Imagine skimming close to a paved track at 100 miles per hour, wind blasting in your face, as a rocket propels you along.
Bob Gullickson plans to do that in September when he'll take to the racetrack in Brainerd, Minn., to attempt to set a world speed record. His machine resembles a high-tech go-cart more than a wheelchair, but both Gullickson and inventor Ky Michaelson agree that a standard wheelchair isn't safe for that kind of speed.
"I just always loved going fast," said Gullickson, self-branded as "Rocket Bob." "I'm not afraid to do this but I want to get it over with."
Gullickson, 44, is a paraplegic who has used a wheelchair since he was 19. He was a cook in the U.S. Navy in California when he took a tumble from his motorcycle and fell on a landscape stake that struck his spinal column.
Nowadays, the Forest Lake man is addicted to hot cars, fast motors and the element of surprise.
"It's not just speed, but to do something that surprises myself and others," he explained recently at his house in Forest Lake. "I think I have a desire to do things that have speed involved, but I won't do anything faster than my guardian angel says is OK."
Michaelson, a nationally renowned inventor when it comes to the world of speed, invented the machine that Gullickson will drive. It weighs about 150 pounds, shoots forward on a hydrogen peroxide-fueled thrust, and has handles on the back to resemble a wheelchair.
The Guinness Book of World Records has advised him that a new category called "fastest wheelchair" has been opened in anticipation of his September dash. He'll be the first wheelchair user to set a record, but he won't know how fast he's comfortable driving until he practices.
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Bob Gullickson plans to do that in September when he'll take to the racetrack in Brainerd, Minn., to attempt to set a world speed record. His machine resembles a high-tech go-cart more than a wheelchair, but both Gullickson and inventor Ky Michaelson agree that a standard wheelchair isn't safe for that kind of speed.
"I just always loved going fast," said Gullickson, self-branded as "Rocket Bob." "I'm not afraid to do this but I want to get it over with."
Gullickson, 44, is a paraplegic who has used a wheelchair since he was 19. He was a cook in the U.S. Navy in California when he took a tumble from his motorcycle and fell on a landscape stake that struck his spinal column.
Nowadays, the Forest Lake man is addicted to hot cars, fast motors and the element of surprise.
"It's not just speed, but to do something that surprises myself and others," he explained recently at his house in Forest Lake. "I think I have a desire to do things that have speed involved, but I won't do anything faster than my guardian angel says is OK."
Michaelson, a nationally renowned inventor when it comes to the world of speed, invented the machine that Gullickson will drive. It weighs about 150 pounds, shoots forward on a hydrogen peroxide-fueled thrust, and has handles on the back to resemble a wheelchair.
The Guinness Book of World Records has advised him that a new category called "fastest wheelchair" has been opened in anticipation of his September dash. He'll be the first wheelchair user to set a record, but he won't know how fast he's comfortable driving until he practices.
