SOUTH BOSTON, VA (Sept. 9, 2023) – A Teddy Bear can help bring comfort, a smile, and a brighter outlook to a child hospitalized for treatment of an illness, injury, or trauma.
On Tuesday, September 5 Brandon Brown, the incoming general manager of South Boston Speedway, delivered Speedy Bears and Speedy Bear houses donated by South Boston Speedway to Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital as part of The NASCAR Foundation’s Seventh Annual Speedy Bear Brigade powered by Kaulig Giving.
“The donation of the Speedy Bears is wonderful for our pediatric patients who are going through a scary time,” said Diana Durfey, clinical manager of the emergency department at Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital. “These bears give them something to hang on to when they need some comfort. We appreciate the thoughtful donation and know that our patients will too.”
The team at South Boston Speedway is very happy to be involved with this outreach initiative.
“All of us at South Boston Speedway are grateful to Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital for welcoming this outreach opportunity,” Brown said. “Bringing a smile to kids’ faces is so important. Partnering with The NASCAR Foundation to donate Speedy Bears is a wonderful way to brighten the day for young children going through difficult times. Having a stuffed animal nearby always made me feel safe and sound when I was very young, and I hope the children in the community will feel that same feeling when they hold their Speedy Bear.”
The Seventh Annual Speedy Bear Brigade is being held in conjunction with National Teddy Bear Day on Saturday, September 9 with events at Kaulig Giving’s headquarters in Akron, Ohio as well as at NASCAR headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina and Daytona Beach, Florida.
Through the efforts of The NASCAR Foundation and Kaulig Giving, NASCAR-themed Teddy Bears are being delivered to 100 hospitals participating in race markets across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
This year’s effort is the biggest to date. Since the Speedy Bear Brigade was launched seven years ago the cumulative total of Speedy Bears that have been delivered has topped 11,000.
NASCAR fans can join the Speedy Bear Brigade by making a $25 donation to The NASCAR Foundation to sponsor a Speedy Bear and send an inspirational message to a child in the hospital. As an additional incentive, Kaulig Giving will match each $25 donation made at NASCARfoundation.org/speedybear for a total gift of $25,000.
The Kaulig Foundation is a private family foundation of Northeast Ohio established in 2018 by Matt and Lisa Kaulig. Matt Kaulig is the owner of Kaulig Racing which fields entries in the NASCAR Xfinity Serries and NASCAR Cup Series. Halifax County, Virginia native Chris Rice is the president of Kaulig Racing.
South Boston Speedway To Host CARS Tour, SMART Modified Tour In Early October
South Boston Speedway has two big touring series events remaining on its 2023 season schedule. The AutosByNelson 250 presented by Virginia Is For Lovers featuring the stars and cars of the Solid Rock Carriers Late Model Stock Car Tour is set for Saturday night, October 7 at 7 p.m. The SMART Modified Tour will make a return visit to South Boston Speedway on Saturday afternoon, October 14, at 3 p.m. to wrap up South Boston Speedway’s 2023 season schedule.
The AutosByNelson 250 presented by Virginia Is For Lovers on Saturday night, October 7 will feature a 125-lap race for the CARS Tour Solid Rock Carriers Late Model Stock Car Tour, a 100-lap race for the CARS Tour Pro Late Models, and a 20-lap race for the Virginia Mini-Cup Racing Association. The first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.
The SMART Modified Tour event on Saturday afternoon, October 14 will feature a 99-lap race for the SMART Modified Tour, a race for 602 Crate Modifieds, and a 25-lap race for the Southern Ground Pounders Vintage Racing Club. The first race of the day will start at 3 p.m.
Advance adult general admission tickets for the AutosByNelson 250 presented by Virginia Is For Lovers CARS Tour event are priced at $17 each and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com or by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
Tickets at the gate on race day on October 7 will be $20 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $17 each at the gate on race day.
Advance adult general admission tickets for the October 14 SMART Modified Tour event are priced at $17 each and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website or by calling the speedway office during regular business hours.
Tickets at the gate on race day on October 14 will be $20 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $17 each at the gate on race day.
The latest news and information about the AutosByNelson 250 presented by Virginia Is For Lovers on Saturday night, October 7 and the SMART Modified Tour event on Saturday afternoon, October 14 can be found on the South Boston Speedway website and the track’s social media channels. Information may also be obtained by phoning the speedway at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.