Welcome to Blind Force Garage
Blind Force Garage is a warm, hands-on community program created to open the world of cars, engines, and motorsport to people who are blind or have low vision.
The purpose of Blind Force Garage is to give people a real chance to learn, explore, and enjoy the automotive world in a fun, supportive and practical environment
It is built around genuine engagement, confidence building, teamwork, and the joy that comes from getting involved with motor vehicles in a way that is rarely offered to the blind and low vision community.
Blind Force Garage introduces participants to the world of performance engines, race car preparation, vehicle modification, and motorsport workshop culture. Programs are designed to be welcoming to all ages, with a strong focus on encouraging younger people who are becoming interested in cars and performance vehicles to get involved in a safe and positive setting.
These workshop sessions are built around hands-on learning. Participants will have the opportunity to touch, feel, explore and work with real automotive parts and real race vehicles while learning simple mechanical theory and practical skills. Sessions will cover basic engine modifications, general race car construction, and introductory learning around turbo chargers, super chargers, and nitrous oxide systems.
A special part of the Blind Force Garage program is the opportunity for participants to work on Gary Dundas’s real land speed racing car Venom
Gary himself is blind and is actively preparing to perform a land speed record attempt in this purpose-built Lakester land speed car at Lake Gairdner in South Australia. Through this connection, participants become part of something real, exciting, and inspiring while learning how a race team operates.
Blind Force Garage also aims to introduce participants to the thrill of blind motorsport through a special driving experience program called Blind Drive. This program is designed to give blind and low vision participants the opportunity to become engaged in blind motorsport in a controlled and safe race track environment.
The Blind Drive experience will use a specially built electronic GPS guidance system developed by Patrick Johnston and Dan Parker from the United States. Dan Parker is widely known as the fastest blind man in the world in a motor vehicle, reaching 212 miles per hour and achieving a Guinness World Record. This remarkable guidance system is one of only two in the world and is hosted here in Australia through a joint venture involving Gary Dundas, Dan Parker, and Patrick Johnston.
As Blind Force Garage grows, participants will be given opportunities to experience the excitement of race car driving in a safe and structured way. This includes the vision of driving in an 1/8 mile drag racing format on a racetrack, as well as riding side-by-side in a dual-controlled high-performance turbo charged BMW race car. These opportunities are about much more than speed. They are about inclusion, trust, confidence, and opening the door to experiences that many blind people have never been offered before.
Blind Force Garage will also teach participants how adaptation works in the real world. Gary will share how he has adapted to vision loss while continuing to operate as a performance race car engineer
This gives participants a practical example of what is possible when skill, determination, and the right support come together.
The program is not only about engines and race cars. It also includes simple, practical training in technology, including how blind and vision impaired people can use modern tools and artificial intelligence to assist with everyday life. This is an important part of building confidence, independence, and future opportunity in today’s world.
Blind Force Garage programs will be delivered in workshops across Queensland
With the intention of growing into other parts of Australia where there is interest from the community. Programs may also help participants learn how to contribute to a motorsport pit crew environment, work as part of a team, and build a sense of belonging through shared experiences.
Participants will be welcomed as part of the Blind Force Garage Venom Racing Team, where learning is practical, exciting, and community focused. Every session is built around enjoyment, inclusion, and encouragement.
Blind Force Garage is about learning how to play with motor vehicles and engines in a happy, safe, and inspiring environment. It is about creating access where there has often been none. It is about helping people discover ability, passion, and confidence. Most of all, it is about creating blind smiles.