Race2Recovery was born in 2010 when two IED injured soldiers, Tony Harris and Tom Neathway, meet at Headley Court Recovery Centre.
Together they decided that to help them move forward with their recovery process and next steps in life, that they would follow their passion of Motorsport and create a Rally Team. Within no time at all, other injured servicemen and close friends saw the same dream and what wonderful possibilities where opening to them – To raise money for aftercare of injuries service men and women, to inspire and raise awareness and to give an opportunity for others by entering The Dakar Rally.
The dream became reality when they became the first ever amputee team to finish the Dakar in 2013 and, again in January 2014 they successfully completed the challenge and wrote themselves into the record books once again.
"When I was blown up in Afghanistan I was told I would never walk again. During my rehabilitation [Team founder] Tony [Harris] advised me to have my leg amputated and also told me about Race2Recovery. Now here I am just a couple of years later – I’m walking and I’ve just completed the Dakar." Daniel "Baz" Whittingham, Member and T4 Race Truck Crew
The Team
Daniel Whittingham: Corporal Daniel “Baz” Whittingham was a part of the Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD) team in Sangin in 2009. He drove over a device that broke almost every bone below his waist, which later led to his leg being amputated below the knee.
Phillip Gillespie: a hardened veteran of Afghanistan at 22, Phillip, of 1 Royal Irish, was part of the way through his third tour when he stood on an IED during a routine foot patrol. Even though the blast blew off his right leg below the knee and inflicted multiple fractures to his left leg, Phillip was able to celebrate his 23rd birthday with his girlfriend Kirsty after spending just one month in hospital.
Anthony Harris: Blown up in 2009 in Sangin, Afghanistan Tony is a below knee amputee with other injuries as a result of the blast. Inspired by others in the Defence Recovery process he wants to show that incredible feats are still capable of being accomplished, he has now gone on to being an inspirational speaker and trustee for Blesma.
The Race2Recovery team has rapidly risen to become a fully functioning rally raid team from its start in 2010 beginning their campaign with one Land Rover Freelander and a handful of members. The team now totals 16 injured soldiers and civilian volunteers, with four Wildcat race vehicles and fleet of support vehicles including a 4×4 truck that will race the course in order to support the race cars, plus 8×8 support trucks and a number of Land Rover Discovery vehicles to help move the support team and mechanical equipment.