With the warm Arizona wind pelting his forehead, Roger Keeney took a brand-new 2010 Mustang convertible on an amazing ride, doing donuts on the pavement and amassing speeds of up to 9
This would be a thrill for anybody. But what makes this truly remarkable is that fact that Keeney has been blind for the past 20 years.
The 62 year-old Keeney, who lives in Athens, GA, won the chance to drive the Mustang by participating Ford’s “The ’10 Unleashed” promotion, which asked people to describe their ultimate Mustang dream experience in 250 words or less.
“When I got the call from Ford saying that I had won, I thought someone was playing a joke on me,” said Keeney, who lost his sight in a farming accident.
It was definitely not a joke, says Ford Car Communications Manager Patricia Piedrahita. “His essay caught our attention,” she said. “His submission hinted that he may be blind, so we had to talk to him to learn more. Upon speaking to him we knew he would help us see the Mustang from a different point of view."
In May, Ford flew Keeney to the Ford Proving Grounds outside of Phoenix. With safety their number one concern, the Mustang team arranged for former professional racer Tommy Kendall to ride shotgun. “Tommy asked me, ‘When you were a teenager, did you ever do donuts?’” Roger recalls. “And I said, ‘Yeah.’ So I got it rolling in First gear, cranked it hard to the left, revved it up, and popped the clutch. We did three donuts before we stopped. I was in awe of both the car and the experience, it was truly a dream come true.