This past weekend I was fortunate enough to help out at a fund raiser to raise awareness about Melanoma cancer. As most of you already knows. I posted a story about a month and a half ago about a family who lost a loved one to this curable but yet deadly cancer.
Well the family who lost their loved one just happens to also race a late model as well as a super late model at Toyota Speedway of Irwindale. Which is a half and also a third mile asphalt track which just picked up Toyota as its major sponsor at the beginning of the year. Toyota signed a five year sponsorship deal with the track in hopes of brining more fans to the sport.
While speaking with Jim and Terri Cass. The car owners and also the sister of Mark Bartulis. Mark is the one who lost his battle with Melanoma. They were saying that even though this is the first year of the event. www.racing4thecure.com. That they plan on holding it once a year to continue to bring awareness to the community as well as to continue to raise funds to try to stop this deadly disease.
TeamCassRacing has dedicated their whole racing season in memory of Terri's brother Mark. Toyota speedway as well as few other businesses around the area have come together to help in the fight. A fight that can and someday will be won. But to win this battle. It takes many. As most of us already knows. There are all types of cancer. Some cancers if detected early enough. Can be cured.
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that attacks the bones, liver, kidneys and brain as well. If detected early enough, there is a cure for it. This type of cancer like most. Attacks both men and women. And it is also the fastest growing cancer in the U.S. and worldwide. As I am writing this blog. There is one person dying every hour from it. There are also more cases of Melanoma then A.I.D.S. or H.I.V. This cancer does not discriminate against age. It will attack all age groups. And the chances of getting it are 1 in 60.
It was really awesome to see how well this event was put together. Especially the way they have utilized there race team to bring the awareness level up. Chris Johnson which is there young 25 year old driver. Was heavily involved showing all of the youngsters as well as the older crowd what short track racing is all about. Letting whoever wanted to see what it felt like to sit in one of the cars that he drives regularly at the speedway.
TeamCassRacing brought there late model as well as there super late model race cars to the event. They are also in the process of buying a Winston West car which Chris will also be driving in a few West races before the year is up. Chris himself is no stranger to what victory feels like. In his 11 years driving different types of race cars. He is a 2 time West Coast Pro truck champion at Toyota speedway. He has driven everything from quarter midgets, micro sprints, half midgets, legends, American race trucks and now pilots the late as well as the super late model for TeamCassRacing.
While talking with Chris during the event. He was very enjoyable as well as a real down to earth person. You could really see the desire and the love that he has for the sport in the way that he talked about it. His team owner Jim is also an old school race car driver. Racing back in the day when dirt and clay were the preferred choices of some of our now forgotten heroes.
After all this is how most of our big name stars got there feet wet. Climbing through the ranks and following the path the usually always starts here at the short tracks across America. Its just to bad that alot of these tracks are closing down because of either corporate America wanting to take over. But most of it is due to the decline in fans not wanting to take the time and come out and support these weekend warriors. After all to a true fan of the sport. Racing should be racing no matter what level they are racing at.
And for those of you who havent taken the time out to go out and watch these saturday or friday night racing events. You really don't know what you are missing. These men and women give it there all week in and week out. How many of you have ever done something just for the right to be able to come back and brag about how you beat this person or beat that person. Alot of times the competition is alot more fiece when it comes to bragging rights. Because the prize money really isnt that great. But what they lack in prize money. They more then make up for it in the commoradity that goes on at these short tracks across America.
Talk to any big name cup driver and ask them why they sometimes choose to go race a saturday night main event at a local track? One of the most common answers that you will get? Its because of their love for the sport. The thrill of competition. The adrenaline rush of just sitting behind the wheel of a race car. Reminising about how they got there first start. Besides you never know if that driver that you might like to watch at one of these local tracks someday just might make it to the big time. They all started somewhere.
So take the time to support your local short track. Whether it be dirt, clay or asphalt. These drivers need our support just as much as the Jeff's, Tony's, Jr's or whoever your favorite driver might be. Short track racing is quickly becoming a dying breed. Its time for all of us race fans to step up to the challenge and show our support. Besides where else can you watch 3 or 4 different classes of racing in one night for less then what a beer may cost at Sprint cup race? Good luck to TeamCassRacing and to all of the other short track racers around the country. And also remember that this is Melanoma Awareness month. Dont wait. Get yourself a skin examination before it just might be to late. Because after all. The life you save just might be your own. Im Out
Thankyou for sharing frevr. Was wondering were you been. Checking out the web site. Will see what another fan can do to help. God Bless. And safe racing to ya..
Noahspop- Thanks. My mom has been in the hospital for the past 2 weeks. So between work and going to see her. I just havent had the time to spend on here. The turnout for the event was pretty good. But the money that they have raised so far has well exceded their expectations. Another race team at Irwindale has asked them if they could put their logo on there hood. So all in all. One way or another the message is being sent. Thanks again. :)
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, frevr3fan, and kudos to you for finding the time to help while other more pressing matters weighed in on you!
3fan- Thanks for the update on this event. Sounds like it was very successful! Kudos to you for spreading the word...being from AZ I am well versed in skin cancer. Hope your mom is ok.
3fan - you're such a big sweet softie! (I know you'll hate me for saying that..lol). Thanks for sharing about this event and raising awareness in your own way. It's great that the charitable works that NASCAR is so well known for is a alive and well in grass roots racing. And you're dead on, we need to make sure we keep the grass roots part of racing alive and well.
Hope things are ok with your mom. Glad to see you around.
I have much respect for you. This is wonderful. I hope your Mom gets well soon. Take care of yourself, don't spread yourself too thin, because your Mom is going to need your support.
This is a great way to make more people aware of this deadly disease and am glad a race track went so far as to promote this.
Having been through 2 incidents of Melanoma my self, many do not know of the cancer's capabilities untill it is too late. People at any age should have a Dermatologist or their family Dr. look for this cancer at every visit. This is especially true for the ones that spend a lot of time out in the sun with out UV sun blocker skin protection.
Although not as deadly,incidents of Basal Cell and Squamis cell skin cancers should also be checked.
I would like to thank foever3 for all he has to done to help my team to bring this awareness on melanoma. my hubby and i are the car owner's of the slm 50 & winston west 50. we are racing 4 the cure. foreve3 you are the best ever.
thanks again.
oh we are invited to another walk in nov. 08
Dwindy- Actually it was alot of fun. I wrote a blog about myself last year. And in it. I shared a little about spending 2 years of my life in prison. I also wrote that when I finally got out. That I was gonna try to make a differnce in any way that I could. What really made it neat was that it had to do with racing. Thanks. :)
Kristen- Thanks. The event was really neat. They even had a motorhome and they gave free skin screenings. So of course living out here in the hot sun almost year round. I went and got myself checked. Its kind of scary when I started thinking back to how much time I spent out in the sun without any sunblock. Thanks for asking about mom's. :)
Kena- SHHHH You werent supposed to tell anyone. LOL Its good to see that you finally made it over here. Reading your posts I can see that your already a hit. Good Job
VolFan- She finally came home last night. She had us scared there for a moment. What was only supposed to be 2 or 3 days in the hospital. Turned into 2 weeks. Thanks for your concern.
Photo- There are alot more diseases and sicknesses out there like you say. A yearly physical is good way to try to help prevent them. Im glad to hear that you are also doing better.
50forever- It was my pleasure. I really learned alot in the past few months about it. Helping you and your family really showed me how much each one of us can make a difference. All we need to do is take a step of faith. So instead of thanking me. I thank you for giving me that chance to be part of it. :)
Thanks for sharing and also helping raise awareness on this cancer with the event. It's amazing how the older you get, the more you respect your parents for being persistant on things like wearing sunscreen, and such.
Yeemum- To see the local teams getting involved is really awesome. It sends out a message that you dont have to be an HMS or JGR to get the word out. It all starts in our own backyard.
Lori- There sre so many things around us that we can help out with. There was this young girl that I was talking to who said that whenever she hears about a fund raiser. She gets involved. And she is barely graduating this year from school. I was totally amazed that even the younger crowd would take time out of there busy schedules to help out at something like this.
Gerrel- When I was young I never wore sunscreen. I always thought that it was for the girls. But after finding out what the sun can do to you. I am now gonna take more precautions. Thanks for the concern about my mom. Im glad that she is home. it was along 2 weeks.
Forensic- Thanks. It was pretty awesome to see how the people that went took to the race cars even though it wasnt Jeff,Jr or some other popular driver. Thats cool for reading it late. At least you got around to it.
I am a hard core Nascar fan from Cali . I also love football, baseball, golf and basketball. I try to attend as many races a year as I can. Ive been to Kansas,Infine on,Phoenix,Ve gas,Californi a just to name a few. Ive been a fan going on about 20+ years. There is nothing like short track racing at Irwindale on saturday nights. Also love to watch and attend drag races. Of course John Force is my favorite driver. Im also a fan of Tony Schumacher. Maybe someday to be able to write about Nascar.
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to help out at a fund raiser to raise awareness about Melanoma cancer. As most of you already knows. I posted a story about a month and a half ago about a family who lost a loved one to this curable but yet deadly cancer.
