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(Savannah, GA) A small group of local race
fans, crew members and the defending champion of the
Coca-Cola Late Model division at Oglethorpe Speedway Park
have teamed up to give a terminally ill eight-year-old
Kingsland, Georgia girl the opportunity to meet some of her
favorite NASCAR Nextel Cup Series drivers this weekend at
the historic half mile speedway just west of downtown
Savannah. Resse Baldwin will be a special guest of honor
tomorrow night and Saturday night at Oglethorpe Speedway
Park. Baldwin was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer
five years ago. She has always wanted to meet some of the
drivers she watches on TV every weekend.
News around the Baldwin family household in
Kingsland, Georgia never seemed to be very good after
everything changed five years ago after a routine visit to
the hospital to check three-year-old Resse’s arm. She has
been through fifteen various treatments for a rare form of
bone cancer that has only a 10% survival rate and no known
cure. Resse is currently in chemotherapy after doctor’s
recently found two more tumors on her legs.
There was a phone call a few weeks ago that
changed the atmosphere in the Baldwin home. OSP race fan
Howard Bigneault telephoned to explain his plan for Resse,
her parents and little sister to see some of the drivers
from the Nextel Cup Series when they visited OSP over
Memorial Day weekend.
“Howard has been wonderful with everything
he has done for this,” said Tina Baldwin. “He has really
made Resse and our entire family very happy. We are excited
about the whole weekend in Savannah and having the chance
for Resse to meet Bill Elliott.”
The big hearted Bigneault contacted local
disc jockey Jeff Taylor from Oldies 98.3 to see if he could
obtain tickets to Friday night’s event at Oglethorpe
Speedway Park. Taylor, also a huge fan of the speedway,
quickly obliged giving four VIP passes to the Baldwins.
This will allow Resse and her family to meet one of her
heroes Bill Elliott in a one on one setting.
“She is a really big fan of Bill Elliott,”
said Tina Baldwin. “She likes Jeff Gordon too. But, Bill
is one of her favorites.”
Defending Oglethorpe Speedway Park Late
Model champion Bobby Morris and his crew members were quick
to find a hotel room for the family in Pooler this weekend.
The family will enjoy two nights of complimentary
accommodations which will allow them to attend Friday
night’s NASCAR Nextel Cup “Race of Champions” event and
Saturday’s Fastrak Late Model race at the speedway. Morris
and his team will be competing both nights and would want
nothing more than to celebrate with Resse in victory lane.
Also jumping into the picture insuring a
weekend of fun for Reese and her family are the Five Star
Family Fun Park in Pooler. The mini-golf, go karting
adventure park will allow the Baldwin family which includes
Todd, Tina, Reese and five-year-old Micayla a day of fun at
no cost. They will have free run of the place for the
entire day.
Reese and the Baldwins will also enjoy the
races from the comforts of a VIP Suite in the NASCAR Tower
at OSP on both Friday night and Saturday night. Speedway
sponsors Four Star Security have invited the entire family
to join them in the suites this weekend.
“We can’t believe how people we don’t even
know are doing this for Resse,” added Mrs. Baldwin. “We are
so looking forward to this getaway at the races.”
Oglethorpe Speedway Park has lined up an
opportunity for Reese to participate in opening ceremonies
on both nights at the speedway, go for a ride around the
track and meet all the drivers competing on Friday and
Saturday nights.
It is a dream weekend for a little girl who
needed something to look forward to.
The NASCAR Nextel Cup “Race of Champions”
takes place at Oglethorpe Speedway Park this Friday night.
Gates open at noon. Autographs and photos with Bill
Elliott, Matt Kenseth, Casey Mears and Jimmy Spencer will
begin at 6:00pm. The drivers will also compete in late
models at 8:00pm followed by a full night of stock car
racing action. Racing continues on Saturday night with the
Fastrak Late Models and more.
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