4th Annual Champions for Charities Race Returns to Stafford
Stafford Springs, CT — Stafford Motor Speedway’s Champions for Charities race will return for a 4th consecutive season on Friday, June 27th. The event has collectively raised over $150,000 throughout the past 3 seasons for numerous charities. This year’s 15-lap feature will have a total of 11 open-wheeled championship drivers competing to raise money for the charity of their choice in Wild Thing Senior Outlaw Karts.
Each driver will be competing on and off the track in attempts to raise the most money for their charity. The driver who raises the highest amount will start on the pole, and the rest of the lineup will fall in descending order according to the total drivers have raised for their charity. Over the past 3 years, drivers have utilized different fund raising opportunities that have included an annual golf tournament, bowling events, track walk, auction items, and other challenges to increase their bottom line and give them a better starting position for the 15-lap feature event.
Last year’s pole sitter, David Arute, raised an impressive total of $7,205 for the Lustgarten Foundation while last year’s feature winner, Richie Pallai, Jr., started 6th after raising a total of $4,246 for the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary. These drivers will be returning for the popular race event and to bring awareness to their respective charities.
The Champions for Charities event will take place on Stafford’s Mini-Mile track during the Friday night program on June 27th. Each driver will be equipped with a Senior Outlaw Kart provided by Wild Thing Karts. The champion driver lineup is currently made up of 11 accomplished drivers and the charities they represent:
· Ryan Preece – 2011 Stafford SK Modified® Champion and 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion – Racing for Make-A-Wish Foundation
· Richie Pallai, Jr. – 2009 Tech-Net Spring Sizzler SK Modified® Champion and 2013 Champions for Charity winner – Racing for Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary
· David Arute – 2011 Wild Thing Karts Sr. Outlaw Champion – Racing for #BenWasHere Foundation
· Ted Christopher – 7-time Stafford SK Modified® Champion and 2008 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion – Racing for Racing Against Cancer
· Doug Coby – 2012 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion – Racing for (TBD)
· Woody Pitkat – 2006 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Champion and 2013 Stafford SK Modified® Champion – Racing in conjunction with NAPA Auto Parts for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
· Bob Potter – 5-time Stafford SK Modified® Champion – Racing for Compassion For Cats of New London County
· Rowan Pennink – 2013 Modified Racing Series Champion – Racing for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
· Ron Midford – 2-time Wild Thing Kart Senior Champ Champion – Racing for the Troy Russell Benefit Fund
· Randy Cabral – 3-time NEMA Midget Champion – Racing for The Shane Hammond Foundation
· Ron Silk – 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion – Racing for The Lustgarten Foundation
For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR