Driver with prosthetic arm

Hans.ca · 16 Jun 2003, 01:20 (Ref:632485)

As a favour for my son who has a girlfriend with a prostetic arm I would like to get an answer to the following question.
Who was the English sports car driver that was driving with a prosthetic arm?
Please give as much back ground and information on this individual as possible.
Thank you
Hans.ca

Muzza · 16 Jun 2003, 02:32 (Ref:632519)

Dear Hans,

That driver was Archie Scott-Brown, who had a fantastic single-seaters and sportscars career in the early 1950s. Sadly he perished in a very unfortunate accident in Spa-Francorchamps.

Unfortunately I am not home, thus unable to check my library for additional information, but I am sure that our Ten Tenths members in the United Kingdon - where Scott-Brown is still revered - will soon add more data.

Cheers,

Muzza

Morris 1100 · 16 Jun 2003, 03:43 (Ref:632532)

Sorry but Archie Scott-Brown did not have a prostetic arm.

I do recall a Sprintcar driver in the US that raced with a prostetic arm.

ensign14 · 16 Jun 2003, 08:07 (Ref:632642)

Quote:

Originally posted by Morris 1100
I do recall a Sprintcar driver in the US that raced with a prostetic arm.

Allen Heath lost a hand in a crash in circa 1951, returned with a hook in its place and had a successful career for years in the sprints and midgets. Had a silver dollar glued to the peak of his helmet.

D-Type · 16 Jun 2003, 11:46 (Ref:632848)

Archie Scott Brown was born with an underdeveloped right arm and with underdeveloped legs as a result of his mother having contracted Rubella whilst pregnant.
For reasons explained in the excellent biography "Archie and the Listers" by Robert Edwards, Archie chose not to fit a prosthetic arm (these centred on the fact that he had been born that way rather than losing an arm as a result of the accident.)

There was also the Italian GP driver who lost an arm after an encounter with a helicopter rotor and returned to race touring cars. Unfortunately I can't recall his name.

ensign14 · 16 Jun 2003, 11:47 (Ref:632849)

Quote:

Originally posted by D-Type
There was also the Italian GP driver who lost an arm after an encounter with a helicopter rotor and returned to race touring cars. Unfortunately I can't recall his name.

Alessandro Nannini, tho' his was sewn back on.

Muzza · 16 Jun 2003, 12:53 (Ref:632913)

Thanks for the correction, Morris 1100.

Vitesse · 16 Jun 2003, 13:55 (Ref:632983)

There've been other one-armed drivers, but of course even in the 50s GP organizers were very loath to let Archie race, despite his great success in sports cars. That's really why he has only one GP to his name.

There are, however, drivers who've raced successfully with a prosthetic leg: Lotus F1 driver Alan Stacey and still-current (but now very much a veteran) sports car driver David Piper spring to mind. "Pipes" lost his leg during filming for the Steve McQueen film Le Mans, but still races energetically today, all over the world. Ironically, Stacey was - like Archie - killed at Spa: in his case in the tragic 1960 Belgian GP, when Chris Bristow was also killed and Stirling Moss had a serious shunt in practice.

Hans.ca · 16 Jun 2003, 13:57 (Ref:632986)

Morris1100 the driver you are thinking of in the USA I think was one of the Bettenhausen familie.
please keep the information coming.
Hans.ca
PS Used to own a Morris Minor with the standard flat head engine. I then brought in the first Alta Overhead conversion into Canada and converted the engine to overhead valves. Good little car, wish I still had it today.

ensign14 · 16 Jun 2003, 14:20 (Ref:633001)

Ah yes, Merle Bettenhausen, son of Tony Sr, don't think he had much success after his big crash in about his 2nd Champcar race.

Bronco Bill Schindler and Cal Niday both had 1 leg.

Mike.ca · 16 Jun 2003, 20:55 (Ref:633461)

Quote:

Originally posted by ensign14
Allen Heath lost a hand in a crash in circa 1951, returned with a hook in its place and had a successful career for years in the sprints and midgets.

The Midget Racing Hall of Fame has an article about Heath on its website: www.worthyofhonor.org/pages/heath.htm. Obviously, it deals mainly with his midget racing career. Heath was also a frequent winner on the extremely competitive California Racing Association sprint car circuit in the late '50s and early '60s. I've seen videotape of him racing. He had tremendous car control. As the Hall of Fame website points out, Heath once won a 500 mile long midget race on the Riverside road course - a remarkable feat for an able bodied driver.

Chris Townsend · 16 Jun 2003, 22:25 (Ref:633600)

The 70s rally driver Mike Jackson had a prosthetic left arm I think.
I think that he basically steered on the right arm whilst his co-driver [Mike Jackson] changed gear and used the handbrake.

This constraint didn't stop him driving a fully equipped RS1800 and getting it into the top 10 on national rallies.

I may be wrong, but I think that another rally driver of the same era, John Midgeley may have had similar problems that eventually led to his licence being withheld.

mijackrally · 3 Mar 2017, 13:44 (Ref:3716113)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

The 70s rally driver Mike Jackson had a prosthetic left arm I think.
I think that he basically steered on the right arm whilst his co-driver [Mike Jackson] changed gear and used the handbrake.

This constraint didn't stop him driving a fully equipped RS1800 and getting it into the top 10 on national rallies.

I may be wrong, but I think that another rally driver of the same era, John Midgeley may have had similar problems that eventually led to his licence being withheld.

Chris Townsend is referring to me I lost my right arm in 1962 so obviously have a prosthetic right arm my co-drivers through the years did NOT change gear for me I manage to stabilize the steering wheel with prosthesis arm to change gear with my left hand nor operate the handbrake I managed to drive without the need of it which caused me a bit of a problem at times !!!

As for John Midgeley he is able bodied it was me amongst others that had there licences withheld in 1987 & mine was reinstated around 1992 with some restrictions

andrewc · 3 Mar 2017, 15:22 (Ref:3716135)

Frederic Sausset competes in last years Le Mans and he was a quadruple amputee.

Ian Maxey · 14 Feb 2022, 20:59 (Ref:4098692)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mijackrally

Chris Townsend is referring to me I lost my right arm in 1962 so obviously have a prosthetic right arm my co-drivers through the years did NOT change gear for me I manage to stabilize the steering wheel with prosthesis arm to change gear with my left hand nor operate the handbrake I managed to drive without the need of it which caused me a bit of a problem at times !!!

As for John Midgeley he is able bodied it was me amongst others that had there licences withheld in 1987 & mine was reinstated around 1992 with some restrictions

Mike _ good to see this from you! I was about to respond to the thread that I never changed gear for you, in all those glorious times I controversial with you! You were too bloody quick at it yourself!! Like to hear from you one day?

Ian Maxey · 14 Feb 2022, 21:05 (Ref:4098695)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

The 70s rally driver Mike Jackson had a prosthetic left arm I think.
I think that he basically steered on the right arm whilst his co-driver [Mike Jackson] changed gear and used the handbrake.

This constraint didn't stop him driving a fully equipped RS1800 and getting it into the top 10 on national rallies.

I may be wrong, but I think that another rally driver of the same era, John Midgeley may have had similar problems that eventually led to his licence being withheld.

Sorry thats not right about Mike Jackson, though it was often said at the time of our rallying in the '70s. I co-drove fir him on club, national and international rallies for a couple of years. He was bloody quick and we had some good results and great times during then. He cranked his prosthetic right arm to act as a damper against the wheel and changed with his left, very effectively. It sometimes went wrong when trying to slide-steer the Escort needed both steering and gear Changes! A great guy and good times.

Morris 1100 · 17 Jun 2003, 08:42 (Ref:633879)

Tony Simon was the driver that I was thinking of, he lost his right hand (lost between the elbow and wrist) in a Sprint-car flip in 1974 he then had a prosthetic hand fitted and resumed his racing career. He retired from racing in 1987.
Merle Bettenhousen and Alan Heath also lost arms and kept racing and that is what led Tony Simon to continue racing.

flatlander_48 · 18 Jun 2003, 02:45 (Ref:635116)

Also:
Mel Kenyon lost a hand in a fiery crash at Langhorne, PA

Gary Bettenhausen lost the ability to raise one arm after a Silver Crown crash at Syracuse. However, he could still grip the steering wheel. He eventually invented the arm restraints that are now required in many series.

Maisie · 18 Jun 2003, 09:48 (Ref:635334)

Slightly off-topic, but someone told me a story over the weekend about a driver who used a prosthetic arm attached to the steering wheel. He crashed, and to release himself from the car, had to detach the prosthetic arm from the rest of his arm. On getting out of the car, he said to the marshals "My arm...!" The marshals looked into the car saw the prosthetic arm dangling from the steering wheel and went white..

delta · 22 Dec 2017, 16:00 (Ref:3788707)

I did a hill climb meeting at Wyscombe Park earlier this year. There was a motor bike racer with only one arm competing.

E.B · 22 Dec 2017, 16:28 (Ref:3788712)

Chris Ganley is a one armed motorcycle competitor aiming to compete at the IoM TT races in the future. He currently races in the Thundersport GB Championship.

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/br...rst-one-397729

daneferrari · 25 May 2023, 13:27 (Ref:4157914)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maisie

Slightly off-topic, but someone told me a story over the weekend about a driver who used a prosthetic arm attached to the steering wheel. He crashed, and to release himself from the car, had to detach the prosthetic arm from the rest of his arm. On getting out of the car, he said to the marshals "My arm...!" The marshals looked into the car saw the prosthetic arm dangling from the steering wheel and went white..

It looks very fascinating! I love the sunset on the sea, I can imagine how cool it would be to ride in it...

simon drabble · 18 Jun 2003, 13:59 (Ref:635548)

sounds like a variation on the old Punch cartoon of the butchers boy being knocked down on his bike by a car and looking up in pain saying he had lost his kidneys! I always found that very amusing as a child, probably explains a lot of my character defects!!

Morris 1100 · 19 Jun 2003, 07:38 (Ref:636315)

I met a race official that had one leg missing and he told me a story about when he was a "victim" in a mock disaster to test the response of emergency services.
He was laying on the ground with his trouser leg under a big machine with blood (fake) all over the place!
The emergency services guys that arrived took a look at him and threw up!

EvilPumpkin · 20 Jun 2003, 08:04 (Ref:637322)

Maisie, I'm guessing it might have been one of our guys that told you that - I know the marshal it happened to! Having said that, these types of stories do tend to wind up in the Marshal version of "urban legends"

I was actually going to mention that we have had a couple of drivers with prosthetic hands/arms in Ireland - and we also have a very competitive karter with a prosthetic leg.

If your son's girlfriend is actively interested in competing Hans, get her to have a look at this site - http://www.justmobility.co.uk/bmsad/ - it's aimed at UK residents but I'm sure they would be able to put her in contact with people in Canada that can help.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Loeb Breaks Arm	GolddustMini	Rallying & Rallycross	40	20 Oct 2006 16:35
McLaren morale needs a shot in the arm	Kirk	Formula One	60	26 May 2006 16:38
CPR Control Arm Irregularity	deeks6	Australasian Touring Cars.	21	1 Aug 2004 12:04
Izutsu broke his arm	Blue	Bike Racing	9	25 Apr 2002 13:29