West Coast Swing: Austin Hatcher Foundation Sets Fundraising Auction For Long Beach Sports Car Racin

• Noted 'Motionsports' Artist Bill Patterson Producing Unique Painting for Auction

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (April 10, 2019) – One of the world’s premier motorsports events will again provide a high-profile stage for the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer during the BUBBA burger Sports Car Grand Prix weekend, April 12-14 at the famed Long Beach, California street circuit.

The Bubba burger Sports Car Grand Prix, set for Saturday, April 13, is the third event of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. The IMSA competition is running in companion to the fourth race of the NTT IndyCar Series season, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 14.  The Long Beach waterfront street circuit debuted in 1975 and from 1976-83 it hosted a Formula One event.

The Austin Hatcher Foundation has a long-running affiliation with IMSA and now serves as an official “Proud Charity” of the organization. IMSA, based in Daytona Beach, Florida, is the largest sports car racing sanctioning body in North America.

On April 14 at the Cadillac Corral fan enthusiast area, well-known “motionsports” artist Bill Patterson will produce a “live painting” from 11:30-12:30 p.m. (PT/local); the painting will then be auctioned to benefit the foundation.

Patterson is the official artist for WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California – and is also a regular contributor of his work to fundraising events throughout the United States for the Austin Hatcher Foundation. His live paintings have been commissioned by major corporations such as Honda, Firestone, IBM, FedEx, Microsoft, Lamborghini, and Lincoln. And while Patterson’s notoriety is largely linked to auto racing, he also has produced his unique works for tennis, hockey, skiing, soccer and sailing.

“Each year, we eagerly look forward to this West Coast trip which affords us an opportunity to expand awareness of our foundation and our mission -- to erase the effects of pediatric cancer,” said Austin Hatcher Foundation President Amy Jo Osborn.

“And once again we have Bill Patterson and our friends with Cadillac stepping up to assist and ultimately, make a difference in the quality of life for young cancer patients and their family members. The motorsports and automotive industries continue to support our efforts and help us stay the course in our mission.”

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