By Tina Mendenhall
allstate400atthebrickyard.com
Monday, July 21, 2008
For the fourth straight year, fans of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard are encouraged to roll up their sleeves and help save lives by participating in the Blood and Bone Marrow Drive at the Brickyard on Saturday, July 26 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Drive is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Hall of Fame Museum East parking lot.
The Blood and Bone Marrow Drive at the Brickyard is a part of the national NASCAR Foundation Annual Blood and Marrow Drive, which is a partnership between The NASCAR Foundation, Hendrick Marrow Program and the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. Fans can donate blood for the American Red Cross and join the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry. Everyone who attends the Drive will receive a free T-shirt or other giveaways.
Donor recipients and their families will be on hand to share their stories and to speak with participants. American Red Cross coloring books, crayons and stick-on tattoos will be provided to children while their parents give blood. Buddy the Blood Drop, official mascot of the American Red Cross, will be on hand to take pictures with kids.
Joining the National Marrow Donor Registry is easy. A small cotton swab is used to gather cheek cells from donors. The tissue type is tested, with information added to the Registry.
In total during the past three years of the Drive at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 135 units of blood were collected and 128 new members were placed on the NMDP Registry.
Last year's Blood and Bone Marrow Drive at the Brickyard was the most successful to date, with 74 pints of blood collected and 86 new members added to the NMDP Registry. In 2005 and 2006 combined, 61 units of blood were collected and 42 new members placed on the Registry.
One person who joined the NMDP Registry in the 2005 Drive at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway donated his marrow to a recipient in May 2007.
Ashley Taylor, a young woman from Indianapolis, was diagnosed with two different cancers within a two-year period and received marrow from a donor. Today, she is a healthy 23 year-old college student.
"Four years ago this month, a man who signed up at a drive like this gave me his bone marrow and saved my life," Taylor said. "Every person who gives blood or is put on the National Registry is giving someone hope."
Since the Blood and Bone Marrow Drive at the Brickyard is taking place on Speedway grounds during Allstate 400 at the Brickyard weekend, there is a $15 admission fee into the track for the day's activities. Children age 5 and under are admitted free of charge. Participation in the Drive is free.
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Tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 2008 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, scheduled for Sunday, July 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Fans can order tickets online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com, by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or at the ticket office at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Parking and camping information also can be obtained through the ticket office.
Hours for phone orders and the ticket office are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday, while online orders can be made at any time.
General admission Race Day access is available for the first time at this event through an IMS General Admission Season Ticket. The season ticket provides gate admission for a combined six days over the two remaining events this season at IMS, the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, for just $120.
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