Flomaton Speedway drivers donating winnings to great cause.
On August 2, 2014 beginning at 8:00p.m. Flomaton Speedway will host the 5th Annual Jarrod Johns Memorial Derby, an event that was established to honor the memory a former driver at the speedway who lost his life five years ago. The event is strongly supported by Jarrod’s mother, Janet Johns, and through the efforts of herself and many others, this annual event has become one of the most prestigious dirt track races in the Panhandle area. Five divisions of racing will bring in drivers from several surrounding states as they are set to compete for huge cash prizes and one of a kind trophies.
Thanks to an astonishing number of drivers and other supporters of the sport, this year’s derby has taken on a new meaning. Bailey Byrd is a 21 year old girl from Andalusia, Al who is battling Juvenile Granulosa Cell Tumor, a rare form of ovarian cancer. After multiple surgeries and chemotherapy treatments, Bailey is scheduled for a double stem cell transplant operation in Houston, TX on August 10th. The treatment is going to require a six month stay in Houston for treatment and monitoring. With medical bills and travel expenses adding up plus the faith of the Byrd family taking a beating, they took to social media to plea for prayer. Inspiration started coming in and prayers started going out and the Bailey’s Journey Facebook page now has over 6,000 Likes. In early 2014 Bailey was selected as a recipient of aid by Cancer Freeze, a foundation setup by Caleb and Jennifer Davidson. Cancer Freeze is a small but growing charity based in Florala, Al who each year selects a number of recipients from the local area to whom they help with financial aid and other donations that they are able to take in throughout the year.
In early July 2014 the management Flomaton Speedway was contacted by the wife of a driver in the Pure Stock division at the track. She told them about Bailey’s battle and asked them if they could help in any way. Contact was made between the Speedway and the Byrd family and the Bailey was asked to be the honorary Grand Marshall of the 4th of July Shootout, a race put on each year at the Speedway. Track management also asked that Cancer Freeze be in attendance to sell merchandise and raise money for the foundation in appreciation for what the charity was doing for the community. An agreement was made for Cancer Freeze to come back to the Speedway on August 2nd for the annual memorial race in order to raise more money for the foundation and the Byrd family. The real inspiration came when Bailey was introduced to the drivers at the prerace driver’s safety meeting on July 4th. After a brief description of what Bailey was going through and the meeting dispersed, driver after driver approached the track management and Caleb Davidson of Cancer Freeze. They pledged every dollar from their winnings on the night of the Jarrod Johns Memorial Derby to the foundation to help Bailey and the Byrd family.
Most of the drivers are racing on very small budgets and the smallest of setbacks will determine whether they race or sit in the grandstands that night. The Jarrod Johns Memorial is the richest purse that the drivers will race for all year long at Flomaton Speedway and over 20 drivers will selflessly turn that money away in the effort of helping a young lady who before July 4th had never even been to a race of any kind. The drivers that have made the pledge have been named Team Bailey Motorsports and are expected to have overwhelming support from the followers of Bailey’s Journey and Cancer Freeze on the night of the big race. This truly shows how generous and supportive the racing community can be.
There will be other arrangements made at Flomaton Speedway to help raise funds for Cancer Freeze and the Byrd family on the night of the race through a 50/50 Drawing and a grudge race between Flomaton Speedway’s flagman NASCAR Ron and the Speedway Announcer Jim Reynolds. Cancer Freeze will be setup selling merchandise and donations can be made by the public at the track.
Gates open at 4:00p.m.
Event starts at 8:00p.m.
Track is located on Hwy 113 in Flomaton, Al 1 mile North of Hwy 29/31
WWW.FLOMATONSPEEDWAY.COM
WWW.CANCERFREEZE.NET
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BAILEYBYRDSJOURNEY
For more in formation on the above story contact:
Micha McCall
Flomaton Speedway Manager
251-583-0064
