Driven: From Wheelchair to Race Car
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2014/06/21 - Updated: 2025/03/25
Publication Type: Informative
Topic: Films, Radio and TV - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: Documentary movie highlighting adaptive racing technologies enabling paraplegic individuals to drive, showcasing resilience and innovation in adaptive sports.
Why it matters: This report discusses "Driven: From Wheelchair to Race Car," a documentary that chronicles the journey of Mike Bauer, who, after a life-altering motorcycle accident resulting in paraplegia, collaborates with neurosurgeon Dr. Scott Falci to develop adaptive racing technologies. The film highlights the creation of a modified 2001 Corvette C5 Stingray, equipped with hand controls and an infrared shifter, enabling individuals with spinal cord injuries to experience high-performance driving. This narrative not only showcases advancements in adaptive sports but also serves as an inspiring testament to resilience and innovation, offering valuable insights for individuals with disabilities, seniors, and the broader community interested in inclusive technological developments - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Following a tragic motorcycle accident, Mike Bauer found himself confined to a wheelchair, a paraplegic. Used to constant movement and reinvention, Bauer was living in chronic pain when he became a patient of rehabilitative neurosurgeon Dr. Scott Falci. When Falci recognized the signs of depression in his patient and after learning about Bauer's earlier life, which included driving race cars, the doctor conceived of a race car with adaptive controls.
Main Item
Driven: From Wheelchair to Race Car, shares the collaboration of Mike Bauer and Dr. Falci as they develop new technologies to put paraplegic and quadriplegic folks back on the track.
Mike Bauer was born to be fast until a tragic motorcycle accident left him paralyzed and on the verge of suicide. When he meets Dr. Scott Falci, a rehabilitative neurosurgeon and an amateur racer, they venture into the uncharted territory of designing a race car for the paraplegic driver. Will climbing behind the wheel of this new race car be enough to bring Mike back from the brink
Directed by Brian Malone (Patriocracy, Celebrity Trials in the Media), the documentary will be released by Cinema Libre Studio on DVD starting June 24th with on demand options to follow in July.

Falci Adaptive Motorsports, founded by Dr. Scott Falci, is one of the world's premiere organizations dedicated to putting wheelchair-bound race enthusiasts into a racing experience. The ultimate mission of Falci Adaptive Motorsports is to add "motorsports" to the ever-growing list of athletic and recreational pursuits enjoyed by the spinal-cord-injured population while advancing the development of adaptive technologies. The car built for Mike Bauer is a 2001 Corvette C5 Stingray with the design team RaceKraft and Design and is equipped with hand controls for acceleration, an infrared shifter, and a hand brake.
Says by Brian Malone, Emmy winning director of Patriocracy and Celebrity Trials in the Media, Driven takes a look at a family whose life was shattered in one tragic moment as they push to give Mike Bauer's life a new purpose.
Cinema Libre Studio is a leader in distributing social-issue documentaries and features by passionate filmmakers. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the Cinema Libre team has released over one hundred films including the Sundance Audience Award "Winning Fuel, The End of Poverty, Rachid Bouchareb's London River and Oliver Stone's South of The Border. The studio is in pre-production on John Perkins' best selling memoirs, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, into a major motion picture.
The DVD includes features: "The Car Build," "Mike's Test Lap," Photo Gallery, Trailer, Interactive Menus
Technical Details: USA | Documentary| Unrated | 55 mins | Directed by Brian Malone
DVD Details: CLS 1194| 881394119420
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The focus on creating universally accessible broadcasts represents a significant step towards ensuring that media consumption is a truly inclusive experience. By proactively addressing the needs of diverse audiences, content creators can enrich the lives of a wider range of individuals and foster a more connected and informed society - Disabled World (DW). Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, check out his bio.