JAMES RIVER, NS (March 27, 2019) – NASCAR personality Kenny Wallace will drive the ‘Cat Car for Kids’ in the 2019 edition of the IWK 250 presented by Steve Lewis on July 20 at Riverside International Speedway when Wallace will attempt to become the first back-to-back champion of the event in its modern era.
“I am both honoured and humbled to be driving the Cat Car for Kids in the IWK 250,” said Kenny Wallace. “To represent all the children is a very humbling experience for me. I take a lot of pride in running good, going to the hospital, and sharing a lot of love with those beautiful children. I personally want to thank Toromont Cat; together we are doing good things.”
This is the 12th year for the ‘Cat Car for Kids’, marking a long-term relationship between Toromont Cat, Riverside International Speedway, Steve and Marie Lewis, and the IWK Foundation. This year, the car will feature branding which will incorporate it into the 50th-anniversary celebrations for Riverside International Speedway.
“Toromont Cat is once again excited to partner with Riverside International Speedway for the IWK 250 and to celebrate the track’s 50th anniversary,” said Andy Hunt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Toromont Cat. “This event is an entertaining racing experience and being able to support such an important facility as the IWK is always a pleasure. We look forward to welcoming Kenny Wallace and the Cat Car for Kids back as they gear up to accelerate a fun and memorable experience for the children and bring exciting racing action to the fans.”
The ‘Cat Car for Kids’ has grown to become a brand of its own and an integral element of the IWK 250. The ‘Cat Car for Kids’ is instantly recognizable by the dozens of signatures on it which are collected when the car and driver visit the IWK Health Centre in Halifax as part of the IWK 250 weekend. Since 2008 drivers of the ‘Cat Car for Kids’ have included Aric Almirola, Marcos Ambrose, Matt Crafton, Ricky Craven, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, David Reutimann, Regan Smith, and Kenny Wallace – the latter two the only celebrity drivers to win the IWK 250.
“It’s been both a thrill and at the same time humbling to know the joy the ‘Cat Car for Kids’ has brought patients and their families at the IWK,” said Paul McLean, general manager for Riverside International Speedway. “The support of Toromont Cat has been unwavering and the fans have fully embraced what the car stands for.”
The hospital event creates precious lifetime memories for patients and their families as they become part of one of the premier summer sporting events in Nova Scotia as co-sponsors of the car with Toromont Cat and get a unique chance to meet a NASCAR personality. Toromont Cat also supplies goody bags to the children during the hospital visit as well as a full equipment display at the track and giveaways during the on-track autograph session.
Wallace has 905 starts in NASCAR’s top three series and holds the all-time record for the most starts in the XFINITY Series, showing his longevity in the sport. He retired from a 25-year NASCAR driving career in 2015 after scoring nine wins in 547 XFINITY Series starts. At the end of the 2018 race season, Wallace retired from his television broadcasting career so he could race full time at short tracks throughout America.
The ‘Cat Car for Kids’ is fielded out of the Nova Racing shop in Antigonish. Wallace will be a teammate to 2016 IWK 250 champion and 2015 Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour champion Donald Chisholm (Antigonish).
The IWK 250 presented by Steve Lewis kicks off on Wednesday, July 17 with practice for teams in the NAPA Sportsman Series and Maritime League of Legends. Thursday, July 18 sees practice for the IWK 250 and the annual IWK 250 Tailgate Party, this year featuring a concert by east coast music legends, The Matt Minglewood Band. Friday it’s the Henry’s AUTOPRO 100 and the Maritime League of Legends, and Saturday is the IWK 250, a championship points event for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour which has historically attracted challengers from outside the series and the region all hoping to take home the unique trophy and see their name engraved into perpetuity on the John W. Chisholm Memorial Cup.
Besides being recognized as one of the most entertaining stock car races in Canada, the IWK 250 helps raise awareness and funding for the IWK Health Centre with more than $450,000 donated to the IWK Foundation since 2007.
The value-packed IWK 250 Weekend Pass (includes admission for Thursday, Friday, Saturday), as well as campsite reservations, are now available online at www.RiversideSpeedway.ca. Single-day tickets will be available in June. All campsites must be reserved in advance, i.e. no drive-ups.
The 2019 season at Riverside gets underway June 8 with The Triple 50s presented by Ceilidh Honda for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour along with the Henry’s AUTOPRO 75 for the NAPA Sportsman Series. Advance tickets for the June show will be available in May at www.riversidespeedway.ca.
Riverside Speedway opened in 1969 under the helm of Antigonish businessman John Chisholm. It was sold in 1989 and bought back by Mr. Chisholm late in 2005, rebuilt in 2006 and rebranded Riverside International Speedway. For 50 years, the popular 1/3-mile high-banked asphalt oval has provided generations of race fans with some of the best stock car racing entertainment in North America.
About Toromont Cat
Established in 1993, Toromont Cat is a division of Toromont Industries (TSX: TIH), a publically traded, diversified growth company incorporated in 1963. We are focused on offering our customers solutions aimed at making their business more successful. Toromont Cat is the authorized Caterpillar dealer in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nunavut. We are dedicated to supplying and servicing new and used equipment backed by exceptional product support. With over 300 machine models and specialized attachments in our Cat equipment product line, a host of allied equipment and technology partners, and varied service and rental options, regardless of your needs or the job at hand, we strive to be your first choice. For more information please visit www.Toromont.com.
Riverside International Speedway is recognized as a premier stock car racing facility in Canada. The 1/3-mile high-banked asphalt oval roars to action several times a year for special events. It is the home of the IWK 250 – widely known as the best stock-car race in Canada, and of the Bumper to Bumper 300 – eastern Canada’s only NASCAR event. Located in James River, between New Glasgow and Antigonish, the facility is easily accessible at exit 30 on Trans Canada Highway 104. For more information please visit www.riversidespeedway.ca.
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