Austin Hatcher Foundation Returns to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca For Fundraising Auction as a Proud Charity of IMSA
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (May 8, 2024) – The Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer is gearing up for an exciting weekend at the highly anticipated MOTUL Course de Monterey Powered By Hyundai N, one of the premier auto races hosted by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Located in Northern California, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is one of auto racing’s most spectacular tracks, and it will be the backdrop this weekend for the Austin Hatcher Foundation’s latest fundraising efforts.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is an 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course with an elevation change equivalent to 5 ½ stories, best known for “The Corkscrew,” a one-of-a-kind turn in motorsports that essentially takes a driver up one side of a small mountain, and right back down the other.
This coastal race continues the Austin Hatcher Foundation’s season-long visibility as an official “Proud Charity” of IMSA, the nation’s largest sports car racing sanctioning body. Throughout each season, the Austin Hatcher Foundation benefits from various partnerships within the sport, via at-track auctions of artwork, Diversionary Therapy visits at local children’s hospitals with drivers, fundraising partnerships with automotive companies, various sports car racing memorabilia donated for auctions, and more.
“We are thrilled to be heading back to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca this weekend,” said Amy Jo Osborn, Foundation President and CEO. “We are always excited to get to spend time with our IMSA family, many of whom have been by our side since our beginning in 2006.”
The Foundation is firmly rooted in the auto racing community, as former photographer Amy Jo Osborn met her husband, orthopedic spine surgeon and race car driver Jim, at the racetrack. The two founded the Austin Hatcher Foundation after they lost their son, Austin Hatcher Osborn, to pediatric cancer in 2006. The Osborns created the Foundation to address the unmet need for mental health and well-being for the entire family facing the effects of pediatric cancer. With a focus on empowering families to cope in the present and thrive in the future, the Foundation provides unparalleled psychosocial support to children with cancer and their entire families.
"Our partnership with IMSA not only grants us the opportunity to collaborate with outstanding companies, team owners, drivers, and individuals, but also a platform to fundraise that provides direct mental, behavioral and social support services to families affected by pediatric cancer," stated Osborn.
The Austin Hatcher Foundation will be hosting a variety of fundraising auctions at various locations throughout the weekend.
On Saturday, May 11, acclaimed motion sports artist Bill Patterson will begin the weekend by creating a one-of-a-kind piece in the IMSA WeatherTech VIP Lounge. Race Enthusiasts present will watch Patterson complete the painting throughout the weekend, and anyone, anywhere can bid throughout the weekend at https://one.bidpal.net/lagunaseca/search/weather.
Also on Saturday, Patterson will begin creating a second signature piece in the Corvette Corral at 2 p.m. The painting will be auctioned after completion in the same location at 4 p.m.
On Sunday, May 12, Patterson will create a third signature piece in the Cadillac Corral at 11 a.m., to be auctioned at 1 p.m.
Both Corvette and Cadillac limited-edition prints will be available to purchase at the event, or fans anywhere across the country can purchase prints online at https://one.bidpal.net/lagunaseca.
The automotive artwork and auction items offer race enthusiasts the chance to acquire unique pieces while contributing directly to the Foundation's cause. All proceeds from these auctions go directly to supporting the Austin Hatcher Foundation's mission of providing free services to families affected by pediatric cancer.
For more information about the Austin Hatcher Foundation, visit www.HatcherFoundation.org. For more information about the MOTUL Course de Monterey Powered By Hyundai N at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, visit https://www.imsa.com/events/2024-weathertech-raceway-laguna-seca/.
