Racing Redefined: How Guy Davies turned adversity into speed — and proved that disability isn’t a barrier to equal competition

Guy Davies en route to the start line in his Liqui Moly Porsche 911 Carrera II.
PHOTO CREDIT: Speed Classic Cape Town.

Every so often, a driver reminds the world what motorsport is really about. At the inaugural Speed Classic Cape Town, that driver was Guy Davies. Paralyzed from the waist down after an old rugby injury, the Scottish-born driver turned heads not just for his speed, but for the story behind it. With hand controls and an unbreakable will, he powered his daily-driven Porsche up the 1.8-kilometre Philip Kgosana Drive hillclimb — proving that passion for speed doesn’t fade with circumstance. It simply finds a new way to shift gears.

Originally from Scotland, Davies moved to South Africa in 1995. Back then, his focus was business — exporting Rooibos tea and Buchu — not racing. But in 2000, a rugby injury changed everything. “After my disability, I was quite depressed, thought that my life was over. You then realise that you actually are the same person, and you've got the same hopes and desires as before, you just have to approach things a bit differently.”

That revelation became a turning point. Racing, once a youthful passion, became a mission. “This is about showing that people with disabilities can compete equally,” he explains. “Give us the right adaptations, and we’ll match anyone.” His times at Speed Classic Cape Town weren’t a sideshow; they stood tall among the best — and told a story far bigger than lap times ever could. 

In 2025, at the Simola Hillclimb in Knysna, Davies didn’t just compete — he claimed third in his category, driving his 2018 Porsche 911 Carrera II. It wasn’t a purpose-built racecar trailered in; it was his daily driver, modified with hand-controls, driven to the event, raced, and driven home — with over 217,466 kilometres on the clock.

For Davies, racing is deeply personal. His wife survived breast cancer and leukaemia. “It focuses the mind a lot,” he says. “It’s about carpe diem — seize the day. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Enjoy life while you can. It’s a celebration of life.” Her resilience fuels him. “She supports me from home.”

Davies in his Porsche after completing his final run at Speed Classic Cape Town.
PHOTO CREDIT: Slipstream SA

His Porsche may be comparatively modest in specification, but it’s monumental in meaning. “It’s the base coupe — the slowest, least powerful one,” he explains. “All we added were hand controls. So, you pull to accelerate, and push to brake. I maintain that I’ve actually got more control than most people have with their feet. And, it’s easy to get used to.”

Guy adds that his engineering team is currently working on converting a Subaru. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to run two cars next year,” he says. “This one will be a bit different, as it’s a manual — so we’re fitting a clutch onto the gear change.”

Despite the limitations that a wheelchair presents, once in his car, it becomes the great equaliser. As he explains, “once you're behind the wheel of a car, the disability disappears. When I'm driving on the road, I'm just the same as everyone else. I'm just another car, another driver. The difference is I'm better than them.”

Davies wants people to see the normality behind the wheel. “Just because I'm in a wheelchair, people shouldn't see me any differently. A wheelchair is purely a mobility device. That's all it is to it.” Yet ignorance persists. “I will have complete strangers come up to me and say, ‘oh, what a waste of a nice car on someone like you. You ought to give it to me. A cripple like you can't drive a car, can't enjoy a car like this.’ Rather than just telling those people to bugger off, now I can turn around and say, ‘well, okay, you go, and have a go at the Speed Classic Cape Town event. Go and do a time, come back and tell me if you can beat my time.’”

Every run is more than a test of speed — it’s a statement of equality. Before his accident, Davies was a six-foot-two male who rarely noticed inequality. Being in a wheelchair changed that instantly. “If you're a white male, 6-foot-2, nobody pushes in the queue in front of you, and you think that's normal. And, all of a sudden, I was in a wheelchair, and I remember coming home saying, bloody people are pushing in front of me in the queue. And, my five-foot-two wife said, ‘join the real world, it happens all the time.’” That awareness deepened when he and his wife adopted their daughter, who faces discrimination as a person of colour, and as he sees the challenges women encounter daily. These experiences have shaped both the person he is off the track and the racer.

Off the track, Davies runs his accessibility consultancy, lectures part-time at the University of Cape Town, and still finds time to chase podiums. His racing carries even greater purpose: a friend invited him to drive in memory of his grandson Jack — a young boy with severe disabilities who tragically passed away. “Jack comes with me in every race,” Davies says, showing a photo on the back of his phone - “He’s my co-pilot.”

Applause from fans as Guy Davies returns from a run up the hill at Speed Classic Cape Town.
PHOTO CREDIT: Speed Classic Cape Town

At Speed Classic Cape Town, Davies hit his goal. “I wanted to be under 50 seconds — and I am. I’m really pleased,” he says, smiling. His 49.674-second run placed him fifth overall in the A2 category.

From Simola to Killarney MasterDrive and now Speed Classic Cape Town, he’s already eyeing the next challenge. “If there are more hillclimbs, sign me up.”

Guy Davies reminds us that racing is never just about speed — it’s about courage, purpose, and equality. Every hill he climbs, every lap he completes, is a testament to what happens when determination meets opportunity. His story isn’t just for motorsport fans; it’s a lesson for anyone facing obstacles: adapt, persist, and rise. Sometimes, the most extraordinary victories aren’t measured in seconds or metres — they’re measured in the human spirit that drives us forward.

If you'd like to follow Guy's next adventure and see where the road takes him next, head over to Instagram @guydavies41 for updates behind-the-scenes moments, and more.