An injured Fife veteran who has had to learn to walk again is now in the fast lane.
Mike Courts, 26, from Lochgelly, is carving a successful career as a motorsport driver.
He broke his spine in 2011 while serving with the Black Watch in Afghanistan.
Mike has since endured many operations and years of physiotherapy and has had to learn to walk again.
Introduced to motorsport as part of his rehabilitation he has become one of the rising stars of the Scottish Motor Racing Club circuit and is about to embark on his first full season of racing.
Mike, who has been supported by Help for Heroes, said he had had aid from the charity on many levels, including funding for race gear and assistance to retrain as an offshore inspector.
“Help for Heroes has also helped me by funding other charities, like Combat Stress and Mission Motorsport, who have also supported me.”
Now Mike is looking for sponsors to help him compete — his first race is on April 9, fittingly Armed Forces Appreciation Day, at Knockhill race circuit.
Joining Mike — the only injured veteran currently competing on the Scottish circuit — is fellow Fifer Kenny Watson.
Kenny was medically discharged last month from the 3rd Battalion the Rifles, with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, hearing loss and back injuries after being caught up in two bomb blasts in Afghanistan in 2012.
Kenny, 27, who has also been supported by Help for Heroes, has spent the last nine months stripping down and completely rebuilding his Subaru Impreza in preparation for the Super Lap Scotland season at Knockhill.
He is also joining the Disabled Motorsport Scotland team, a mixture of ex-servicemen and civilians, in Scotland’s first all ability team.
It’s a fresh start for the dad-of-one, who has set up PTSD Performance to raise awareness of mental health issues and fundraise for other veterans struggling with the condition, as he prepares to move from Dreghorn Barracks to Kirkcaldy with wife Kerry and son Harris and complete his final exams for a new job as an engineer with Amey.
Kenny said: “I have always been a motorsport fan but this will be my first ever competitive event.
“I wanted something to focus on to keep me from relapsing and where I could apply my military mindset and discipline, so motorsport was a no brainer.”
Anyone who would like to support Kenny can contact him via his Facebook page.
Mike can be contacted on Mike@MikeCourtsRacing.co.uk or on 07522282888.
