FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
Contact: Jenny Stickley     
jenny@hatcherfoundation.org

Attached photo: the fund-raising efforts for the Hatcher Foundation included a pinewood derby event at the Championship Banquet at Miller Motorsports Park’s Champions Hall. Please visit www.hatcherfoundation.org to support this worthy cause.

FORD RACING MUSTANG CHALLENGE AND BFGOODRICH TIRES RAISE $40,000 FOR AUSTIN HATCHER FOUNDATION DURING 2009 SEASON

(Ooltewah, TN) November 25, 2009:  The Austin Hatcher Foundation has benefited greatly from its continued support from Ford Racing Mustang Challenge and BFGoodrich Tires.  During the 2009 year end celebration, Ford Mustang Racing Challenge Series Director Lynda Randall presented the Foundation with a check for $30,000 with an additional $10,000 donation coming from one of the series participants. 

The money was raised through the combined efforts of the series, its drivers, BFGoodrich Tires and Hurst Performance.  Along with their donations from winnings, drivers participated throughout the season in the Foundation’s diversionary therapy events designed to give families dealing with the effects of pediatric cancer a chance to escape the world of hospitals and doctors and create lasting memories together.  

The drivers not only spent time with families at the track, but also visited local children’s hospitals in cities during the race season. More 100 children and adults were served. 

BFGoodrich Tires donated a one-of-a-kind tire for a silent auction to benefit the Austin Hatcher Foundation during the 45th Anniversary Celebration of the Ford Mustang at Barber Motorsports Park.  

The “Mustang Tire,” truly a piece of motorsports history, bears a tread of 15 horses that represent the mustang logo.  During Ford Mustang Racing Challenge’s 2009 season awards banquet, the Austin Hatcher Foundation hosted the first BFGoodrich/Ford Racing Mustang Challenge/Husrt Performance Pinewood Derby, where close to 50 pinewood derby cars custom-built to resemble the famous “pony”car were entered in the race.  

“BFGoodrich Tires and Ford Mustang Racing Challenge’s sustained support of the Foundation and its mission has helped create lasting memories and provide much needed support for many families across the country,” said Jim Osborn, Co-Founder of the Austin Hatcher Foundation.  “We are truly fortunate to have the support of these world class organizations.”

The Austin Hatcher Foundation would like to thank Ford Mustang Racing Challenge, its drivers and BFGoodrich Tires for their dedicated and continual support.  Together they are helping the Austin Hatcher Foundation make a difference in the lives of those affected by Pediatric Cancer. 

The Austin Hatcher Foundation for a carefree childhood was formed in 2006 after Amy Jo and Jim Osborn lost their infant son Hatch to a rare form of pediatric cancer.  The foundation’s mission is to support research towards the diagnosis, treatment and development of a cure for pediatric cancer, and to provide support and hope to children and families undergoing treatment as well as those who have lost children due to cancer.  The foundation has developed a landmark group of programs and services essential to help cancer stricken children and their families function within their community.  

Hatch’s House of Hope is a unique concept designed to keep the family unit whole when dealing with pediatric cancer.  Specifically, these services include IEP neurocognitive testing, educational programming to help effected children overcome their cognitive and learning deficits, emotional counseling for the cancer affected child, their siblings and parents, and marital and financial counseling to ensure a safe environment to maximize the family growth as a whole.  Erlanger Medical Mall in Chattanooga, TN is the site of the first Hatch’s House of Hope, which opened its doors September 18, 2009.  For more information, visit www.hatcherfoundation.org.  

Ford Mustang Racing MustangChallenge is a new professional racing series co-developed by Ford Racing and Miller Motorsports Park.  The series, sanctioned by Grand-Am Road Racing, showcases the new Ford Mustang FR500S.  Its races serve as a support series to major professional racing series across the country.  

BFGoodrich Tires is known all over the world as a top quality tire manufacturer.  Using motorsports as a proving ground for more than 30 years, BFGoodrich is involved in every type of racing, including sports car, oval, drag, drifting, desert, dirt, rally and extreme rock crawling.  BFGoodrich Tires combines technological expertise with vast motorsports experience, delivering a high-performance tire for every type of vehicle.

Hurst Performance , founded in 1958, is one of the most recognized and revered names in the automotive performance arena. The Hurst brand has long been synonymous with speed, performance and quality, with an impressive track-record of pioneering high performance products and vehicles for all forms of motorsports and hot-rodding.