Ironman GNCC off-road racers and fans do their part in the fight against breast cancer.
The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC) and the AMSOIL Ironman GNCC have announced that the GNCC season finale in Crawfordsville, Indiana, raised over $8000 to be donated to the fight against breast cancer.
The October31-November 1 event was deemed a “pink race” in honor of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and offered race fans numerous opportunities to help raise money for the cause. The end result was that the sport of GNCC racing raised a total of $8277.45. The funds were donated to the Montgomery County Free Clinic (MCFC), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free mammogram examinations.
Donations for MCFC were raised a variety of ways. Racers could purchase pink backgrounds from Powersport Grafx. Front number plates resulted in a $5 donation, while a full set of front and side backgrounds included a $10 donation. Ride PG sold exclusive GNCC breast cancer awareness stickers for a minimum of a $1 donation. The original t-shirt artwork, from the entire season was auctioned off, resulting in over $3000 being raised for MCFC. The event’s pink podium backdrop sold for $1450. In addition, Yamaha Motor Corporation donated $60 for every class championship won by a Yamaha racer. With all the 2015 championships decided, there would be a total of 22 championships, including 13 ATV and nine bikes, for which Yamaha donated $1320 to Breast Cancer Awareness.
“The Montgomery County community is so grateful to the GNCC Ironman and Yamaha Motor Corporation for the donations to the MCFC Faith Alliance Fund,” said MCCF Executive Director Kelly Taylor. “The gifts could not have come at a better time as the MCCF has a matching gift program in place that will match every dollar given with 50 cents. With these gifts, our community will continue to provide support and increase awareness to those with breast cancer and most of all give hope to those who are battling this disease. Specifically, these funds will be used to fund mammograms, testing, wigs and other needed services to those affected by breast cancer in our community.”
Zakowski Motorsports also conducted its own fundraiser, which took place throughout the entire 13-round season. The team’s initial goal of $17,000 was surpassed with a final total of $19,144.52. The amount was split evenly, with $4500 going to the American Cancer Society, MCFC, Ohio Breast Cancer Fund, Pink Ribbon Riders and the Spierings Cancer Foundation.
“Each year we talk to people and hear the stories of loved ones going through the disease or of those lost,” Zakowski Motorsports’ Linda Zakowski said. “It’s such an emotional weekend on so many aspects, but I think the thing that sticks out in my mind the most is how young kids want to be involved and make a statement about breast cancer. I had so many teens and young adults hand over $20 and they would say ‘keep the change.’ Now, that to me is just an incredible gesture of kindness.”
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