Drive for Disaster relief at Darlington Raceway raises nearly $5,000

With hundreds of cars packed with excited race fans, the Drive for Disaster Relief held at Darlington Raceway last Friday, June 21 raised nearly $5,000 for the local Pee Dee chapter of the American Red Cross.

The event gave fans the opportunity to drive on the track Too Tough To Tame for a monetary donation.

“We can’t thank our fans enough for participating in the Drive for Disaster Relief and making donations to the local chapter of the American Red Cross,” track President Chris Browning said. “We had a steady stream of fans drive on the track throughout the day and it’s great to see a sizable donation made to the American Red Cross in a time when they need funds more than ever.”

Fans traveled from numerous locations throughout the Southeast to take advantage of the opportunity to drive on the track. Many fans were traveling to South Carolina for vacation and decided to stop at Darlington Raceway to participate in the event, including several from Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.

“We appreciate all the support we received from Darlington Raceway and its fans to make the Drive for Disaster Relief a success for the American Red Cross,” said Linda Boone-Smith, executive director, American Red Cross, Pee Dee Chapter. “People that require American Red Cross assistance in the future will benefit greatly from the generous donations that so many made throughout the day.”

Darlington Raceway is no stranger to opening its doors for charity fundraisers. Over the past several years, the track has traditionally hosted an annual Blood Drive on September 11 and a Toys for Tots Fundraiser & Toy Drive during the holiday seasons, among others. Over the years, the events have generated thousands of dollars worth of donations for various local charities.

Darlington has also partnered with the NASCAR Foundation to donate auctions items for national disaster relief efforts, including the recent tragedies with Hurricane Sandy and the Oklahoma tornados. Darlington’s track drive following Hurricane Katrina raised over $15,000 for the American Red Cross in 2005.

Darlington Raceway PR