Follow a Dream Crew chief Blake is devoted to his Alcohol Funny Car team despite coping with blindness
BY JOHN R. IRBY TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Jul 15, 2006
Political correctness is a language consideration, including context and use of the word disability. But Jay Blake doesn't care about political correctness. He is disabled.
The point is, I do have a disability," Blake said. "I can't see. Some things I just can't do, but it doesn't keep me from doing a lot of things."
One of those is being crew chief for an Alcohol Funny Car dragster team with a top-speed quarter-mile of 259 mph in 5.56 seconds.
Blake, 39, has his Follow a Dream team at Virginia Motorsports Park in Petersburg this weekend for the National Hot Rod Association Division I Drag Racing Series. He was blinded at 31 when an industrial forklift tire exploded in his face. Not only did he lose his sight, but also his sense of smell and taste. But he has retained and advanced his love and passion of racing - and helping others through a nonprofit foundation and inspirational speaking.
"We all get caught on a pinwheel, going to work, paying the bills," he said. "We have to stop and put things in perspective."
Blake, who recently married, is a father to five children. One of his favorite things is spending time with his family. He says enjoying life is all about the opportunities we have, not the ones we've lost.
"There are so many wonderful things in my life since my accident, and it would be hard to give all those up just to see."
The Follow a Dream team races a 2002 Dodge Avenger on a Murf McKinney TA/FC chassis powered by a
3,000-horsepower aluminum hemi engine. Funny Cars are methanol-injected and distinguished by carbon fiber bodies and supercharged engines.
"There is so much emotion [at the race]," Blake said. "I don't know if it is anxiety, but you get so built up. We may win a race at 5.9 seconds, and people might be excited, but in reality, we might be disappointed because we wanted to run a 5.7 seconds."
Racing is important to Blake, but he also derives great pleasure in the 20 to 30 speaking appearances he gives every year.
"My blindness makes me different in what I am doing," he said. "If I could see, I'd be just another guy racing a car. But I can make a difference in people's lives because I can talk to them. I can share my situation and inspire people to go after their dreams."
Blake's positive outlook is often tested, however, by how others react to him because of his disability, missed everyday pleasures that many take for granted and day-to-day financial concerns.
People who don't know him often will try to do too many things for him. Sometimes they talk louder, thinking that will somehow compensate for his blindness. And they also talk to whoever he's with, asking questions to say, his daughter, rather than to him.
"The majority of all people are good people, but they don't know how to act. If I need assistance, I'll ask for it."
Blake also misses being able to see the impact and power of basic life experiences.
"Seeing things can make life much more stimulating. Take for instance the scenery while driving down the highway, which I do a lot. It never changes for me."
While Blake gained some financial security in a settlement from his accident, his racing and motivational speaking opportunities are aided by Permatex Inc., a manufacturer, distributor and marketer of chemical products to the automotive maintenance and repair markets, and one of its products, Fast Orange, a biodegradable petroleum solvent-free hand cleaner.
"We've gone into debt and remortgaged the house twice," he said. "While we used to speak for free, the reality is we need financial help to cover expenses. We don't race with an enormous budget. Our all-volunteer team does a great job."
