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SPINAL CORD INJURED (SCI) TEAM
Media Release, April 2006 Launceston’s Alan Stevenson is not a guy who lets things get him down for long. In fact he’s a testimony to what you can achieve through sheer determination. In February 2001 he was racing at
Carrick speedway when his 400 EX quad racer failed to make a
corner. He was flown to Melbourne and lay in a coma for four
weeks. There followed one year in Melbourne hospitals before
finally arriving home in 2002.
Alan list of injuries included broken vertebrae, detached ribs, a punctured lung, and a broken wrist. Now permanently in a wheelchair, you could say Alan’s attitude is “never say die.” “I’ve learned just how important a sense of dogged determination is in life,” said Alan. “It’s an attitude that means I’m probably better equipped than I’ve ever been to achieve my goals.” It hasn’t been a straight road to Targa for Alan, more like one of Tasmania’s notorious winding passes. In 2004 he worked as a teachers’ aid at the Launceston College helping a class of young men construct an Elfin Clubman open wheeler sports car from the ground up. The vehicle arrived as a kit with prefabricated chassis and Alan guided the boys in adding all the mechanicals – a Toyota 4AG engine and 5-speed gearbox. The goal was to enter the car in Targa, which they did successfully in 2005. “I felt so good about helping the boys to learn and achieve,” said Alan, “I thought, ‘What else can I do?’” Alan, who likes a challenge, came up with the idea of entering his own car in Targa as a way of raising awareness of spinal cord injury (SCI) Australia-wide. No one knows better than Alan the cost of SCI. And no one is in a better position to demonstrate that whatever your circumstances you can do extraordinary things if you put your mind to it. So here he is, poised at the start line, for Targa 2006. Alan’s co-driver is no passenger either. “Naz” (Nazim) Erdem, who currently works for the Australian Quadriplegic Association Victoria Ltd. as an information and peer support coordinator, is a bit of an action man himself.
Prior to a diving accident in 1990 in which his neck was broken Naz was an amateur boxer and played local AFL football. In 1992 he started playing Murderball – a ferocious form of wheelchair rugby and in 1997 was selected on the Australian Wheelchair Rugby team. He won a Silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games. “Playing Wheelchair Rugby for Australia has allowed me to travel the world,” said Naz, “I’ve competed in America, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Greece, and South Africa.” “I’m very excited about competing in Targa Tasmania - I love cars and follow the event every year. Competing in such an internationally recognized event is an achievement, but really I just want to get on the road!” Said Naz, whose runabout is a HSV R8 Clubsport. “Both Alan and I want to get the message across that you can achieve whatever you want to if you’re passionate about it. No matter how hard it might seem it can be done,” he said. That sounds like the attitude of an Olympian. Alan is putting together quite a car for Targa 2006. It’s a Lexus Soarer featuring: an all alloy V8 with 32 valves - 4 per cylinder, quad camshafts, 4-speed auto with over drive, Lehmiester 18in alloy wheels. Alan imported it from Osaka and has been working to get it race-ready. The SCI Soarer will make its debut in Targa’s Touring division. In line with Alan’s “What else can I do?” attitude the SCI Team is hosting the “Kids Kick Start” Targa Disability Rides on 20 April at the Launceston Country Club Casino. With the help of a number of Targa competitors they will give children and those with a disability the chance to realise their own dream of riding in a Targa car! FAST FACTS: Comp No.: 57 |
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