NASCAR Engineer Works With No Arms

This weekend I wondered upon an article by Chris Jenkins, of the Associated Press, about 26-year-old Richie Parker, a NASCAR engineer who was born without arms. Parker, a graduate of Clemson University, applied for a ten week internship at Hendricks Motorsports in 2005 and has been working there ever since. Note : Hendrick Motorsports is a NASCAR powerhouse and home to Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Richie Parker has proved over and over that he is a self-sufficient hard worker. Parker is just one of the guys, except he operates everything, down to the mouse and keyboard with his feet. What a truly amazing and inspiring man.

Jenkins reports:

"My role is very small in the grand scheme of things," Parker said. "But everybody has to do their job. If everybody does their job, we'll be successful. That's how I look at it. That's how I approach my job every day - just do my part."

And while he enjoys coming to work at a job where he learns something new every day, he says his journey isn't complete.

"I'm definitely not where I want to be in life," Parker said. "I want to continue to do more, drive for more. I don't think anybody wants to sit around and pat me on the back too much. I'm not there yet"

For Chris Jenkins’ complete article check out Sunday, September 6, 2009, Atlanta Journal Constitution article What he does have is drive( Page C1) or visit:

Disability not providing road block for NASCAR engineer Richie Parkerat http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iamPyn-WtlxM1WHqQheFWpRQeoFg