RISING YOUNG CANADIAN STOCK CAR RACER JOINS FORCES WITH CHARITY TO HELP KEEP KIDS ON THE RIGHT TRACK!
The new face of stock car racing wears lipstick!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RISING YOUNG CANADIAN STOCK CAR RACER JOINS FORCES
WITH CHARITY TO HELP KEEP KIDS ON THE RIGHT TRACK!
June 15, 2009 - Toronto: Kelly Wood, the 19-year old rising star of Canadian Late Model series stock car racing, attended the annual Youth Assisting Youth (YAY) picnic Saturday June 13, to announce her partnership with the peer mentoring service that matches at-risk and newcomer children throughout the GTA with volunteer youth mentors. "As a mentoring organization, Youth Assisting Youth is thrilled to be aligned with the strength and integrity that Kelly brings, both as a competitor on the race track and as a positive role model that any young person could look up to," said Sally Spencer, CEO of YAY. "We make it a priority to support our mentors who are in turn, helping the community's youth."
This partnership represents a natural fit between Kelly's own keen desire to inspire Canadian youth to achieve success in all aspects of their lives; and YAY's mission to promote the healthy and productive growth and development of young people through mentorship. "If you want to be successful, you have to work hard for it," explains Wood. "Now that I'm in the competitive world of stock car racing, I realize the value of the love, support and hands-on help I've been given over the years by my family, friends and racing mentors. They've helped me grow as an athlete and as a young woman entering this exciting sport, and along the way, I've learned many valuable lessons including the realization that it takes a team to help you get there." And Kelly now looks forward to teaming up with YAY to help keep kids on the right track. Among the YAY picnic's activities, one of the most popular was Kelly's "pit crew challenge" where the children and their mentors raced against the clock to change tires on the #61 race car, using the air gun to tighten or loosen the lugnuts on Kelly's racing wheels. With the assistance of Kelly's crew chief Garry Edwards and pit crew member Chad McCabe (at left) the youngsters had a blast competing for trophies and bragging rights.
Competitors & their mentors with the 3 fastest times were presented with shiny trophies and celebrated with cheers all around.
Kelly has been racing since 2006 when she started in go-karts, winning Rookie of the Year at the Simcoe Kart Club and chalking up numerous wins, top-ten finishes and two championships. She moved up to Limited Late Model racing in 2008 and placed 4th in her very first race. 2009 sees Kelly running a full Late Model Schedule at Kawartha Speedway. In 2010, Kelly joins the big leagues, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, where she'll proudly carry the YAY logo on her car when she takes her first trip around the professional tracks across Canada.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Glenda Fordham, Fordham PR
T: 416-966-2049
E: fordhampr@rogers.com
(Additional event photos available upon request)
Kelly Wood Is A Proud Supporter Of Youth Assisting Youth
Youth Assisting Youth is a peer mentoring organization that matches volunteer youth mentors aged 16 to 29 with newcomer and at-risk children ages 6 to 15 years old. Since 1976, YAY's unique service has helped over 20,000 children and youth.
