12/02/2007

SpeedwayEXPO RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE

    While things have been progressing behind the scenes for the 2nd Annual SpeedwayEXPO, some of its team members have been very much in the limelight lately. Dick Berggren recently was honored with the Bobby Isaac Memorial Award and SpeedwayEXPO itself was recognized by Racing Against Cancer™ for its involvement with the program in 2007.
    On October 12, Berggren received the Bobby Isaac Award during pre-race ceremonies for the Busch Series race at Lowe’s. The award is presented annually by Lowe’s Motor Speedway to an individual in recognition of outstanding contribution to short-track racing.
    “Much like Isaac, [Berggren] possesses a strong passion for short-track racing,” said President and General Manager, Humpy Wheeler, “and fortunately [he] has been willing to share that passion with race fans around the world through [his] work as a writer, editor and broadcaster. [His] dedication to the local racer and promoter has never waned, and the industry is much stronger for it.”
    The Bobby Isaac Award dates back 30 years and past winners include Chris Economaki, Dick Trickle, Hugh Deery, Tommy Houston, Jack Ingram and others.
    Then, on November 10, Cal Green, Director of SpeedwayEXPO Sales, accepted an award on behalf of Speedway Illustrated, the racing magazine that produces EXPO, from Racing Against Cancer™. R.A.C.’s ’07 fund-raising kicked off on a high note when more than $1,766 was raised at the display provided by SpeedwayEXPO last March. At the ceremony, Dick Cyr, founder of David’s House, a haven for terminally ill children receiving treatment through Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, a beneficiary of the R.A.C. Program, called the racing community “the most generous and most caring people [he] had ever worked with.”
    To help boost the organization’s efforts, SpeedwayEXPO had named R.A.C. the beneficiary of a rather unorthodox fund-raiser. The “Anger Management” charity event gave fans and competitors—who may have seen things differently at the race track a time or two—the opportunity to “pay back” a group of good-natured track officials. For a $5 donation, participants got the opportunity to sink the officials in a dunk tank at the show. Corey Boudreau of Seekonk Speedway; Andy Christmas from Monadnock Speedway; Mike Parks of Twin State Speedway and Mike Scrivani of the Northeastern Midget Association each took a turn in the tank and raised hundreds of dollars for R.A.C.
     With activities like “Spin to Win” for prizes such as T-shirts, M&Ms candy, buffet meals at Foxwoods Resort Casino, subscriptions to Speedway Illustrated and other items, as well as a raffle for two go-karts courtesy of General Electric, the R.A.C. Team raised a further $1,250 through the generosity of EXPO fans.
    SpeedwayEXPO is looking forward to working with the Racing Against Cancer Team again in 2008, and is looking for volunteers or nominations for the Anger Management event. Replies can reach the EXPO staff at racinpr@aol.com.
    The entire staff of SpeedwayEXPO shares in the excitement of these two great honors. The sense of pride that each has instilled will reinforce the team as they continue to build the 2nd Annual SpeedwayEXPO. The racing community is invited to follow the show’s progress online at www.speedwayexpo.com.

Source:  Dale Wolbrink/Wall Speedway PR
Posted:  December 2, 2007