Talladega donates $100,000 towards relief

Checked presented to American Red Cross to aid relief efforts

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Talladega Superspeedway President Grant Lynch presented a check for $100,000 on behalf of the track to the Talladega County chapter of the American Red Cross to further aid Hurricane Katrina relief efforts under way since the storm devastated the Gulf Coast last week. The track is also providing lunch today for evacuees staying in area shelters.

"It has been very difficult for people to adequately describe the devastation caused by this storm to the people of this region," Lynch said.

"It has left thousands of people -- our neighbors - without the most basic of human needs like water, food and shelter and we just want to do what we can to help ease their burden. International Speedway Corporation is making a large effort to contribute, but we wanted to do something in addition to that. We'll continue to look at ways we may be able to help, and we encourage others to do the same."

In addition to the monetary donation, Talladega Superspeedway welcomed local hurricane evacuees currently staying in Talladega, St. Clair and Calhoun Counties for lunch at the speedway. Nancy Nixon, owner of Glory Days Restaurant in Pell City, Alabama, provided the catering for today's luncheon and The International Motorsports Hall of Fame provided the facility.

The announcement of Talladega Superspeedway's coordinated effort comes on the heels of an announcement made last week by the track's owner, International Speedway Corporation, that it will provide over $1 million in funding and services to jump start a company-wide relief program that includes the facilitation of donation collections at all ISC-owned racetracks through the remainder of the season.

American Red Cross volunteers will be on hand at Talladega Superspeedway to accept donations from fans at the track's second major race weekend of the year, Sept. 29 -- Oct. 2.