Ernie Irvan has set the initial field of participating drivers for the first of his track walk events this summer to raise awareness for traumatic brain injury – the Leadership and Awareness to Promote Safety (LAPS) Walk, set to take place on Friday, July 21 after Cup qualifying at the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania. Drivers Casey Mears, Brian Vickers, Kyle Petty, Jeremy Mayfield, Martin Truex, Jr., Ken Schrader, Jeff Burton, and Jeff Green along with NASCAR President Mike Helton will join Irvan and the hundreds of supporters who have registered to walk alongside them on the Pocono track. More are expected to support Irvan in his efforts, and these drivers, along with drivers participating in LAPS Walk at the Michigan International Speedway (MIS) on August 16, 2006, will be announced on his www.lapswalk.org website as they commit. For a minimum pledge, fans can walk the track alongside the drivers and get autographs in order to raise awareness and needed funds in Ernie’s fight against the silent epidemic of traumatic brain injury in America. Created as a partnership between the Brain Injury Association of America and Irvan’s non-profit organization, Race2Safety, the LAPS Walk aims to raise money for and awareness of brain injury and to bring brain injury to the forefront of consciousness in the minds of Americans. Irvan suffered two traumatic brain injuries at MIS during his racing career, the second of which prompted his early retirement. On site registration will take place at Pocono on Friday, July 21 from 3:00pm to 5:30pm, with the actual walk scheduled to start at approximately 6pm.There is a minimum contribution of $100 per person or $250 per family, and there is a $10 admission fee to the Grand Stand the evening of the walk that allows participants to experience two hours of qualifying racing before the LAPS Walk event.(PR)(7-19-2006)
