Zanardi to race New York Marathon

Alex Zanardi is planning another first. The former Champ Car driver who lost both his legs in a horrific crash in 2001 has announced plans to race in the New York City Marathon next month in the disabled class using a modified handcycle.

"My goal is to finish in less than two hours," Zanardi tells autosport.com.

Last year's top time in the handcycle category was 1:26.24. Of the 95 competitors who finished the race, 17 were able to do so in under two hours.

Zanardi, who currently competes in the BMW World Touring Car Championship, says the idea came up in a conversation with one of his personal sponsors, who stage a Pasta Party on the Saturday before the actual race.

"I said, half seriously, half in jest, that if I had to be (in New York) I might as well take part in the marathon," Zanardi recalled. "Their reaction was, are you crazy? And this obviously stirred my competitiveness up and pushed me to decide that I actually wanted to do it!"

"I have done a lot of crazy things before. Therefore I feel like saying that I won't only cross the start line, but the finish line too."