MARNE - Jocelyn Dettloff was paralyzed from the chest down while sledding down a sand dune in Namibia, Africa 18 years ago, but the accident hardly discouraged her pursuit of adventure.

"I have a need for speed," Dettloff said moments after she was carefully lifted out of Chuck Pierson's tricked out Caprice Classic race car and placed gently into her wheelchair. Dettloff didn't stop smiling after turning a number of laps around the Berlin Raceway this past Thursday afternoon.

Pierson, of Sparta, owns a Vintage Racing Organization of America race team, and a year ago, his friends, family and team sprung a big surprise on him when they presented him with specially prepared race car that he drove to pace the field before a race at Berlin. Pierson, who was paralyzed in an automobile accident in 1976 at the age of 16, now wanted others to experience the same thrill that he enjoyed last summer.

Pierson arranged an afternoon for three paralyzed friends to drive his car around the Marne half-mile. Kadi DeHaan of Byron Center and Pat Besta of Rockford joined Dettloff at Berlin. DeHaan and Besta both lost the use of their legs in car accidents.

"It was great," said Dettloff, of Grand Rapids. "You have the wind blowing in your face. It was a little scary. You don't know what to expect going around the curves. They coach you - accelerate hear, brake here.

"But when the car kicks up another gear, you can feel the kick. It was just exciting to say that I drove a car on the race track. Not everybody gets to do that."

The car was originally a dirt race car. Clock Mobility Conversions equipped the hot rod with the hand controls, and the car's roof can be taken off, which enables the drivers to be lifted in and out of driver's seat. Pierson said he will never forget the thrill he had last year when he got behind the wheel of the Caprice in front of the VROA field during the Aug. 2 race, and he wanted to share that feeling.

"Ken Deyman and my brother Randy did this for me last year, and I just wanted to give other people with disabilities this opportunity to experience this, too," Pierson said. "They are acquaintances from business. Kadi works at Clock Mobility, Jocelyn works at Mary Free Bed and Pat Besta's wife works at Mary Free Bed. Pat coaches wheelchair basketball for Mary Free Bed.

"They are all people who give back, and I want to give them an opportunity to experience it. I know what it felt like last year."

The car is equipped with hand controls, enabling the drivers to operate the brake and throttle. It sports the No. 2 and is painted black and gold in honor of Pierson's favorite driver, retired NASCAR Hall of Fame Sprint Cup driver Rusty Wallace.

DeHaan said it was easier to operate than she thought.

"This was a real adrenalin rush to go out and go fast, with no other cars on the road and knowing I'm in a safe vehicle," DeHaan, who was injured 11 years ago. "It was just a lot of fun going fast. It was a blast. I only get to drive a minivan, so it was nice to drive a race car for once. It was awesome. Chuck emailed me and asked me if I wanted to drive a race car. I said, 'Absolutely, that would be awesome.'"

Besta, who was paralyzed 25 years ago, keeps busy playing wheelchair basketball, softball and tennis. He can now add driving a race car to the list of sports.

"It's funny because I was just in Grand Rapids Magazine a couple of months ago, and they asked me if there was anything I wanted to do," Besta said. "I said I want to drive a race car. So, that was on my bucket list, and I got to cross that off.

"It looks so easy to sit there, give it gas and go. But it's different because you are going around the curves all the time. You have to know whether you are supposed to be up on the track or down on the track. But it was a lot of fun."

Pierson also turned laps last week, and he will return to Berlin on July 11 when Berlin hosts a memorial race in honor of Pierson's late uncle, Mike Becker. Pierson will once again pace the VROA field.

"It is pretty special to do this," Pierson said.

Steve Kaminski covers high school sports and auto racing for MLive.com and the Grand Rapids Press. Friend him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.