Race car driver’s program raises money for the animals.
By Michael Rinker, Best Friends staffWhen driver Andrew Prendeville and the Best Friends #5 car take the green flag for the Firestone Indy Lights race at the Nashville Superspeedway July 12, they’re almost certain to do better than they did last year.
That’s because his then-teammate lost control of his car on the first lap, causing an accident that took four drivers out of the race, including Andrew.
Not surprisingly, he has a different teammate this year.
Andrew’s early exit was not only bad for him, but for his innovative fund-raising promotion, Racing Laps for Best Friends, which supports Best Friends’ mission of caring for injured and abandoned animals. Under the program, the more laps he completes, the more money that goes for the animals.
The idea of Racing Laps is to encourage animal lovers and race fans to pledge a nominal amount – as low as 25 cents – for each lap Andrew completes in a single race (like Nashville) or throughout the season (which, counting this weekend in Music City, has seven races remaining). You can also donate a one-time flat amount.
It’s a fun way to do a good thing.
Click here for donation information.
And beginning with the Nashville race, if you make a season pledge, you can get your pet’s name on a paw print decal that is placed on the Best Friends #5 car. (If and when your pledge adds up to $1,000, you’ll get a smaller version of the decal on Andrew’s helmet.)
In a doubleheader race last weekend at Watkins Glen, Andrew finished a disappointing 11th and 13th, but raised $7,023 because he completed all 57 laps of the two races. At Nashville, he’ll have the opportunity to run 77 laps.
To date, Racing Laps for Best Friends has raised $58,556, and has sold more than $6,000 worth of merchandise and raffle tickets. The top three prizes in the raffle are lessons at the Bertil Roos Racing School.
Click here for details and to buy a raffle ticket.
If you can’t make the race in person, watch it July 17 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.