Progressive Youth Center (PYC) is proud to announce a major collaboration between the agency and MB Motorsports NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Team. MB Motorsports has joined with PYC as a major participant in SportsLink St. Louis, one of the agency’s new programs, to be kicked off in Spring 2000. Patterned after the successful SportsBridge Program in California, the goal of Sports-Link St. Louis is to use a high interest area such as sports to help young women reach their full potential through prevention of at-risk behaviors (teen pregnancy, substance abuse, dropping out of school) and through preparation for future leadership. Through mentoring, sports, and PYC’s After School Program curriculum, SportsLink seeks to empower young people to believe in themselves and to strive toward their full potential. CTS Driver Jamie McMurray, of Joplin, Mo., will be a major spokesperson for the SportsLink program and for Progressive Youth Center. With 15 years of experience to his credit, this 23-year-old seasoned driver has spent the majority of his life focusing on a racing career. After a very successful karting career including being handpicked to represent the US on an 11-member racing team in the USSR in 1989, and bringing home the trophy McMurray then joined the Winston Racing Series in 1994. At the age of 17, he totaled 14 wins and 26 top five finishes in just two years. In 1997, he won the first 75-lap feature race he entered, and defeated five-time national champ Larry Phillips for the Winston Racing Series Points Championship. In 1998, he entered five events in the NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series with two top ten finishes, one top five, and was fast qualifier winning the Bud Pole Award. After joining the ranks of the CTS for five races in 1999, McMurray quickly proved himself and was hired to drive the MB Motorsports #26 Ford full-time in the 2000 season, and is a strong contender for Rookie of the Year. Mike Mittler, MB Motorsports owner, started the team through his family business, Mittler Brother Machine and Tool. Since the inaugural season for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and MB Motorsports in 1995, Mittler and his organization continue to build a winning team. Progressive Youth Center is looking forward to the upcoming year and to this exciting collaboration with MB Motorsports. In addition to supporting PYC’s programs, MB Motorsports will be a major sponsor of PYC’s Second Annual World of Children Awards Banquet on April 8, and of PYC’s first Golf Tournament in August 2000. For more information on Progressive Youth Center’s programs, call Lisa Martini at (314) 993-3566, or for information on MB Motorsports, call Steve Miller at (314) 421-4436, ext. 16.(PR)(1-25-2000)
