming a professional racer. Realizing he had no arms when he was only 20 years old and facing the difficulties of learning to drive a car on the track must have been a shock to Bartek. But in the end he used up all his courage and determination to keep pursuing his dream, and within three years he had become a master of racing with his feet. Currently, Bartek Ostalowski is the only professional sports racer in the world to drive on foot.
To address his physical limitations, Bartek modified the Nissan Skyline GT-R race car to his body’s specifics – adding a new engine, independent transmission and more powerful powertrain. This aspiring Polish racer used his right foot to control the gas, while steering with the left pedal. While the gear lever is controlled by the shoulder.
“After my accident. I asked myself if I want to race again, what do I need to do?” Bartek said to Business Insider. “I heard about a man in Poland who, like me, has no hands, but he drives every day without any problems. After meeting him, his dream and passion for motorsports racing. I came back to life and became stronger, so I decided to get back to racing one day.”
After making a name for himself on the Polish track, Bartek Ostalowski took on a bigger challenge, drift racing. Drift requires quick reactions and precise hand-eye coordination to steer the car as it glides around the track. But Barek was still able to perform these maneuvers despite losing both arms.
In 2019, Ostalowski finished 9th out of 50 drivers at the Polish Drift Championship, one of the most competitive championships in Europe, and a year earlier he won. Czech Drift Series international, beat dozens of other professional sports swingers.
#Bartek #Ostalowski #professional #sports #racer #arms #world
