WHEELS to WHEELS RACING 
a Division of TAASC
http://www.taasc.org

OBJECTIVE
Wheels to Wheels Racing seeks to develop a fully operational and funded high performance driving program targeted to veterans and individuals with disabilities allowing them to master skills and techniques that are currently inaccessible to them due to financial, technical, or logistical feasibility. 

WHO WE ARE
The Adaptive Adventure Sports Coalition (TAASC) is a 501c(3) non-profit organization located in Columbus, Ohio that was established in the spring of 1997 to offer individuals with disabilities opportunities to participate in adventure activities. The mission of TAASC is to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities, their families and friends by providing sports and recreational activities, and to offer opportunities for empowerment through education, leadership, and training in collaboration with community-based organizations. Wheels to Wheels Racing was created through TAASC to provide opportunities in high performance driving, competition, and motorsports for returning veterans and individuals with disabilities, their families and friends.

WHEELS TO WHEELS MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Wheels to Wheels Racing is to enrich the lives of veterans and individuals with disabilities, their families and friends by providing empowering experiences through high performance driving and motorsports, allowing participants to build on these experiences and expand them to the fields of education, employment, social relationships, leadership and enhanced quality of life.

OVERARCHING GOAL
Veterans and individuals with disabilities, their families and friends will find enriching life experiences through dynamic social interaction; be challenged to learn new and difficult skills while setting long and short term goals on and off the track; become creative and experienced in the arts of trouble shooting and problem solveing; and will develop new ways of thinking, fostering greater opportunities in education, educational pursuits, employment, social relationships, leadership, and quality of life.

WHEELS TO WHEELS DRIVING PROGRAM
Safety will be the first priority when introducing participants to the motorsports program. Although motorsports inevitably present an unavoidable element of risk, the National Auto Sports Association (NASA) is impeccable when it comes to driver safety, risk management, and thorough driver training and assessment. This is why we have chosen to seek them out as a community partner.

1. Introductory Level

A. Veterans and individuals with disabilities, their families and friends are invited to NASA High Performance Driving Experience (HPDE) weekends at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and other regional tracks.

B. Participants can see cars that are track prepped with adaptive controls and ride along on course for fast laps with an experienced driver with a disability.

C. Many opportunities to engage in discussions, build new relationships, and learn from NASA drivers with and without disabilities will exist.

D. During the track weekend, participants can join in community oriented lunch and dinner activities. 

E. Attendees will also have opportunities to ride along with other drivers in high performance automobiles that they may have dreamed of, such as a Corvette or Porsche.

A. Veterans and individuals with disabilities will learn high performance driving techniques through professional instructors in a classroom setting, then be able to apply these techniques and develop them into new skills while driving one of the programs adapted vehicles with an in-car instructor.

B. In-car instruction will occur while participants share the track with other drivers of similar skill levels with limited passing allowed.

C. As situational awareness and car control techniques develop for the participant, they will be afforded the opportunity to drive on course without an in-car instructor under the same limited passing rules.

D. Classroom download sessions will continue fostering participants knowledge and learning in conjunction with their skill development.

3. Intermediate Level

A. After demonstrating proficient abilities at the intermediate level, participants will be afforded the opportunity to move into an advanced instructional group allowing open passing.

B. Instruction at this level teaches advanced car control and performance driving techniques.

C. Participants at this level will continue to have access to vehicles, yet will learn vehicle maintenance and how to prepare a car for track use while taking some responsibility for appropriately managing the wear and tear of the car they are driving.

D. Once at this level, participants will be allowed to have family, friends, or introductory level participants ride along on track with them.

A. At this level participants will be expected to provide their own car.

B. Participants will be well-versed in car preparation and the dynamics and limitations of an automobile in a performance driving environment.

C. Participants may continue to run in the intermediate group or may move into varying levels of competition, including time trials or wheel to wheel racing.

D. A participant achieving this level of success will become an asset to the program and able to give back to other participants while expanding the program knowledge and experience base to open new opportunities.

5. Wheels to Wheels Education, Employment, Marketing, and Leadership Training

A dual component of the WHEELS to WHEELS RACING program design is to benefit participants in developing new skills that will be valuable assets to them as they pursue educational opportunities, employment, leadership, and seek an improved quality of life in spite of their disabilities.

A. Through their participation in our program, veterans and individuals with disabilities will be given opportunities to learn about the automotive and motorsports industry, including engineering, design, and the aftermarket performance industry. 

B. Participants will be encouraged to pro-actively problem solve issues that may come up with vehicle adaptations, disability specific requirements, and integrate other issues into workable and productive solutions. This will lead to new knowledge and skills which can be applied in their own lives or in the medical and rehabilitation equipment industry.

C. Opportunities will exist for participants to practice motorsports photography; use in car video equipment and on/off track video documentation; participate in graphic design of car and program logos, promotional materials, t-shirts, and brochures.

D. Participate in web-based activities like a WHEELS to WHEELS RACING blog, YouTube Channel, and WHEELS to WHEELS RACING component of the TAASC website, which is already managed and edited by people with disabilities.

E. Opportunities will exist in logistics to help with vehicle data acquisition, timing and scoring, registering and assisting other program participants, tracking individual and program goals and outcomes, and managing all of the above through computer technology. F. All of these components will encourage participants to think in new
ways about their education, future employment opportunities, leadership responsibilities, and quality of life they wish to establish.

G. Meaningful and lifelong friendships will be built, nurtured, and remain priceless.