CARTERSVILLE, GA – The “Ride For Life” Program is a special way the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series and its competitors take time out of their busy schedules in the fast-paced and highly competitive world of dirt late model racing, and give back some time and effort to help the American Cancer Society find a cure for the nation’s most deadly disease.
It also gives the fans an opportunity to do the same, and at the same time do something few fans get to experience. The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series “Ride For Life” Program involves the fans bidding for a ride at race speed around the track in a special built two-seat dirt late model race car.
The American Cancer Society Ride For Life program will be a part of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring event at Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville, TN on Saturday night, July 18.
Drivers that will participate in the “Ride For Life” on Saturday night, July 18 at Mountain Raceway Park are National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN, NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Icebowl winner Brad Hall of Knoxville, TN, three-time Mountain Raceway Park Late Model Champion Kevin Coffey of Friendsville, TN, along with 2009 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Championship contenders Josh Henry of Newport, TN, and Hunter Best of Greenback, TN.
“The Ride For Life dirt late model is a real race car, just like the ones the fans see in competition,” NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS President of Operations and Communications Roby Helm said. “It’s the same type of chassis and the same GM Performance Racing Engine all of our competitors use. The only difference is that is has a passenger seat so race fans can take the Ride For Life.”
At selected events on the 2009 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series schedule; race fans will have the opportunity to bid for a six-lap ride at race speed around the track with their favorite driver. They can also purchase tickets that give them an opportunity to win a ride through a drawing. All of the proceeds go to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
“This is a rare opportunity for the race fans to experience the sport of dirt late model from a new perspective in that they can see, hear and feel what their favorite driver does, but instead of watching them at a distance from the grandstands, they can sit right next them in the race car,” Helm said. “They see the wall coming up fast, they hear the constant roar of the engine, and they feel breeze coming through the cockpit and the g-forces leaning them to the right in the seat. There is no amusement park ride that can come close to the 100 mile per hour Ride For Life.”
The American Cancer Society Ride For Life Program has become a community project in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.
“Our competitors have gladly been taking turns at being the caretakers of the American Cancer Society Ride For Life two-seat race car,” Helm said. “Like any other race car, the Ride For Life race car needs the same maintenance and preparation that a competitive race car needs. Our competitors will load up the Ride For Life race car along with their own race car, take it to their shop, clean it up, do the maintenance, load it back up in the hauler, and bring it to the next event.”
Helm said the race teams prepare the Ride For Life race car so it will turn competitive lap times around the track with a passenger that would easily qualify the car for a NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series main event.
“The Ride For Life race car brings a lot of enjoyment to fans and competitors alike, but the biggest thrill will be using the proceeds to help the American Cancer Society find a cure for Cancer,” Helm said. “Cancer has affected all of us because we have all had a loved one or a close friend that has been a victim of this deadly disease.
“We have to find cure,” Helm said. “While most race fans and competitors are not doctors and scientists, we can play an important role in helping them find a cure by helping to fund the research they need. The American Cancer Society people have told me that one in three people have a high risk of being afflicted with a form of cancer. I tell the fans in the stands to look to their right, then look to their left, and one of them, including themselves stands a good chance of getting cancer.”
The hope of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series is that while a fan is getting the enjoyment of the Ride Fort Life at speed around the race track, the money they spent for the ride will be the money that puts the research over the top and finds the cure for cancer.
The 50-lap $2,500-to-win Nesmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring event on Saturday night at Mountain Raceway Park will be Round 14 of the 2009 season. The NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Tour will also be in action at Wartburg Speedway in Wartburg, TN on Friday night with a 40-lap $2,000-to-win main event.
It also gives the fans an opportunity to do the same, and at the same time do something few fans get to experience. The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series “Ride For Life” Program involves the fans bidding for a ride at race speed around the track in a special built two-seat dirt late model race car.
The American Cancer Society Ride For Life program will be a part of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring event at Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville, TN on Saturday night, July 18.
Drivers that will participate in the “Ride For Life” on Saturday night, July 18 at Mountain Raceway Park are National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN, NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Icebowl winner Brad Hall of Knoxville, TN, three-time Mountain Raceway Park Late Model Champion Kevin Coffey of Friendsville, TN, along with 2009 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Championship contenders Josh Henry of Newport, TN, and Hunter Best of Greenback, TN.
“The Ride For Life dirt late model is a real race car, just like the ones the fans see in competition,” NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS President of Operations and Communications Roby Helm said. “It’s the same type of chassis and the same GM Performance Racing Engine all of our competitors use. The only difference is that is has a passenger seat so race fans can take the Ride For Life.”
At selected events on the 2009 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series schedule; race fans will have the opportunity to bid for a six-lap ride at race speed around the track with their favorite driver. They can also purchase tickets that give them an opportunity to win a ride through a drawing. All of the proceeds go to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
“This is a rare opportunity for the race fans to experience the sport of dirt late model from a new perspective in that they can see, hear and feel what their favorite driver does, but instead of watching them at a distance from the grandstands, they can sit right next them in the race car,” Helm said. “They see the wall coming up fast, they hear the constant roar of the engine, and they feel breeze coming through the cockpit and the g-forces leaning them to the right in the seat. There is no amusement park ride that can come close to the 100 mile per hour Ride For Life.”
The American Cancer Society Ride For Life Program has become a community project in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.
“Our competitors have gladly been taking turns at being the caretakers of the American Cancer Society Ride For Life two-seat race car,” Helm said. “Like any other race car, the Ride For Life race car needs the same maintenance and preparation that a competitive race car needs. Our competitors will load up the Ride For Life race car along with their own race car, take it to their shop, clean it up, do the maintenance, load it back up in the hauler, and bring it to the next event.”
Helm said the race teams prepare the Ride For Life race car so it will turn competitive lap times around the track with a passenger that would easily qualify the car for a NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series main event.
“The Ride For Life race car brings a lot of enjoyment to fans and competitors alike, but the biggest thrill will be using the proceeds to help the American Cancer Society find a cure for Cancer,” Helm said. “Cancer has affected all of us because we have all had a loved one or a close friend that has been a victim of this deadly disease.
“We have to find cure,” Helm said. “While most race fans and competitors are not doctors and scientists, we can play an important role in helping them find a cure by helping to fund the research they need. The American Cancer Society people have told me that one in three people have a high risk of being afflicted with a form of cancer. I tell the fans in the stands to look to their right, then look to their left, and one of them, including themselves stands a good chance of getting cancer.”
The hope of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series is that while a fan is getting the enjoyment of the Ride Fort Life at speed around the race track, the money they spent for the ride will be the money that puts the research over the top and finds the cure for cancer.
The 50-lap $2,500-to-win Nesmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring event on Saturday night at Mountain Raceway Park will be Round 14 of the 2009 season. The NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Tour will also be in action at Wartburg Speedway in Wartburg, TN on Friday night with a 40-lap $2,000-to-win main event.
