By Matteo Iadonisi 6ABC
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — After receiving a double amputation as a teen, West Philadelphia native Reggie Showers took the motorcycle drag racing world by storm.
“Using prosthetic legs to race is pretty difficult,” he said. “I pursued it as a career. 22, 23 years later, you know, I retired as a two-time world champion.”
Now, Showers is giving back as an instructor at Urban Youth Racing School. UYRS was founded in 1998 by fellow motorsports fanatic, Anthony Martin, for kids in Philadelphia.
“My hope for them is really more to get involved in the industry, in the motorsports industry,” he said. “And it’s funny, the benefits of seeing some of our kids be successful already from this is more powerful than anything.”
Typically, UYRS hosts programming on Saturdays. But a recent first-of-its-kind partnership with Universal Vare Charter School is allowing students to get hands-on education during the school day.
Students are bussed to the lab at UYRS and learn about racing, aeronautics, and engineering as part of a collaborative curriculum.
“We want to instill in them that belief that if they see it, they can achieve it. And a lot of times, that’s lost in our communities,” said Reggie Showers. “These kids don’t see themselves and we try to give them options outside of the normal box to pursue these types of careers.”
To learn more about Urban Youth Racing School, visit their website.
