NASCAR’s Joey Gase to Honor Two Hero’s on June 29 in The Camping World 300 at Chicagoland Race6/28/2019 ![]() Joliet, Ill. (June 29, 2019): NASCAR driver and organ donation advocate Joey Gase will attempt to put organ and tissue donation in the winner’s circle at the Camping World 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday, June 29. Gase will be racing in honor of his mother, Mary Gase and donor Alyssa Smith. Mary died of a brain aneurysm in April 2011. Just 18 at the time, Joey made the courageous decision to donate her organs, and he has become a staunch advocate for organ and tissue donation ever since. “When my mom donated her organs and tissue, we thought she would maybe help two or three people,” said Gase. “We found out she helped save and improve the lives of 66 people and met her kidney and liver recipients. It’s crazy to think that these people are alive today thanks to my mom’s gift.” “Organ donation was something we never really talked about before and we did not have her drivers license with us at the time of her passing but we knew if she could no longer continue her life she would want to so whatever she could to help others continue theirs. Later when we found her drivers license we found that she was already a registered donor,” said Gase. “Seeing that she was registered was a huge relief to us knowing that we made the right decision. Unfortunately, many families are not as lucky and can make the wrong decision. This is why I push so hard for everyone not to only register as an organ donor but also to talk about it with their loved ones.” Joey is also racing in honor of 16-year-old Alyssa Smith. The Plainfield South High School student was a caring and giving person who loved animals and children. She was passionate about her volunteer work at Hopeful Tails Animal Rescue, Joliet, and at the Little Cougars Preschool at her school. In 2017, Alyssa was in a fatal car accident. Her final act of generosity was being a tissue donor through the Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network. Joey’s car is regularly adorned with a special logo that honors his mom and pictures of others who have offered the gift of life through donation, making the MBM Motorsports #35 car one of the most unique vehicles in all of NASCAR. Joey’s driver suit and car will also display the Gift of Hope logo in honor of all organ and tissue donors in the state of Illinois. Joey regularly makes appearances at hospitals and donor awareness-related events to promote donation. He has advocated for organ, tissue and eye donation at more than 100 events, has been featured as a member of the Donate Life Float in the Rose Parade, has been featured on ESPN multiple times and done hundreds of donation-related stories for local television, radio and newspaper outlets. His hard-racing style, humble attitude and willingness to share his story have won him a loyal following at racetracks across the country. He has also developed a strong following on social media and is a popular personality at organ procurement organizations from coast-to-coast. The 200-lap, 300-mile Camping World 300 will be televised live on Saturday on NBC Sports Network at 2:30 p.m. CST. Visit Joey Gase Racing and the NASCAR XFINITY Series websites to learn more about Joey and Saturday’s event. About Gift of Hope: Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network is a not-for-profit organ procurement organization entrusted by the nation’s health care system with coordinating organ and tissue donation and providing donor family services and public education in Illinois and northwest Indiana. Gift of Hope works with 180 hospitals and serves 12 million residents in its donation service area. Celebrating its 30th year as an OPO in 2017, it has coordinated donations that have saved the lives of more than 25,000 organ transplant recipients and improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of tissue transplant recipients. For more information about Gift of Hope and organ and tissue donation, visit giftofhope.org.
0 Comments
![]() On June 21st at Hawkeye Downs Speedway NASCAR Driver Joey Gase will be racing against his dad for the very first time but there will be also many other drivers out on the track going for the $1,000 up for grabs to the winner. All of this is made possible by Eternal Fan, Eternal Fan has two main goals by sponsoring the event. “First and for most we are doing this event to raise awareness for Iowa Donor Network and organ, eye, and tissue donation. Secondly to create lasting memories for racers and race fans alike!” Said Eternal Fan President Matt Linn. “It is not every day someone gets a chance to say I got to race against a NASCAR driver. I also hope this will be a great lasting memory for both Joey and his dad Bob since they have never had the chance to race against each other before.” Eternal Fan was created to provide a better way for fans to celebrate the passion that they have for sports and the places where they experienced positive shared memories. Eternal Fan’s customized Fan Memories programs are transforming traditions by creating legacies for people to celebrate their sporting lives for generations to come. Fan Memories Programs are currently available at Richmond Raceway and Watkins Glen International, as well as an ever increasing discussion on other venues. “I am beyond excited for this” said Gase. “Being from Iowa everyone always assumed that I grew up dirt racing. I grew in Cedar Rapids, IA which is home to Hawkeye Downs Speedway. I watched my dad race Modifieds ever since I can remember and when I turned 14 and that is how I got to where I am today. I am looking forward to being able to race against my dad completely for the first time! Hopefully he doesn’t put to big of a woopin on me, talking to other drivers that he raced against they say he was one of the best blockers around, right behind the Richard Petty of our area Arlo Beckker”. The payout for the Be A Hero 30 is as follows… 1. $1,000, 2. $300, 3. $275, 4. $225, 5.$200, 6.$100, 7.$100, 8.$100, 9.$100, 10.$100, 11.$75, 12.$75, 13. $75, 14.$75, 15.$75 If you would like to know more information about Hawkeye Downs Speedway or Eternal Fan please visit https://hawkeyedowns.org/ or www.fanmemories.net ETERNAL FAN: Eternal Fan™ was created to provide a better way for fans to celebrate the passion that they have for sports and the places where they experienced positive shared memories. Eternal Fan’s customized Fan Memories™ programs are transforming traditions by creating legacies for people to celebrate their sporting lives for generations to come. Fan Memories Programs are currently available at Richmond Raceway and Watkins Glen International, as well as an ever increasing discussions on other venues. Find out more about Eternal Fan & Fan Memories by visiting www.fanmemories.net. Altoona, IA—Joey Gase Racing is teaming up with Iowa Donor Network to present the Handprints for Hope event on Friday, June 14th from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Iowa Donor Network Office in Altoona. The public is invited to meet Gase and place a Handprint for Hope on Gase’s race car in support of organ and tissue donation. The #35 race car honors two Des Moines area fathers, each with connections to donation, for Gase’s race on Father’s Day. The hood of Gase’s race car features photos of tissue donor, Mike Nelson of Polk City and heart recipient, Robert Crowdes of Ankeny. Nelson is the father of two girls, he worked for Iowa Donor Network at the time of his passing and became a tissue donor. Crowdes has one son and three grandsons, he received his new heart in December of 2018 after spending a year on the transplant waiting list. As always, a photo of Gase’s Mom, Mary, who passed away in April 2011 and became a donor to save and improve the lives of 66 people, will also be featured on Gase’s race car. Gase’s car featuring Nelson, Crowdes, and the Handprints for Hope will race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Circuit City 250 race at Iowa Speedway on Sunday, June 16th. Families of Nelson and Crowdes will be present for the race on Sunday and the Handprints for Hope event on Friday. The media is invited to attend the Handprints for Hope event on Friday, June 14th at the Iowa Donor Network office located at 320 Adventureland Drive NW in Altoona. There will be opportunities to get footage of people placing their Handprints for Hope on Gase’s race car and to interview Joey Gase, the families of Mike Nelson and Robert Crowdes, and Iowa Donor Network staff. For more information about Iowa Donor Network please visit our website at: www.iowadonornetwork.org. Based in North Liberty, Iowa Donor Network is the fully accredited and federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) serving Iowa. Certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, IDN coordinates with health care professionals, funeral directors and others involved in the donation process. IDN also works with donor families before, during and after donation, to educate, support, and help families work through their grief. For more information, log on to www.IowaDonorNetwork.org, or call (800) 831-4131. SEE BELOW FOR EVENT INFORMATION:Joey Gase will have Clubfoot CUTIES riding on the hood of his #35 car in support of clubfoot deformity awareness on Saturday, June 8th at Michigan International Speedway for the LTi Printing 250.
Dr. Ignacio Ponseti revolutionized the treatment of clubfoot while at the University of Iowa in the 1950s. He developed a non-invasive technique that utilized gentle manipulation and serial casting of the feet to successfully correct clubfoot without major reconstructive surgery. Today, the Ponseti Method is the international standard for clubfoot treatment with a 97% correction rate. “I am very excited to be teaming up with Clubfoot Solutions this weekend in Michigan,” Joey said. “Clubfoot Solutions helps so many kids all over the world cure their Clubfoot deformity so they can get back to running, playing and being a kid. The best part about it is that Clubfoot Solutions make the Iowa Brace available for anyone no matter regardless of their economic or social circumstances.” The Iowa Brace was developed at the University of Iowa as an extension of Dr. Ponseti’s egalitarian efforts to ensure that children across the world would have access to the best clubfoot brace, regardless of their economic or social circumstances. The combination of innovation and humanitarian considerations allow the Iowa Brace to be affordable for all families, everywhere. Dr. Ponseti’s legacy lives on through Ponseti International Association and Clubfoot Solutions. The two organizations are working together to deliver the Ponseti Method to children everywhere, and hope that the Iowa Brace will finally realize Dr. Ponseti’s dream of a high quality clubfoot brace for every child born with this deformity. If you would like to know more information about Clubfoot Solutions and how you can help please visit www.clubfootsolutions.org. CLUBFOOT SOLUTIONS AND THE IOWA BRACE: Dr. Ignacio Ponseti revolutionized the treatment of clubfoot while at the University of Iowa in the 1940s. He developed a non-invasive technique that utilized gentle manipulation and serial casting of the feet to successfully correct clubfoot without major reconstructive surgery. Today, the Ponseti Method is the international standard for clubfoot treatment with a 97% correction rate. The Iowa Brace was developed at the University of Iowa as an extension of Dr. Ponseti’s egalitarian efforts to ensure that children across the world would have access to the best clubfoot brace, regardless of their economic or social circumstances. The combination of innovation and humanitarian considerations allow the Iowa Brace to be affordable for all families, everywhere. Dr. Ponseti’s legacy lives on through Ponseti International Association and Clubfoot Solutions. The two organizations are working together to deliver the Ponseti Method to children everywhere, and hope that the Iowa Brace will finally realize Dr. Ponseti’s dream of a high quality clubfoot brace for every child born with this deformity. Clubfoot Solutions, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Iowa-based organization. MBM Motorsports: MBM was created by Carl and Dee Dee Long who then partnered with Derek White, James Carter, and John Jackson. They now run their own engine program made possible by Rocky and Tom Smith. MBM runs the Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series and the new Toyota Supra in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. |
Archives
June 2023
Categories |