Race car driver born without arms defies odds

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Being born without arms hasn’t stopped Joseph Renfro from getting behind the wheel of a race car.

“I remember really wanting to ride a bike, but I couldn’t balance well, ” Renfro said, adding that his time at Shriners Children’s in Salt Lake City was vital to accomplishing his goal of riding — a goal he said didn’t come easily.

“They had a tricycle, and I was able to steer with my left foot and pedal with my right foot,” Renfro said.

As Renfro moved from bikes to race cars, his dad modified the steering wheel and pedals on a four-cylinder Ford Tempo to allow his son to drive. Similarly to riding a bike, Renfro uses the sole of one foot to steer, while controlling the pedals with the other.

On top of being born without arms, Renfro was also born with one leg that is almost two feet shorter than the other. He said his race car comes equipped with pedal extensions.

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to race,” Renfro told ABC4.com.

In 2023, he won his first race when he competed with his brothers against a field of other racers. Later that year, Renfro was nominated by NASCAR great, Ken Shrader, for the Real Racer of the Year Award, which took him and his family to Indianapolis to accept.

Renfro is currently a student at the University of Wyoming, but says he’ll continue racing anytime he can while also inspiring others facing physical challenges to accomplish their goals.

“Just put your mind to it, and if you tell yourself that you can do it, you can,” Renfro said.