News
2008 Land Speed Racing Season is a Wrap! Project 750 Assault Team Grabs an Additional 3 ECTA Records at October Maxton Meet.
The Project 750 Assault Suzuki Team from Malvern, PA closed out it’s first season of Land Speed Racing at the October 25-26 East Coast Timing Association Meet ( visit www.ecta-lsr.com) with the same sort of strong performance that has characterized it’s entire 2008 season. A Saturday afternoon pass on the Maxton, NC “standing mile” course yielded a blistering 167.641 mph record in the A-G 750 cc class (Unfaired, Normally aspirated, 750 cc motorcycle running on gasoline.) Runs by rider Jack Broomall on Sunday, Oct. 26th, yielded two additional records in the M-BG 750 cc (new record 163.199 mph) and M-BF 750 cc (new record 163.059 mph) classes respectively.
The team’s strong season ending performance, combined with the records set at the 4 ECTA meets earlier in the season, cemented an overall 5th place finish in the ECTA 2008 Season Championship for Motorcycles. In finishing 5th in the points championship (out of 137 competitors) , the Project 750 Assault Team trailed only teams with considerably more experience in this variety of motorsport competition.
A review of the Project 750 Assault 2008 season yields the following interesting facts:
- Over the ECTA-Maxton season 15 records were set in 13 different classes. At season end 11 of those records still stand (Note: 2 records subsequently reset to high speed by Project 750 Assault, 2 others reset to higher speeds by other competitors).
-Fastest Maxton pass of the season, and team “personal best” was 180.512 mph on June 28.
-In the team’s first appearances at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in August records were set at two different meets. Two AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) National Records were set at the 5th Annual BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials (M-AG 750cc new record 164.813 mph; M-AF 750cc new record 167.337 mph) (visit www.speedtialsbybub.com) and one SCTA (Southern California Timing Association) record was set at the 22nd Annual USFRA World of Speed (M-G new record 166.561mph (visit www.scta-bni.org)
Project 750 Assault is proud to have used our 2008 success to help bring attention to the work of our 2008 charity partner, the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer (visit www.Hatcherfoundation.org). Following each event the team has made performance based donations to the Hatcher Foundation totaling several thousands of dollars. The team’s success also represents success for the Hatcher Foundation and their vitally important work.
The Project 750 Assault team will continue in Land Speed Racing for the 2009 season with program details to be announced shortly.
Hatch’s House of Hope Offers Landmark Family Programs for Pediatric Cancer Care
The Austin Hatcher Foundation for a Carefree Childhood – will celebrate the start of construction of the First Hatch’s House of Hope with a ribbon cutting on September 29. The event will be held at 979 East Third Street, Suite C232, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Dr. James M. Osborn and his wife, Amy Jo Osborn, established the foundation after they lost their 9-week-old son to a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
Hatch’s House of Hope serves as a safe haven for families dealing with the effects of pediatric cancer on their lives. The landmark programs offered through Hatch’s House of Hope serve as a prototype for the foundation to open other Hatch’s nationwide. Staff at Hatch's integrates the specific needs of the family with hospital-based and community services. The staff works towards developing additional services, not provided elsewhere, but needed to help children and their families affected by pediatric cancer function within our communities.
Specifically, these include IEP neurocognitive testing, educational programming to help affected children overcome their cognitive and learning deficits, emotional counseling for the cancer-affected child, their siblings and parents, and marital and financial counseling to ensure a safe environment to maximize the family growth as a whole.
Through Hatch's the Austin Hatcher Foundation provides Bridging Scholarships (Hatch's Dollars) to assist families with acute financial discord resulting from the direct expenses and salary losses as a result of the pediatric cancer. Hatch's staff makes every effort to communicate the family’s financial situation to creditors, including utility companies, at the family’s approval to arrange alternative payment options during the treatment stage of pediatric cancer.
Hatch's serves as a research center for pediatric cancer related issues and learning deficits affecting children and families worldwide. Hatch's house of hopes will be built near medical centers treating pediatric cancer nationwide.
Programming includes:
Child care during appointments and treatments
Financial counseling
Diversionary therapies
Marital counseling
Grief/bereavement service
Services provided at Hatch's are free of charge to families accepted for care.
The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce is assisting with arrangements for the ribbon cutting ceremonies.
American Le Mans Series Announces Austin Hatcher Foundation: For a Carefree Childhood as Official Charit
Columbus, OH – July 14, 2008 – The American Le Mans Series officially kicks off its affiliation with the Austin Hatcher Foundation on Tuesday as four of the world’s top sports drivers visit the Pediatric Oncology Ward at Children’s Hospital of Columbus. Clint and Jon Field of Intersport Racing in Dublin, Ohio along with Patron Highcroft Racing’s David Brabham and Drayson-Barwell’s Paul Drayson will visit with young people and their families from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. to kick off the Series’ partnership with the foundation as its official charity.
The Austin Hatcher Foundation, a federally registered 501-c3, was formed by Dr. Jim Osborn and his wife Amy Jo, after the loss of their two-month-old son “Hatch,” the namesake of the Foundation, to a rare form of cancer. The Osborn's have been champions of children with pediatric cancer and their families for almost a decade. The Foundation’s mission is to serve the needs of children and families dealing with the effects of pediatric cancer.
“We are at a major turning point in the treatment of Pediatric cancer,” said Dr. Osborn. “With the success rate of current treatment reaching 80 percent much of the worldwide focus in pediatric cancer treatment is now on the long-term recovery from the negative effects the toxic treatments have on the children and their families. We are excited to partner with The American Le Mans Series in the establishment of landmark programs that will affect pediatric cancer care worldwide.”
“Just as the American Le Mans Series plays a role in the advancements of today’s road-going automobiles, the Austin Hatcher Foundation makes a difference in the lives of pediatric cancer patients and their families each year,” said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the American Le Mans Series. “Other than those who have been directly impacted, I don’t think anyone can truly grasp the impact of pediatric cancer on families, and helping them cope with such a devastating disease is a very worthy goal. That is why the American Le Mans Series is proud to stand alongside the Austin Hatcher Foundation in helping to provide much needed financial and emotional support to those families coping with pediatric cancer.”
One of the Foundation's major efforts is building “Hatch’s House of Hope.” The home will be a safe harbor for entire families to receive counseling and assistance for the financial and emotional stresses brought on by cancer that has been proven to disrupt the normal family dynamics leading to increased divorce and teen pregnancy rates among other issues. The Foundation will also pre-screen kids just entering cancer treatments and then teach them how to adapt to the post-treatment effects of radiation and other treatments.
Over the next five years, the American Le Mans Series will raise monies and awareness for the Austin Hatcher Foundation through direct donations, web and track side merchandise sales, fan Vitesse pace car lap rides, on-line race memorabilia, auctions, sales of limited production American Le Mans Series-Austin Hatcher Foundation co-branded gear, and through track side diversionary therapy events centered around selected races.
The American Le Mans Series will join with Road Atlanta to host the 5th Annual Post Petit Le Mans Motorcycle Charity ride and Suzuki motorcycle raffle to benefit the Austin Hatcher Foundation during the 11th Annual Petit Le Mans race weekend.
Invited children and families dealing with pediatric cancer will enjoy pace car lap rides, trackside hospitality and world class racing. Over the week fans can purchase a ticket with the chance of winning a 2008 Suzuki GSX-R 750 The weekend of events concludes with the Annual Motorcycle Charity ride. The ride begins with a lap around the 2.54-mile 12-turn road course then heads off into the hills of north Georgia.
Intersport Racing is one of the top independent prototype teams in American Le Mans Series history. Clint Field won the Series LMP2 season championship in 2005. He was also the youngest to ever win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2004 when he took top honors in LMP2 class. Intersport continues to finish on the podium in 2008.
David Brabham is considered on of the top sports car drivers of all-time. He is the only driver in American Le Mans Series history to have won a race in all four classes. Earlier this year, he and teammate Scott Sharp guided their LMP2 Acura to victory at the Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach.
Paul Drayson earlier this year relinquished his position in Great Britain’s House of Lords where he was Minister of Defense Procurement in order to run in the American Le Mans Series. He and his teammate Jonny Cocker compete in GT2 class in an Aston Martin Vantage appropriately running the number 007. It is fueled by cellulosic E85.
The American Le Mans Series races this weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH. Friday’s qualifying will begin at 5:40 p.m. and Saturday’s race start is 2:10 p.m.
The American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series is the premium brand of motorsport in North America, featuring high-tech, relevant sports cars from the most prestigious automobile manufacturers in the world. Its unique four classes of competition showcase exotic, open-top prototypes and sophisticated production-based GT cars, all competing on the track at the same time. The American Le Mans Series competes at the premier road racing tracks across North America and at selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets. With a 2008 television package that includes four network broadcasts on ABC and NBC as well as seven telecasts on SPEED, plus live broadcasts across Europe, the Series delivers a global marketing platform that is unmatched in motorsports. The Series, founded in 1999 by Georgia entrepreneur Don Panoz, represents a mirror image to the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s most famous and authentic automobile race. The American Le Mans Series features elite marques such as Acura, Audi, Aston Martin, Porsche, Mazda Corvette, Ferrari and Panoz, and premium brands such as Michelin, Yokohama, Kumho, Lowe’s, EPIC, Shell, DHL, Hyatt Hotels and many others.
The American Le Mans Series is the only motorsports body in the world that features multiple street-legal alternative energy sources – clean diesel, and E10 and E85 cellulosic ethanol blends. Through partnerships with diesel fuel supplier Shell, VP Racing Fuels and EPIC (Ethanol Promotion and Information Council), the American Le Mans Series has taken the leadership role in motorsports for the furthering of alternative fuel technology and use. It also the only series to be recognized by the United States Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a “green racing” series.
For more information on the Austin Hatcher Foundation for a carefree childhood visit www.americanlemans.com or www.hatcherfoundation.org.
April 7, 2008
Wet April Weekend at Maxton ECTA Meet yields one speed record for Project 750 Assault Suzuki
For a weekend event that started with downpours and thunderstorms, the first East Coast Timing Association Maxton Event of the 2008 season ended up a great success for the Project 750 Assault Land-Speed racing team from Malvern, PA.
While heavy rains washed out all activities on Saturday, and delayed the start of high speed runs until late morning Sunday, April 6th, eventually 187 competition cars and bikes left the starting line and recorded official runs. The highest speed of the meet recorded by a car was 210 mph and for motorcycles a stunning 243 mph!
Competing this weekend in the “750 cc Modified/Fuel” (M/F 750) class, rider Jack Broomall (Malvern, PA) made only one pass down the famous “Maxton Mile” course on Sunday Morning. He did however, make that one run count when he logged a speed of 157.227 mph, breaking the existing M/F 750 record by some 4 miles per hour. This is the first land-speed record earned by the Project 750 Assault team of rider Broomall and his Crew Chief Don Verdiani.
The Project 750 Assault Team makes a cash donation to the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer every time a performance record is set, so not only was the weekend a success from a competition standpoint, but it also represents another tiny step in the fight against Pediatric Cancers.
The next event for the team is May 18-19, again at Maxton, NC.
The East Coast Timing Association (ECTA) is the sanctioning organization for Land-Speed style racing in the Eastern portion of the United States. At their racing site at Maxton, NC the ECTA conducts 5 meets annually for top speed competitionfor many classes of cars and motorcycles. The fastest cars and bikes at the “Maxton Mile” regularly exceed 200 mph! For more information go to www.ecta-lsr.com.
The mission of the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer is to support research towards the diagnoses, treatment and development of a cure for pediatric cancer and to provide support and hope to children and families undergoing treatment as well as those who have lost children due to cancer. Learn more at www.hatcherfoundation.org
Chili Pepper Racing raises over $35,000 for the Austin Hatcher Foundation, for a carefree childhood!
Chili Pepper Team Making Hearts Race at Road Atlanta
Ooltewah, TN. (Oct. 15, 2007) - As is tradition when SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge heads to Road Atlanta, Chili Pepper Racing hosts a variety of activities during the Petit Le Mans weekend in support pediatric cancer charities.
The team welcomed roughly 300 guests to their VIP hospitality area, including families from the Atlanta Scottish Rite/AFLAC Cancer Treatment Center and Children's Hospital, the Light House Foundation and Austin Hatcher Foundation. The races served as a diversionary therapy for the children and families who got a break from the day-to-day struggles that come with pediatric cancer and were able to enjoy the races from a chalet above pit lane with the perks of a 50-inch TV and gourmet food provided by the Flower Branch Yacht Club. Families also participate in flag ceremonies and pace car rides.
One child in particular served a very special role at the Petit Le Mans weekend. SCCA Pro Racing named seven year-old cancer survivor Maddie as Grand Marshal for the SCCA SPEED Touring Car race. Maddie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in May of 2003, but underwent her last round of Chemotherapy in 2005 and has been cancer-free ever since. Maddie attended her first SCCA SPEED World Challenge race as a guest of Chili Pepper Racing shortly after her last Chemo and has returned to Road Atlanta for the SCCA SPEED World Challenge races every year since.
The Chili Pepper Racing “Worlds First Bio-Diesel” Jetta TDI battled with Championship points leader Jeff Altenberg before loosing grip on the rain soaked turn 9 resulting in an off road excursion. The Jetta TDI eventually retired after an unexpected on-coarse turbo fire stranded the car on the back straight.
Once again the 2007 Suzuki GSX-R750 and two-day Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School Raffle was a huge success. This year’s winner was Greg Butler of Charlotte, NC.
Bill Patterson (www.billpattersonart.com), famous for his unique motorsports art, participated in the weekend’s events by auctioning off his newly created masterpiece “Triad” during Dr. Panoz’s Thursday evening dinner. The original painting was purchased by Kurt Antonius of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
The weekend’s events ended with the Fourth Annual Post Petit Le Mans Motorcycle Charity Ride on Sunday, October 7.
In addition to the wonderful memories and hours of joy experienced by the families dealing with pediatric cancer the weekend events raising over $35,000 for the Austin Hatcher Foundation and the Light House Family Retreat.
The weekend’s expenses were offset by contributions provided by Chili Pepper Racing, LLC. Road Atlanta, A Mother’s Arms, Suzuki USA Motorcycles, Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School, Alpinestars Motorcycle gear, Mid Florida Golf Cars, and the Flowery Branch Yacht Club,
For more information on Chili Pepper Racing, its charities or their marketing partners visit www.chilipepperracing.org
Alysia Merz, walked 35 miles to raise $3,000
Alysia, an RN from Allison Park, Pa. signed up to participate in a 35 mile fun walk through the… Alysia chose to make the walk a fundraiser. Through her hard work and dedication Alysia received pledges totaling more than $85 a mile. One person can make a difference…Alysia raised $3,000 for the Austin Hatcher Foundation on her own!!! Thank you!
Ryan Reid, only 10 years old, raised $200
During the weekend of the 55th anniversary of the 12 hours of Sebring Ryan Reid collected donations for the Austin Hatcher Foundation. Ryan, only 10 years old, read about the Austin Hatcher Foundation in the race program and took it upon her self to help make a difference. Ryan raised $200 in only 2 days. Thank you Ryan.
Events
WIN A 2007 SUZUKI GSX-R750
October 4-6, 2007
Chili Pepper Racing, Road Atlanta, Suzuki USA and the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School hosts the 2nd annual Petit Le Mans motorcycle raffle. All proceeds from raffle are donated to the Austin Hatcher Foundation.
October 4-6, 2007 raffle tickets will be sold at Road Atlanta racetrack for only $25.00.
The winning ticket will be drawn the morning of October 7th atthe start of the 4th annual Post Petit Le Mans Motorcycle Charity Ride.
The winner will be taking home a 2007 Suzuki GSX-R750 and a 2-day Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School.
For more information please visit www.chilipepperracing.org.
4th Annual Post Petit Le Mans Motorcycle Charity Ride
October 7, 2007
Chili Pepper Racing hosts the 4th annual Post Petit Le Mans Motorcycle Charity Ride. Drivers from the SPEED World Challenge, American Le Mans Series and Grand Am come together for a day of fun in the sun to help raise money for the Austin Hatcher Foundation.
Fans can ride with their favorite racecar drivers. If you are interest in signing up for the charity ride visit www.chilipepperracing.org to fill the registration form.