Viking Motorsports announced today a powerful new partnership with the FDNY Foundation, naming the official non-profit organization of the New York City Fire Department as the team’s primary partner for the upcoming NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Pocono Raceway on Saturday, June 13.
The iconic colors of the FDNY will adorn the No. 99 Viking Motorsports Chevrolet, driven by Parker Retzlaff. Competing at Pocono Raceway—situated just a short distance from New York City—allows the Viking Motorsports team to race in the backyard of NYC, bringing vital national awareness and support to the foundation’s life-saving mission.
This special entitlement event carries profound significance as it honors the milestone 25th anniversary of September 11th. The partnership serves as a tribute to the 343 FDNY members who died on 9/11 and the hundreds more who have died since then, ensuring their legacy of courage is never forgotten. Proceeds and awareness raised through this partnership will assist in providing fire safety education along with operational advances and state-of-the-art training for the FDNY’s thousands of firefighters, EMTs and paramedics.
“It is an incredible privilege for everyone at Viking Motorsports to carry the colors of the FDNY Foundation at Pocono,” said Jeremy Lange, General Manager of Viking Motorsports. “The courage, resilience, and dedication defined by the hundreds of FDNY members who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11 and in the years since must never be forgotten. By partnering with the FDNY Foundation, we hope to leverage our platform in NASCAR to support New York’s Bravest, helping to fund the critical education and training required to keep modern first responders and their communities safe.”
“Having the FDNY Foundation backing us for a demanding track like Pocono is truly incredible,” said Parker Retzlaff, driver of the No. 99 Chevrolet. “Pocono requires absolute focus and endurance, but racing for a cause much bigger than ourselves gives this entire No. 99 team an entirely new level of motivation. I am deeply honored to represent the FDNY Foundation and to drive in remembrance of the heroes who gave everything.”
“Partnering with Viking Motorsports at Pocono Raceway provides a unique and impactful opportunity to bring national awareness to the FDNY Foundation’s mission during this solemn 25th anniversary year of remembrance,” said Matthew DiLiberto, Chairman of the FDNY Foundation. “NASCAR fans represent a deeply patriotic community that values camaraderie and service, and we look forward to standing alongside the Viking Motorsports team to honor our history while actively funding the safety, training, and operational initiatives that support New York’s Bravest today.”
Race fans are encouraged to join the mission and donate by visiting the foundation’s website at www.fdnyfoundation.org to support New York’s Bravest.
— Viking Motorsports —