July 2nd, 2016: sam & SAM

xoxoxoBruce · 07-01-2016, 10:21 PM

Sam Schmidt was a race car driver, raced in the Indy 500 three times, but a crash at Disney World left him a
quadriplegic. He co-owns the Schmidt-Peterson race team but has been confined to a wheelchair for 17 years.
Sam sponsors a foundation that supports a brain and spinal injury facility at Craig Hospital in Englewood, CO.
Arrow Company, also a benefactor of Craig Hospital, is builder of the other SAM, Semi-Autonomous Motorcar.

Quote:

Arrow Electronics is a Fortune 500 company with headquarters in Centennial, Colorado. It has around
17,000 employees and annual revenue of $23 billion. It specializes in distribution and value added services
relating to electronic components and products such as computers. It has an aerospace and defense division,
and other divisions.

Arrow wanted to get the word out about the things they do to make a person’s life more worthwhile.
They decided to build a car for a quadriplegic. They tapped Sam and he was all for it, but you can’t just do
that and turn them loose on the highway so a race car was it. A racecar he could steer by turning his head
and control speed by blowing/sucking a tube. Being a team owner he had access to the Indy track shooting
for 100 mph. He only turned 97, but with some mods to the car he turned a 107mph, then a trap speed of 158.

The next challenge was Pikes Peak, The Race to The Clouds. Now I’ve driven the Pikes Peak road and it’s
damn scary. Dirt, with very few guardrails and drops off the edge of… forever.

Quote:

The starting line is little more than a clearing in the road. It is 9,390 feet above sea level. The summit,
where the checkered flag is waved, is 14,110 feet above sea level. There aren’t any pine trees at the summit.
There isn’t much of anything, really. Just a restaurant that isn’t open, and a bunch of cuddly marmots, and
a majestic wide-open space that sprawls endlessly below.
The serpentine Hill Climb “track” measures 12.2 miles. It consists of 156 turns. And scant few guardrails.

They call it The Race to the Clouds for good reason.

Much more here.

Griff · 07-02-2016, 07:51 AM

So cool.

Gravdigr · 07-02-2016, 10:59 AM

Awesomeness.

Griff · 07-02-2016, 06:28 PM

I see stuff like this and I think, "There is nothing we humans can't do."
Then I think about how broken our politics are...

Diaphone Jim · 07-02-2016, 06:33 PM

Disney World?

Griff · 07-02-2016, 06:35 PM

I'm thinking Formula 1.

SPUCK · 07-23-2016, 03:12 AM

Musta been a crazy Disney ride eh?

07-02-2016, 07:51 AM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	So cool. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-02-2016, 10:59 AM	#3
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	Awesomeness. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

07-02-2016, 06:28 PM	#4
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	I see stuff like this and I think, "There is nothing we humans can't do." Then I think about how broken our politics are... __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-02-2016, 06:35 PM	#6
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	I'm thinking Formula 1. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-02-2016, 06:33 PM	#5
Diaphone Jim Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,122	Disney World?

07-23-2016, 03:12 AM	#7
SPUCK Professor Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,911	Musta been a crazy Disney ride eh?

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