By Bob Baker
KNOXVILLE, IOWA (January 24, 2011) – The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum Foundation is pleased to announce the launching of the “Racers at Rest” project to place markers on the unmarked graves of open-wheeled race drivers who have perished in racing crashes.
In the course of the research for “Buzz” Rose’s book, “Racers at Rest,” there have been 31 drivers found to have been buried in unmarked graves. The “Racers at Rest” project is being initiated to help resolve this situation.
The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum Foundation, Inc., will be administrating the overall project, while the day-to-day coordination will be done by the following volunteers: Steve Estes of Troy, Ohio (937-339-2784), Don Tash of Phoenix, Arizona (602-791-3983), Mike Thompson of Dayton, Ohio (937-219-5851), and Jim Thurman of Palmdale, California (jim.thurman@att.net). All funds will be held in a restricted bank account by the 501(c)(3) non-profit museum foundation until payment for the markers is required.
All donations are to be sent to the National Sprint Car Museum, P.O. Box 542, Knoxville, Iowa 50138, and should be clearly noted in the memo that the restricted donation is for the “Racers at Rest” project.
Those individuals interested in the “Racers at Rest” project, or those with questions, are encouraged to contact one of the above-mentioned volunteer coordinators, or museum curator Tom Schmeh at tschmeh@sprintcarhof.com.