Inspirational Sam Schmidt to Speak

Famous Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society Luncheon

 

Sam Schmidt, winning INDYCAR team owner and the founder of Conquer Paralysis Now, will be the keynote speaker at the luncheon of the prestigious Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society (MASCDCS) in New York City on Tuesday, September 3.

 

In his speech, Schmidt will recount his inspiring life story that’s seen the Las Vegas resident bounce back from a tragic accident that left him a quadriplegic and ended his racing career to become a successful team owner and celebrated advocate for spinal cord injury research, treatment and an eventual cure.

 

Schmidt earned his first win as an IndyCar driver at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September 1999. Just four months later, he was involved in a crash during testing where he sustained a C-3 level spinal cord injury. Determined not to let the setback slow him down, Schmidt soon ventured into race team ownership and founded the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit and the forerunner of Conquer Paralysis Now CPN).

 

In the ensuing years, CPN has raised more than $40 million to fund spinal cord injury scientific research, medical treatment, rehabilitation and technological advances that lead toward a cure. In 2018, CPN opened its first DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Center in Las Vegas,  where individuals with disabilities can improve their physical, mental and emotional health, increase independence, and enhance their overall quality of life using a holistic approach to wellness.

 

All the while, Schmidt built what began as Sam Schmidt Motorsports into a winning mainstay in the NTT INDYCAR Series. Now known as the Arrow McLaren team of which Schmidt is part owner, the team has partnered with McLaren’s Formula 1 team since 2021. Arrow McLaren fields three full-time cars this year in the NTT INDYCAR Series for drivers Pato O’Ward, Alexander Rossi and Nolan Siegel. 

 

“I am honored that the Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society asked me to speak at their luncheon,” Schmidt said. “It’s a renowned organization known nationwide for its dedication to the automobile experience and these entertaining lunches. I am humbled to join the list of legendary speakers.”

 

MASCDCS was founded in 1957 as a way for like-minded individuals to gather and share their passion for sports cars and automobile competition. Members and speakers over the years have included the likes of Walter Cronkite, Brock Yates, Edsel Ford, Bill France Sr., Janet Guthrie, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, David Hobbs, Sam Posey and many more.

 

Jim Donick, Chairman of the Madison Avenue Sports car Driving and Chowder Society, is eager to add Schmidt to the impressive list of speakers.

 

“Sam is an inspiration, not just to motoring enthusiasts like the Chowder Society, but to the broader society,” Donick said. “His story is moving and we are happy to be able to share it to a wider audience.”

 

 

About Sam Schmidt

Sam Schmidt is a resident of the Las Vegas area. He was an IndyCar driver before suffering an injury in practice in January 2000 in which he sustained a C-3/4/5 spinal cord injury that left him a quadriplegic. He created the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation (SSPF) that year to raise funds for medical research, innovative equipment used for rehabilitation, and quality-of-life issues. In 2014, the foundation was rebranded as Conquer Paralysis Now with a mission to cure paralysis while assisting those who are already disabled. Today, besides chairing Conquer Paralysis Now, Sam is a highly successful businessperson and INDYCAR team co-owner with Arrow McLaren Racing.

 

Please join us in wishing Sam Schmidt, the founder of Conquer Paralysis Now, a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 🎉

Sam's unwavering determination continues to break barriers and inspire countless lives.#HappyBirthday #SamSchmidt #ConquerParalysisNow #DRIVEN pic.twitter.com/ZatGMT1MQp

— Conquer Paralysis Now (@NowConquer) August 16, 2024

 

About Conquer Paralysis Now

Conquer Paralysis Now is a 501c3 nonprofit devoted to furthering advancements in spinal cord injury research and treatment. In 2018, CPN created a program called DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Center to fill the gap for services for people with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions which affect mobility. For more information, visit the CPN website at Conquer Paralysis Now. 

 

About DRIVEN

DRIVEN is a multidisciplinary center located at 701 E. Bridger Ave., Suite 150, Las Vegas, where individuals with disabilities can improve their physical, mental and emotional health, increase independence, and enhance their overall quality of life using a holistic approach to wellness. A second location will open in September 2024 at 1300 E. 96th Street, Indianapolis. DRIVEN provides options for individuals with disabilities to pursue a healthy, active lifestyle. While offering a variety of new opportunities, DRIVEN also coordinates with existing programs in the area that cater to this population to ensure that all of their needs are met. For more information, visit the DRIVEN website at www.drivenlv.org. 

 

 

source: News Release

RIP Dilano van’t Hoff

A Moment for 18-Year-Old Dutch FRECA Racer

 

Dutch driver Dilano van ’t Hoff, 18, died Saturday as the result of a crash during the second Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA) race at Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium, according to a statement from his team MP Motorsport.

 

Dilano was caught in a multiple car accident during a restart in wet conditions. In very poor visibility due to spray it appears he spun and was hit at high speed by at the start of the Kemmel straight by the RP Motorsport car driven by Adam Fitzgerald. (Fitzgerald is in stable condition and expected to make a full physical recovery)

 

Video of the crash that killed Dilano van't Hoff an 18 year old at the Formula Regional race at Spa-Francorchamps today. pic.twitter.com/sJDf2ogv0j

— Levandov (@blabla112345) July 1, 2023

(a more detailed version of this crash can be viewed here -- Warning:  it is tough to watch)

“We are devastated at the loss of one of our brightest Dutch talents, who brought so much energy to our team during the years he raced with us,” a team statement read.

 

 

Van’t Hoff’s first contact with motorsport was a bit different from what we normally hear from racing drivers.

 

“I was watching a karting race of my step-brother, and one of the guys that was there was [the son] of like a friend of my dad’s and he was crying at the race start,” van’t Hoff told Formula Scout ahead of last weekend’s Spanish F4 round at Jerez.

 

“He didn’t want to start and he got out of the kart. Then I looked to my dad saying ‘oh, please, let me have a go’. I got into the kart and I drove the race.

 

“Since then I just really started to like it and I’ve just been doing it ever since.”

 

This by-chance first race would be followed by many, many more in karting during a six-year spell which began in 2015. Van ’t Hoff made his debut for MP Motorsport in 2021, winning the Spanish Formula 4 championship with ease. 

 

MP Motorsport is deeply saddened to confirm that our driver, Dilano van ’t Hoff has passed away as a result of a crash during the second race of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine at Spa Francorchamps.

 

Statement from Spa-Francorchamps: 18-year-old Dutch driver Dilano van ‘t Hoff has died following an accident in the FRECA race today. pic.twitter.com/EmNsHDyeCT

— Luke Smith (@LukeSmithF1) July 1, 2023

 

“We are so sad to learn of the passing of Dilano van 't Hoff today at Spa-Francorchamps.

Dilano died in pursuit of his dream to reach the pinnacle of motorsport.

Along with the entire motorsport community, our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”

Stefano Domenicali pic.twitter.com/Kn0gklf9RN

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 1, 2023

 

source: Twitter

Pro Drivers Plunge into Esports

Technology and the booming eSports industry is helping to fill the void created by the shutdown in sports over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The inaugural event had a combined total of 12.1 million minutes watched on “The Race” YouTube channel – that’s a combined total of 23 years of total content consumed. The massive fan engagement featured nearly 30,000 combined comments and millions of impressions on social media.

And you thought you had to watch old YouTube videos to see these guys race again!
The Race All-Star Esports Battle ⭐️#LegendsTrophy 🏆

💻 Watch on Saturday: https://t.co/WdVqh7S2NG

🇬🇧16:00 | 🇪🇺17:00 | 🇺🇸➡️12:00
🇺🇸⬅️ 9:00 | 🇦🇺 3:00 | 🇧🇷13:00#TheRaceMustGoOn || #LegendsTrophy pic.twitter.com/8aKIQAWk8R

— The Race (@wearetherace) March 27, 2020

These events were created following the cancellation of the opening round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in Australia. Other major motorsports championships including the NASCAR, Formula E, IndyCar, and the World Endurance Championship have also been shut down due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic.

The second event one week later using the Indianapolis road course featured the racing return of Nico Hulkenberg following his F1 exit, and was won by another Esports big name in van Buren.

Rudy van Buren is back for more, along with his World’s Fastest Gamer successor James Baldwin.

The format will be the same as last week with three heats – two for real-world pro drivers and one for sim racers – before last-chance qualifier and a grand final featuring five Esports racers against the pros.

Arrow McLaren SP’s rising IndyCar star Patricio O’Ward and FIA Formula 3 racer Sophia Florsch are among the new additions for The Race All-Star Esports Battle 3, running alongside the brand new Legends Trophy event.

The grid is bustling with a strong list of real-life racers including Juan Pablo Montoya and his son Sebastian, Formula E points leader Antonio Felix da Costa and fellow series challenger Maximilian Gunther and the top real-life racer from the last race, Daniel Juncadella.

This is amazing! 73-year-old two-time F1 world champion @emmofittipaldi will be doing the @wearetherace All-Star Esports Battle this weekend 😲👏 https://t.co/7TLpOJZ9s1

— WTF1 (@wtf1official) March 26, 2020

The Race All-Star Battle – Round 3 + Legends Trophy

• When: March 28, 4PM UK time
• Where to watch: Live on The Race’s YouTube channel

🏁 🏆 Last Five Posts 🏆 🏁

1. Latest Regarding #NASCAR Weekend at Atlanta
2. Atlanta Motor Speedway Adds Hand Washing Stations
3. Schedule for Atlanta's #NASCAR Triple-Header
4. Ford Performance Wins with a 1-2 Cup Finish
5. NASCAR’s King's Take on the 2020 Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America

Remembrance of Passion, Talent and Perseverance #RIPJules

Twenty-five-year-old Race Car Driver, Jules Bianchi drove for Marussia F1 in the FIA Formula One World Championship. He started in Formula One (F1) as a test driver in 2011. In 2013, Jules made his debut driving for Marussia; finishing fifteenth in his opening race in Australia. However, after failing to score any points, he ended the season in nineteenth position.

In the 2014 season, with his ninth place performance, Jules Bianchi scored both his and the Marussia's first points in Formula One at the Monaco Grand Prix. Such a promising start to his young career!

This young Frenchman is a well-liked figure inside the sport – if not a little unknown outside of F1. Sadly his tragic accident, involving a recovery tractor parked on a live race track corner at Suzuka, stirred up both controversy and with that recognition.

This author will not debate the wisdom of that decision; rather as the mother of a racer, concentrate on the dreadful loss of an athlete dedicated to his craft.

It is a little known fact that Jules Bianchi, who started racing karts at the age of five, was a passionate and talented driver, with a great sense of humor. His dedication and hard work will never be fully grasped by the average fan. However, I am sure that his family, friends and co-workers witnessed that perseverance daily.

Jules Bianchi died yesterday after being in a coma for nine months. He is the first driver to be killed in a Formula One race since the notorious accident that killed Ayrton Senna in 1994. Nonetheless it serves as a reminder of the reality of our sport.

Rest in Peace Jules Bianchi
Our thoughts are with your family and friends

The statement released from the family reads as follows:

It is with deep sadness that the parents of Jules Bianchi, Philippe and Christine, his brother Tom and sister Mélanie, wish to make it known that Jules passed away last night at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) in Nice, (France) where he was admitted following the accident of 5th October 2014 at Suzuka Circuit during the Japanese Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Jules fought right to the very end, as he always did, but today his battle came to an end, said the Bianchi family. The pain we feel is immense and indescribable. We wish to thank the medical staff at Nice’s CHU who looked after him with love and dedication. We also thank the staff of the General Medical Center in the Mie Prefecture (Japan) who looked after Jules immediately after the accident, as well as all the other doctors who have been involved with his care over the past months.

Furthermore, we thank Jules’ colleagues, friends, fans and everyone who has demonstrated their affection for him over these past months, which gave us great strength and helped us deal with such difficult times. Listening to and reading the many messages made us realise just how much Jules had touched the hearts and minds of so many people all over the world.

We would like to ask that our privacy is respected during this difficult time, while we try to come to terms with the loss of Jules.

Schumacher’s 45th Birthday In Coma

The family of injured Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher has thanked fans for their "great support".

"We all know he is a fighter and will not give up," the family said in an online statement.

The most successful F1 racer in history is in a medically induced coma in hospital in Grenoble, after a skiing accident in the French Alps.

Schumacher, who turns 45 on Friday, remains in a stable but critical condition, his manager said earlier.

The German had been skiing off-piste when he fell and hit his head on Sunday. His helmet cracked on impact after hitting a rock.

Doctors confirmed on Tuesday that Schumacher had shown signs of improvement, but was still "not out of danger".

They ruled out giving a prognosis for his condition in the coming days and months.

But it is medically possible for someone to spend several weeks in an induced coma and fully recover from it.