NHRA News: GM racers to make annual stop at Columbus Children's Hospital (6/5/2004)

GM racers to make annual stop at Columbus Children's Hospital

6/5/2004

Drivers from the GM Racing program will be making their annual stop at the Columbus Children's Hospital Thursday, June 10. Signing autographs and visiting with the kids and their families will be Mark Pawuk, Jim Yates, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Del Worsham, Cory McClenathan, Bruce Allen and Phil Burkart. Pawuk's Summit Racing Pontiac Grand Am will also be on display at the outpatient entrance to the hospital letting the kids get an up close view of an NHRA Pro Stock car. All of the children will receive a gift bag provided by Pontiac and Summit Racing.

"We always look forward to visiting central Ohio for the Pontiac Excitement Nationals and the kids at Columbus Children's Hospital," said Fred Simmonds, GM Group Manager of Drag Racing. "The drivers are just great with the kids and every year they ask, 'when are we going to Children's Hospital?' They really enjoy seeing the kids, their families and the staff, and it's something we will continue to do in the future. Over the years we've made some good friends there, and this has become a special part of our race weekend and our race season. We hope that everyone at Children's Hospital enjoys the visit as much as we do."

Mark Pawuk's Summit Racing Pontiac Grand Am
will be on display for the patients to see.
Racers Edge Photography

The Columbus Children's Hospital is one of the nation's pediatric leaders with more than 300 licensed inpatient beds and approximately 11,000 patient admissions each year. Critically ill children are cared for in Children's Hospital's 45-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and more than 30-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The hospital's areas of specialty include surgery, cancer, AIDS, burn treatment, rehabilitation, and dialysis.

The campus includes a $20 million Children's Research Institute housed in a six-story facility dedicated to the study and treatment of children's diseases. More than 500,000 patient visits are handled each year through the hospital's wide variety of programs and services.

Opening in May of 2004 is the new 160,000 square foot, five-story research building that will house 48 state-of-the-art laboratory modules. When combined with existing modules, the Children's Research Institute will have nearly 100 laboratories in operation.

Since the 1999 Pontiac Excitement Nationals, GM Racers have made their annual visit to the Columbus Children's Hospital. In addition, the Central Ohio Pontiac dealers will raise money for the hospital by raffling a Simpson Racing helmet signed by 43 NHRA drivers and former champions.

The 40th annual Pontiac Excitement Nationals presented by Summit Racing at National Trail Raceway runs June 10-13 in Hebron, Ohio. It is the 10th race on the 23-event NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

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