NHMS provides "Dream Racers;" The Mod Maniac puts on a play.
The New Hampshire Motor Speedway Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities unveiled the DreamRacer at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD) in Manchester, N.H. Wednesday. NHMS general manager Jerry Gappens is at left.
Patients at a New Hampshire children's hospital now have a chance to try their hands at racing, thanks to a donation from Speedway Children's Charities and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
On Wednesday, NHMS executive vice president and general manager Jerry Gappens helped to unveil a pair of "Dream Racers" - miniature racing simulators that can also be used as general "distraction stations" - at the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock locations in both Manchester and Lebanon.
Here is a description of the devices, courtesy of the NHMS press release on the event:
"Whether it’s used to play authentically looking race car video games, watch a movie or even listen to streaming music, the intention of the Children’s Dream Racers are to provide a diversion from the stress and monotony of lengthy hospital stays and procedures."
Kudos to Gappens and everyone at SCC - the charity arm of NHMS parent company Speedway Motosports Inc. - for providing such a generous gift. Who knows? Maybe one of these kids will be bitten by the racing bug and want to get into a real car once they get out of the hospital.
MOD MANIAC AND MAN OF ARTS: Over the last few months, I've gotten to know the man commonly referred to as "The Long Island Mod Maniac." It's become clear that Modified racing isn't the only thing Jim Schaefer is passionate about.
As a teacher at Riley Avenue School, in Riverhead, N.Y., Schaefer has exposed his students to his love of racing in different ways, but he is also a man of the arts.
Schaefer recently wrapped up a 26-year run at the helm of the fourth-grade production of "Cinderella."
Said Schaefer in a Riverhead Central School District press release:
"This has been a 26 year tradition, and even though it is over, I know the memories the students have will last for their lifetime," Schaefer said. "As the song goes, nothing is 'impossible!'"
Schaefer is also very happy to have reached his goal to have a sponsor for all 200 laps of this year's two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races at Riverhead Raceway, a feat he completed Wednesday.
The leader of each lap will receive a bonus from the pool that Schaefer has accumulated. Each sponsor paid $20, which is split evenly among the two races. In honor of The Republican's address (1860 Main Street), I am sponsoring lap 186.