The synchronicity of a NASCAR pit-stop can seem alarming; a mad choreography of helmets and flame-retardant suits converging in lightning-quick mechanical precision.  In fact, it’s in the pits where many races are won or lost. 

There, in less than 13 seconds, a crew of four gives a high-performance racing vehicle a tune-up that your local mechanic couldn’t imagine.  If Kent and Jason Carliss have their way, two of these teams will soon be composed of highly talented athletes with one distinction from their peers.

They will be missing an arm, or a leg, or both.

Kent, a former car-racing mechanic, has teamed up with his son Jason in an attempt to use their passion for NASCAR as a tool to inspire those with disabilities.  The two are the founders of Bound for Glory, a program whose goal is to train and organize an all amputee pit-crew to participate in NASCAR races.  The idea was conceived by Kent in 1968, after a life-changing experience he had with an amputee.

At the time, Kent was more down on his luck than he’d ever been. His business was performing poorly and his marriage was on the rocks, leading him to a rough spell of substance abuse and depression. 

“I was drinking and business was going sour and racing wasn’t what it used to be,” Kent said about his life at the time. “I had given serious consideration to taking my life.”

One day, despondent and resigned to suicide, Kent hauled a case of beer to a convenience store counter believing it would be the last he’d ever drink.  But before he left, he had a dramatic change of heart.

In front of him at the checkout was a man with a bi-lateral amputation. Kent watched the man buy a soda and hop in his car, taking off down the road with one foot guiding the steering wheel. Something about the stranger’s uncanny sense of optimism in the face of difficulty had a dramatic effect on him.

“It was like getting hit by a lightning bolt,” Kent said. “I thought if this guy can be happy and be a productive member of society, then there’s no reason I can’t.”

Four decades later, the Carliss family is attempting to repay the favor.  They believe that Bound for Glory could be an inspiration to the millions by showcasing the athletic potential of athletes with disabilities. “This is one of the most competitive athletic endeavors there will ever be,” said Jason about working on the pit-crew, whose physical duties include changing tires, re-fueling, and making other mechanical adjustments in fewer than thirteen seconds. 

While grooming themselves for the racetrack, the crew would travel on the NASCAR show circuit and perform pit-stop exhibitions at military bases, hospitals, and other locations in the country. If everything went as planned, they’d make their debut on the NASCAR circuit within one year. However, before Bound for Glory can set their plan into action, they’re in need of sponsorship money.

Over the last 40 years, Kent has been on the verge of securing funding for the program on numerous occasions, but things have consistently fallen through at the last minute.  Most recently, Bound for Glory conducted a pilot run with racing giant Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) at the DEI headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina.  The team—four amputee athletes without any pit-crew experience—observed a professional crew at work before training under the tutelage of pit-crew chief Walt Smith.

Although the athletes performed admirably and DEI showed genuine interest, the company eventually passed on the venture due to re-branding and internal restructuring.  Once again, Kent and Jason found themselves without sponsorship.

“I feel like I’m butting my head against a stone wall,” said Kent.  “I don’t know how many times I’ve been close.  I’ve never looked at this as a moneymaking deal, just as payback for a guy who saved my life.”

But, despite the disappointment, the Carliss’s are still optimistic that Bound for Glory has the potential to not only be competitive, but to become one of the elite pit-crews on the NASCAR circuit. “If we get the right athletes with the right determination and mindset then it’s going to be a hard combination to beat, and that’s what is truly exciting,” Jason said.

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