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
Category Topic: Films, Radio and TV - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: 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 Content

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.

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This image is a promotional poster for the documentary Driven: From Wheelchair to Race Car. The top half prominently features a close-up of a race car driver wearing a silver helmet with a clear visor, through which his determined eyes and glasses are visible. He is wearing red and gray racing gloves, gripping the edge of his helmet. The title DRIVEN is displayed in bold, metallic-style capital letters, with the V in red, followed by the subtitle From Wheelchair to Race Car in smaller white text. The lower half of the poster showcases a sleek black race car, a modified Corvette C5 Stingray, speeding on a racetrack. The car is adorned with sponsor logos, including Arrow, and its number is visible on the side. At the bottom, a tagline in white capital letters reads: How fast does your wheelchair go?

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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 is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.