Love’s Travel Stops and Gilliland Celebrate Medical Miracles during Chicago Race Week

There will be two drivers wearing bright yellow Love’s Travel Stops firesuits on Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver David Gilliland will look familiar, but alongside him will be nine-year-old Jack Czapla, a Chicago-area “miracle child” celebrating life as a healthy kid after beating a two-year bout with leukemia.

 

The miniature “driver for a day” will top off Love’s Travel Stops’ and Gilliland’s week of promoting Love’s annual fundraising campaign for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a non-profit organization that raises funds for 170 children’s hospitals across North America.

 

Jack’s orange
 leukemia-awareness ribbon artwork

In addition to wearing a replica of Gilliland’s racing uniform, Jack will participate with Gilliland in driver appearances at the track, the official Sprint Cup Series drivers’ meeting and on-stage driver introductions before the race. While he will not get to drive the No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford, he will get to watch all the action of the race atop the Front Row Motorsports pit box. The Mundelein, Ill., boy also created artwork that will be featured on the hood of the No. 38 Ford and on Gilliland’s helmet. 

 

Promotion of the Love’s fundraising campaign will also feature a Thursday afternoon visit by Gilliland and a Love family member and owner to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, where Jack was treated. The visit will include a meet-and-greet with patients, a check presentation by Love’s and a tour of the facility.

 

“I’m really looking forward to visiting the children’s hospital and seeing the great work that these doctors and nurses do,” said Gilliland, a father of two. “As a parent, it just breaks your heart to know the things that these kids have to go through. And it makes me extra proud to have Love’s as a partner, knowing how much they do to help raise money to help get these kids healthy again.

 

“I can’t wait to meet Jack,” Gilliland continued. “I called him a couple weeks ago to say hello and tell him about the cool things he’s going to get to do at the race. He’s pretty excited and I am, too.”

 

The month of September marks the 16th year that Love’s Travel Stops has run a fundraising effort for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Cashiers at more than 320 Love’s locations nationwide are asking customers to buy paper balloons for $1, $5 or $20 to benefit local CMN-partner hospitals.

 

“This is what it’s all about,” said Jenny Love Meyer, vice president of communications for Love’s. “Our Love’s team members are working hard to raise money, and our customers give generously every year to help CMN Hospitals make miracles happen for sick and injured kids. I can’t wait to see the faces at Lurie Children’s Hospital when David Gilliland visits.”