No replies to this topic

[Johnny D]

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (February 24, 2017) – The Sports Car Club of America® (SCCA®), through a grant from the SCCA Foundation, has launched an outreach program to help reduce the suicide rate among injured veterans by engaging them in transformative motorsports experiences.

 

The program, geared toward post 9/11 veterans with service-connected injuries, will be run in partnership with the award-winning non-profit VETMotorsports. Participants will get behind the wheel at select SCCA events and be mentored by Club members and staff.

 

The program will launch at the West Coast CAM Challenge event March 3-5 in San Diego. The plan is to place veterans behind the wheel at all national CAM Challenge events throughout the 2017 season.

 

“We are very grateful to the men and women who have served our country in defense of our freedom,” said Howard Duncan, SCCA Senior Director of Rally/Solo.  “Military service builds skills in leadership, teamwork, and dedication to task, all of which are applicable to motorsports.  The SCCA Foundation is pleased to give back to our veterans through this program and welcome them to be part of the SCCA family in every community across the country.”

 

VETMotorsports Founder and Executive Director Peter Cline said, “Losing 22 veterans a day to suicide is something we just can’t abide. Having the SCCA work hand in hand with us to honor and empower these brave service men and women is incredibly gratifying. They really understand and embrace what we’re doing, they’re going to make a tremendous difference in these veterans’ lives, and we can’t thank everyone at the SCCA enough for taking up this important cause.”

 

VETMotorsports is an award-winning, non-profit, non-clinical outreach program that honors and empowers injured post-9/11 service members by embedding them with professional racing teams and putting them behind the wheel to race in amateur events.  By placing veterans in hands-on, team environments that mimic active duty, the organization gives them direction, empowerment and challenges that help them focus on ability and moving forward rather than disability and the past. Since its founding in 2012, VETMotorsports has helped more than 160 injured veterans participate in 60 motorcycle and auto racing events across the United States. More information about the organization is available at www.VETMotorsports.org.