Texas Hold’ Em Tournament Fundraiser Scheduled for Thompson World Series To Benefit Sonny “King” Richards Memorial
Groton, CT — On Friday, October 16, 2009, at 8PM, the friends of Sonny “The King” Richards will host the first-ever Texas Hold’ Em Poker Tournament at the Raceway Golf Club Restaurant on the grounds of Thompson International Speedway during the running of the World Series of Speedway Racing. There will be a $40 buy-in with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Sonny Richards “Education is King” Scholarship Fund. The payout will be determined by the number of players. Prizes will be paid out to the top-three finishers.
Known to many as the “King”, Sonny Richards was a longtime supporter of Modified racing and friend to the entire Motorsports community. A fan since the days of the coupe, Sonny was a fixture at Modified races throughout the decades. He began his love affair with the auto racing as a journalist covering the sport for the Connecticut Daily News and later as the field representative for Speedway Scene. Sonny passed away at his home in Hartford, CT in July of 2001 after having enjoyed an action-packed Modified race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The King was a man who gave so much of himself to others. The Sonny “King” Richards Memorial was created by a group of his closest friends shortly after his death to help ensure that his spirit lives on. Tributes to Sonny include a memorial award and the Scholarship fund.
Any active participant in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour or their families actively enrolled in a collegiate program is eligible to receive the “Education is King” Sonny Richards Memorial Scholarship. Past recipients of scholarship include Megan Clifford and Kelly Coby-Silk. Megan and her parents remain active in the racing community today. Kelly, along with her husband Ronnie Silk and brother Doug Coby, are among the new generation of the Modified Tour. Anyone interested in the “Education is King” Sonny Richards Memorial Scholarship should contact Dale Wolbrink at (508) 847-0565 or racinpr@aol.com for application requirements.
Proceeds from the Texas Hold’ Em Poker Tournament will help to support the educational aspirations of another member of the racing community. Noted journalist and avid Poker player Shawn Courchesne of the Hartford Courant has agreed to organize the tournament.
Tickets are available for the Texas Hold’ Em Poker Tournament by emailing racinpr@aol.com or by calling (508) 847-0565.
Also, during the weekend, a member of the Modified Tour Racing community will walk away with the 9th Annual Sonny Richards Memorial Award. Each year as part of the ongoing tribute to the late Richards, the memorial award is presented to the owner, driver, crewmember, or official deemed by the media as the best representative of the Whelen Modified Tour. Some truly outstanding people have won this special recognition including Art Barry, Tony Ferrante, Sr., Ralph Solhem, Tom Baldwin, Sr., Jerry Marquis, Howie & Mary Hodge, Mark Mockovak, and Bill Brice.
The World Series of Speedway Racing at Thompson is one of the most fun and unique race events of the season. The friends of Sonny Richards are proud to be a part of the festivities.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR