Hyundai Motorsport WRC Report: Round 4 Rally de Portugal.

21 June, 2021

“I felt like I was sideways, just completely sideways,” Connor beamed after finishing his hot lap. Josh Buchan from HMO Customer Racing team had just taken Connor, who is blind, on a ride of a lifetime around the 4.5km Sydney Motorsport Park racetrack in the Hyundai i30 N TCR reaching three times the G-forces of a production road car with speeds of over 230km/hr.

Through the Hyundai Help for Kids program and its partnership with NextSense, Benj – who has low vision – was strapped into the passenger seat alongside Buchan for a series of trilling hot laps. “It doesn’t feel the same as going in a regular car. It’s on another level… it’s so good,” said Benj after his ride.

Pictured: (R) Benj Guilford

Benj’s low vision and Connor’s blindness mean both boys are unable to ever drive a vehicle themselves. At an age when most people are getting their driving licence, this money can’t buy experience will forever be memorable to the boys. As Benj’s mum commented after the event, Benj and Connor were the “most envious lads at the party Benj went to on Saturday night”.

Pictured: (L) Connor McLeod