The Sonoma Raceway chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities raised more than $75,000 through a trio of creative fundraising activities leading up to the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup Series race, June 6.
“This year we had to get super creative to find unique ways to raise money during our NASCAR weekend for our area children in need through these fun programs,” said SCC-Sonoma director Cheri Plattner. “We greatly appreciate the support of our donors and corporate partners in helping make these activities a great success.”
For the first time in track history, guests who made a donation to SCC through the Laps For Charity program were allowed to take their personal vehicles out on the iconic 12-turn road course and make a few laps. On Friday, June 4, 115 donors driving everything from Toyota Camrys, Dodge Hellcats, Ford Mustangs, Chevy Camaros as well as a variety of vintage roadsters and muscle cars sped around the track behind Sonoma Raceway pace cars. The event raised more than $28,000.
Another innovative program, The Fan in the Stands, showcased 173 guests who made donations to have cardboard cutouts of their likenesses positioned in the front section of the main grandstands near the start/finish line. More than $46,000 was raised through the program, which was supported by several corporate partners, including LifeWest, United Site Services, Toyota Motors North America, Kaiser Permanente, Hanson Bridgett and Ahlborn Fence.
The cutouts included FOX Race Hub personalities Shannon Spake, Larry McReynolds and Jamie McMurray. The show did a fun segment with the cutouts Sunday morning as their ace reporter Bob Pockrass did his weekend news and notes update from that grandstand section.
SCC-Sonoma also hosted an online auction during the week that raised more than $2,000.
The Sonoma chapter of Speedway Children's Charities has distributed more than $6.8 million to Sonoma County youth groups since 2001. For more information about the Sonoma chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, visit SpeedwayCharities.org/Sonoma.
