NEWS
August 31, 2010
FOLLOW-UP TO SSPF's DAY AT THE RACES EVENT, CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY
by Sahar Hassani, Shriners - reprinted with permission
“I love being at the race track,” smiled Mary Boswell, a patient at Shriners Hospitals for Children-Chicago.
August 25, 2010
DAY AT THE RACES INFINEON RACEWAY
A V.I.P Experience from Beginning to End
Our Day at the Races event at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA on Saturday, August 21 started at the top - literally.
August 15, 2010
SAM SCHMIDT PARALYSIS FOUNDATION ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE
Notes of Appreciation from Two Recent Quality of Life Grant Recipient Organizations
The Sam Schmidt Paralysis Fouundation is committed to curing paralysis. Until that day comes, the Foundation supports organizations that benefit the disabled.
NEWS
¦ April 7, 2010
ANNUAL RACING TO RECOVERY GALA COMING UP IN MAY!
Reprinted from "Thru Noggle's Goggles" e-Newsletter by Jon Viv
The Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation has mailed thousands of invitations to those who would like to attend their 11th annual "Racing to Recovery" gala and also to those who would like to contribute financially to their cause. The event this year will be held on Wednesday, May 19 from 6:30pm to 10:30pm at a new location. The Renaissance Indianapolis North Hotel at 11925 North Meridian Street in Carmel, IN will be hosting the event. Available during the four-hour period will be cocktails, a dinner buffet and silent and live auctions. Reserved seats are $200 each while open seating is $125.
This year's "Legendary Driver Award" will be presented to Parnelli Jones. Others in years past include Rick Mears, Al Unser, and Mario Andretti. The winner each year is hand picked by Sam Schmidt and they are chosen from a list of Sam's heroes.
Parnelli Jones is considered one of the most talented race car drivers of all time. Starting his career in southern California, intentionally rolling and flipping cars in a field near his home, he participated in his first race as a Jalopy driver in the early 1950's. Parnelli developed his skills racing in many different classes of cars. He won the Midwest United States Auto Club sprint car title in 1960 and the USAC sprint car championship outright in both 1961 and 1962, driving the famous #98 Fike Plumbing Special. He came from California to the Midwest about the same time as Jim Hurtubise and the two were rivals throughout much of their careers.
Jones won several stock car events in the various divisions of Nascar. He went on to race IndyCars and, in 1961, was named "Co-Rookie of the Year" at Indianapolis with Bobby Marshman. Winning the 500 in 1963, he also finished 7th in 1962, 2nd in 1965, and 6th in 1967 when a bearing cost him the win with only four laps to go in the turbine car.
Always a great qualifier, Parnelli started no worse than 6th in his seven races at Indy. After retiring from driving with six IndyCar wins, Jones became a racecar owner winning three straight USAC National Championships and two back-to-back Indy 500's (1970, 1971) with Al Unser, Sr. in the Johnny Lightning car.