Car Racing Program Provides Therapy for Veterans, Families

When Breeanna Till lost her husband, Sgt. Brett Till, killed while serving for the Australian military in Afghanistan in 2008, it felt like her whole world was closing in. The couple was also expecting Ziggy, their first child. 

Sgt. Till’s death left damaging ripple effects, leaving mental anguish for his other children from a previous marriage, too. 

Eventually, Till, along with other veterans and their families, found solace in an unexpected place – the racetrack. 

Two years ago, Till started racing cars at the Pheasants Wood Motorsport Circuit in Marulan, New South Wales, Australia. The war widow especially gets a thrill out of conquering the “millemetre mile,” one of the track’s unique features. 

Ziggy, now a teenager, has also taken up racing. Till, who has become a staunch advocate for Australian war veterans, their families and other widows, said racing cars is an opportunity to enjoy a fun activity with her son. 

It’s also a great form of therapy. 

“It's super cool, chasing that millimetre extra, and suddenly your world gets that little bit bigger and then everything else might seem a little bit smaller in comparison. The more you can dive into doing different things and new experiences, the better you feel,” Till said. “Basically, we get out and make the most out of those big feelings inside where hyper vigilance is something you can use, and it's actually good for you.”

On the track, it’s just the driver and their car. The experience allows Till and her son to focus on one thing, instead of letting dark thoughts creep in. 

“You’re having your moment and you’re in sync and you gotta be 100 per cent attuned to that,” Till said. “And when I'm attuned to that, I'm not attuned to the washing load that I forgot to hang out before I left, or the to-do list that's constantly in my head.”

Vietnam War Survivor Gives Back 

Tom Lauder is another veteran who served in Afghanistan, who fell in love with racing. About two years ago, he invited his friend Vinh Tran, a military vehicle aficionado, to check out the Pheasant Wood Circuit racetrack. 

Tran, also affected by war, survived the devastation of Vietnam in his youth. 

“He loves motorsport,” Tran said of Lauder. “I see how happy he is, and there are a lot of veterans who ride motorbikes; a sense of freedom is the therapy.” 

To attract other veterans and their families to the racetrack, Tran developed Veteran Family Track Day, sponsored by his charitable organisation, Military Vehicle, based in Bowral, New South Wales. Tran said the family racing day serves families in several ways. 

“First, it acts as therapy to help veterans when they’re driving,” he said. “They find something in the back of their mind; this settles them down. It’s a therapy — it’s fast, but it's not about racing.

“Today, one man, he sent a nice message. He said he forgot about driving and stopped because of trauma. But now, after today, he feels like driving again.” 

Tran has also developed a driving school where veterans can help teach their children and grandchildren how to drive. 

“Veterans get to help their son, their grandson … it means so much to them and they see, 'I can help my grandson again.’ So rather than sit at home and get upset, they get out teaching their grandsons how to drive safely,” he said. 

In addition, Tran hosts a fundraising event to advocate for Vietnamese children still battling the ramifications of a war that ended 50 years ago, including Agent Orange exposure. 

“Hopefully, we can get sponsorship for our fundraising activity, sending money to help kids in Vietnam, so these three things are what we aim for here," Tran said. 

Cars Maintained by Veterans 

Military Vehicle supplies all the cars on racing days, but they’re not souped-up, high-octane stock cars. Most are decades old, purchased for a few hundred dollars, repaired and maintained by veterans. 

Tran said working on cars gives veterans who are alone and isolated something to do with friends. 

“The veterans … they retire, they’re sick, they stay home, they do nothing. And now we’ve got a permanent base, they can come and work on a car,” Tran said.  

Veteran Mark Winter said he comes to Tran’s shop often to “tinker” on cars, working under the hood, underneath the chassis, and spraying them with a fresh coat of paint. 

Winter, from Sydney, Australia, was injured in the military. He met another veteran who told him about a military vehicle, and it piqued his interest. 

“I contacted Vinh and said, ‘Mate, you’re a very generous man, I’d like to do some volunteer work for you,’ and that’s where it went,” he said. 

For Winter, who battles Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tran’s organisation has been his haven. 

“That’s my happy place,” he said. “Your mind feels safer because you have achieved something. And Vinh’s cars are everyday cars, perfect for young learners.”