Neurodiverse Teens Restore A Vintage Bentley To Race Across Mexico
Mexico Or Bust hopes to improve understanding of teens and adults who are different and celebrate what they can achieve
Cars have long fostered the forming of many communities, whether they be individual model clubs, brand loyalists or general car gals and guys. A great story in particular centers around a single 1993 Bentley Continental: R. Tom Webster, former partner and creative director at Mother, dreamed of owning this model and parted with most of his savings to buy the car several years ago. It wasn’t in the best condition and Webster dropped the car off at JE Robison Service in Springfield, Massachusetts owned by John Elder Robison, a noted east coast Bentley restorer. Robison, also a The New York Times best-selling author, lives with Asperger syndrome and has written about his experiences with autism. He started a program with a Tri-County School’s special-ed automotive program to teach automotive mechanics and restoration to neurodiverse teenagers.
The teens were helping work on Webster’s car when he visited to check on progress and realized they all had something in common. Webster himself along with his son are autistic and he realized there was potential with this project to do something great.
Webster hatched an idea with Robison about involving the teens to prepare the car to race in the historic La Carrera Panamericana, a nearly 1,900 mile road race across Mexico. From that point on, Mexico Or Bust was born.
The project aims to spread awareness and spark conversation about neurodiversity and autism by showcasing the extraordinary talents of teenagers beyond their disabilities.
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