Westbrook,
CT: MacDonald Motorsports announced that they will be joining forces with the Foxwoods
Resort Casino to campaign in the NASCAR Busch Series at New Hampshire International
Speedway on behalf of the Racing Against Cancer ™ Team. Driver Kevin Lepage of
Shelburne, VT will come back to his roots in an effort to earn a hefty donation for the
Racing Against Cancer™ Program.
For the second straight year, Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT entered into a
one-race deal at New Hampshire with Randy MacDonald as a fundraising effort to support the
Racing Against Cancer ™ Program. Foxwoods will make a donation directly to the
American Cancer Society in the name of MacDonald Motorsports and the Racing Against
Cancer™ Program in the equivalent of Lepage's earnings in the New England 200 on
Saturday, July 24.
The two had a similar arrangement last year when MacDonald himself raced in the New
Hampshire 200 for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Despite engine failure early,
MacDonald still earned $7,000 for Racing Against Cancer™.
Due to rules changes in the Truck Series, MacDonald shifted gears and moved on to the
Busch Series for the 2004 season. Having chased and lived his dream of a driving career
for over 17 years, MacDonald also decided to concentrate solely on the managerial side of
his racing operation.
"The best way for me to stay in
the sport while giving my family the consideration they deserve," said MacDonald,
"was to be a car owner."
With the seat of his Chevrolet vacant, he went in search of a driver that would help
reduce the learning curve of a new car and a new series.
"Kevin has been an asset to the team," said team owner Randy MacDonald. "He
is making us step it up. He is a confident and competent driver and that allows us to
concentrate on building our knowledge of the car."
The race at NHIS will be the fifth in the new affiliation between MacDonald Motorsports
and Lepage. The other Busch Series races included Dover, Charlotte, Daytona and Chicago. A
deal has been reached for Michigan as well.
With over a million dollars in posted awards and Lepage's experience at the Magic Mile,
this program has a huge potential as a fundraiser for the Racing Against Cancer ™
Program.
The two-time Busch Series race winner (Homestead '96 & Bristol '98), has six starts in
the Busch Series at Loudon with a career best finish of third in the Gumout Long Life
Formula 200 in 1998 aboard the Channellock #40 for car owner Doug Taylor. A top-ten finish
came in the New England Dodge Dealers 250 for Lepage in 1994 while flying the Vermont
Teddy Bears sponsorship on his own #71. Eight starts in the then-Winston Cup Series netted
Lepage a career-best of 16th in 1998 in the Farm Aid CMT 300 as a Rookie for Roush Racing.
New Hampshire is a homecoming for the Vermont-native who got his start racing the short
tracks of the northeast including Catamount Speedway and Thunder Road. Lepage ran seven
years in the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) before moving South to pursue his professional
racing career. The pairing unites two former fellow competitors as MacDonald, a native of
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, also raced ACT.
"We are so proud to renew our association with MacDonald Motorsports," said
R.A.C. Director of Operations, Scott Gregory. "And we could not be more happy that
Kevin Lepage is part of the project this year as well."
Involvement with the NASCAR Busch Series provides a number of significant benefits to the
Racing Against Cancer ™ Team including a lucrative prospect for the fight against
cancer and national television coverage. This project will have major significance as the
Racing Against Cancer ™ strives to set yet another record fundraising year.
"We would like to thank everyone at Foxwoods," continued Gregory.
"Year-after-year, they continue to put the Racing Against Cancer ™ program in
the forefront of their marketing plan. The benefits of their support are
immeasurable."
Unlike the success of the Program, which measures nicely in dollar signs. The Racing
Against Cancer™ Program was established in 1996 with the sole purpose of raising
money for the fight against cancer. To that end the program has been a huge success. Since
its inception R.A.C. has raised over $331,000 for the American Cancer Society, other
cancer related charities, and programs.
Raising money for the fight against cancer is only part of the motivation for Randy
MacDonald. His father, Marrill "Doc" MacDonald has been battling cancer for
years.
"I hope to build awareness," said MacDonald. "Everyone knows about cancer,
unfortunately most people have had to deal with it in their own lives. What I hope to do
is help identify a way that the general public can contribute to research by supporting
the American Cancer Society and the Racing Against Cancer ™."
The "Join the Team" Program, a project of the Racing Against Cancer ™ Team,
is open to everyone. Proceeds support the Youth Tobacco Awareness Program that is designed
to keep kids from smoking. Details are available on the web at
www.racingagainstcancer.com.
"This race is a tribute to my father, too," continued MacDonald. "He is an
inspiration to cancer patients. He proves everyday that you can live life to it's fullest.
He gets up every morning, gives thanks for a new day, and goes full-throttle until he hits
the bed totally exhausted."
Exhausted but fulfilled.
Doc will be high atop the pit cart on Saturday, July 24th at New Hampshire International
Speedway on to cheer on Lepage, his son and the entire MacDonald Motorsports team as they
strive to visit victory lane and a big payday for the fight against cancer. |
