On This Day

Saturday 2nd August 2003

17 years ago

Britain's Billy Baxter set the blind solo world land speed record on a motorbike with a speed of 164.87 mph (265.33 km/h) riding a 1200 cc Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle at RAF Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, UK with the assistance of the Royal Artillery Motorcycle Display Team. He used a three-way radio communications system involving himself and two outriders behind him. On August 17th 2013, Baxter lost his record to Stuart Gunn of Edinburgh, who managed a speed of 167.1 mph (268.92 km/h) at Elvington air strip. In 2004, he was a guest on the BBC television programme Top Gear and drove a lap of their circuit as the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car", credited as the "Blind Man". He was guided around the circuit by the slightly nervous host, Jeremy Clarkson, and his official lap time was 2:02 minutes, which is faster than two of the fully sighted contestants (Terry Wogan and Richard Whiteley).Ex-Stig Ben Collins however stated in his autobiography that during practice sessions Baxter completed the lap in a time of 1:58 minutes.In 2007 he completed a Blind Solo Lap of Donington Park.[4] "My biggest challenge yet, I rode my Ducati Monster around the hallowed circuit of Donington, the home of motorcycle racing, raising awareness for Vista, a charity helping blind people in the Midlands, an amazing experience and great fun."