Community Corner
Racers Hit Grand Prix Track for Fundraiser to Fight Cancer
First Annual East Coast Karting Championship included more than 150 participating racers, according to group's founder.
Racers, supporters and volunteers of all ages hit the tracks Sunday to literally race for a cure at the First Annual East Coast Karting Championship held at in Mount Kisco.
“We had a nice turnout, more than 150 racers came to race today,” said Ride for Kids Task Force Leader and StrikeDownCancer.org Founder Jon Ford. “This entire event, everything we do at StrikeDownCancer.org, is to find a cause and a cure.”
The day’s events raised several thousands of dollars for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. The proceeds will fund vital research, give grants to the nation's leading medical institutions, give scholarships to brain tumor survivors and provide family support services.
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The Karting Championship began at noon – Ford and Rep. Nan Hayworth (R-Bedford) kicked off the event - and there were a total of 4 sessions. Racers with the top 20 times moved on to the finals, where they competed on the Super Track, a combination of all three tracks linked together, for a chance to become the first East Coast Karting Champion.
First place went to Steve McAleer of White Plains, who won a day of motorsports racing at the Skip Barber Racing School. Second place winner G.J. Dixon of Scarsdale received a racing package from Grand Prix New York for himself and 10 of his friends.
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StrikeDownCancer.org serves as the central hub for Jon Ford and his wife Valerie’s fundraising efforts in support of Ride for Kids and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Active fundraisers since 2000, the family witnessed first hand pain and unrelenting sadness brain cancer brings on a family. In 2004, Jon’s brother, Russ, succumbed to the disease.
"We're thrilled that StrikeDownCancer.org and Ride For Kids chose our facility for the first East Coast Karting Championship," said Nat Mundy, co-founder and VP of GPNY. "While we always enjoy hosting events, it's truly rewarding to see the community join together and race on behalf of a worthwhile cause."
Grand Prix donated all proceeds from Sunday to Ride for Kids, while the Hess Corporation paid for full use of the GPNY facility. Other sponsors included Business As Usual, Locomotion Powersports, Motorcycle Mall, 103.9 WFAS (who broadcasted live from the event), Maxum Cigars, and Dennis Sports Consulting.
