A sold-out crowd filled Ten Tenths Motor Club for an unforgettable night of courage, joy and impact on Tuesday for the 16th annual Cook Out Catwalk for Causes. The night raised a record $840,000 to support children and families through its charitable partners.
Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC) in partnership with the Joey Logano Foundation, Kyle Larson Foundation, The Samantha and Kyle Busch’s Bundle of Joy Fund and Greg Olsen’s HEARTest Yard, SCC honored and continued the legacy of the event founded by Sherry Pollex and Martin Truex Jr. in 2009.
The evening shined a spotlight on the Catwalk Champions and their incredible journeys. Each child took to the runway alongside celebrated athletes and NASCAR personalities, turning the catwalk into a powerful celebration of resilience, hope and the children at the heart of the event. Among those joining the Catwalk Champions were NASCAR drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Cindric and Tyler Reddick, as well as former Carolina Panthers standout Jonathan Stewart.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
“It’s been part of our community for 15 or so years, you know, to think about what Sherry Pollex was able to build and how the whole community supported her and her struggles and what she was going through. And then it growing into what we see today, it lets her legacy live on, for sure, but also how we’re able to impact so many different charities within our community here in Charlotte. It’s so special to see that. So yeah. I’m glad to be a part of it. I’ve raised my hand for years to be involved because it’s a fun night for everybody.”
– Joey Logano, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and founder of the Joey Logano Foundation
“I think when you look at the athletes across the sports, whether it’s NFL, the Panthers and NASCAR, we like to do things that make people happy in our sport. But then when you have a chance to do something off the field or off the track, to bring a smile, to do something that’s kind of bigger than ourselves, that’s a really special thing.”
-Marcus Smith, Speedway Motorsports CEO
“Everyone has their own story, including Rookie now and including us. It’s heartbreaking but also so sweet to, you know, be so relatable and be here and share this moment with a child now and with these families here. I think it is so important what Speedway Children’s Charities and all these foundations are doing. I think firsthand, Tyler (Reddick) and I and my whole family have seen the impact of what the money raised tonight goes to. And we’ve been recipients of, you know, just small things, like the HEARTest Yard books in the CVICU, you know, to bigger donations towards Rookie. And it’s been very touching. And so we would not be anywhere else tonight but here helping raise money for all of these great kids.”
-Alexa Reddick, wife of Tyler Reddick, driver of the No.45 for 23XI Racing
On the growth of the event and what Sherry would think: “She would be proud, but she would be humbled by it for sure. I know I’m humbled by it. It’s definitely amazing. It’s definitely the I don’t want to say event of the year, but it’s the event of the year for charity. For our hearts, for. Yeah, just for the community. And for the love of just giving back to these kids and whatever they’re going through.”
-Katelyn Larson, wife of Kyle Larson, two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and founder of Kyle Larson Foundation
— Charlotte Motor Speedway —