FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Deb Pollack (t) 805.320.9248
info@drivetowardacure.org
www.drivetowardacure.org
TASTE OF MOTORSPORTS LIFESTYLE EVENT EXPANDS TO AZ —
ADDING FUNDRAISING EVENTS FOR NON-PROFIT DRIVE TOWARD A CURE THROUGHOUT ALL 2021 PROGRAMS
Rally and Auction Will Benefit Parkinson’s Disease and Muhammad Ali Center of Excellence
CHANDLER, AZ – January 27, 2021 – When Taste of Motorsports, the Pacific Northwest’s premier automotive lifestyle event, expands regionally by opening its doors to the car community at The Bondurant High Performance Driving School facility in Chandler, AZ, March 13-14th, fundraising efforts will be added and continued throughout the year. Supporting nationally renowned non-profit Drive Toward a Cure to benefit Parkinson’s Disease, the event series will go beyond its well-received track day, car show and gourmet food extravaganza, to also host a scenic rally drive during the day on Saturday with a silent auction included in the event’s preview night that same evening.
Taste of Motorsports, the Pacific Northwest’s premier automotive lifestyle event, begins its 2021 season at The Bondurant High Performance Driving School facility in Chandler, AZ, March 13-14th, adding a charitable effort to support non-profit Drive Toward a Cure benefitting Parkinson’s Disease. In addition to the well-received track day, car show and gourmet food extravaganza, a scenic rally drive and silent auction will benefit the cause.
March 13-14th, Taste of Motorsports, held at the Bondurant High Performance Driving School, will include a full day of concours quality vehicles on display – along with track experience, gourmet food and all-inclusive day of car culture.
Taste of Motorsports includes a “Demo Experience” offering a safe on-track environment to evaluate one’s next performance car purchase. Attendees can learn, explore, and experience a first-hand familiarity from an insider’s perspective with instructor supervision on a proper racetrack.
Taste of Motorsports is an all-inclusive day which includes a gourmet breakfast and lunch, while enjoying a full experience of car culture.
Presenting sponsor, Vasek Polak (right) of the famed Vasek Polak Collection, lends his legacy of motorsports and Porsche heritage to the Taste of Motorsports.
Tom Floyd, founder of the Taste of Motorsports, along with his wife Stephanie, are long-time successful event planners and the Northwest version of the Taste has effectively merged the luxury/exotic car world with the local community and car aficionados since its inception in 2018. This year, as the event series grows with two additional programs in Arizona and later this Fall at Sonoma Raceway in Northern California, the Taste will also continue in its hometown of Portland, OR.
“While we are all missing those car-minded friends we look forward to seeing nationwide, many are still not quite ready to travel to events just yet — so we’re bringing an interactive car experience to their local community,” said Floyd. “And by integrating a wonderful cause into the overall weekend, we can also do some good and allow participants to play a significant role in helping those in need.” Funds raised for the Arizona weekend will benefit the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, a part of Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix and the newest recipient of Drive Toward a Cure’s ‘Access to Care’ funding.
According to Deb Pollack, founder of Drive Toward a Cure, the alignment of her charity with the Taste of Motorsports brings two like-minded organizations together – those that appreciate the camaraderie of the car community. “Our goal has always been to create a movement through the large yet incestuous car population, that can grow awareness, and lead to a cure for Parkinson’s. We’ve raised more than a half million dollars since our beginnings in 2016, and shown that driving has never meant more,” said Pollack.
“There’s a common thread ranging from racing legends to those who can just enjoy a nice scenic drive, that touches Parkinson’s disease – and the truth is, it seems everyone has been moved by this debilitating disease in some way or knows someone that has been challenged and we are taking a very visual means to spread awareness and raise funds for those that require significant patient care.”
Itinerary of Events for Taste of Motorsports Arizona:
Saturday, March 13, 2021
- Charity Drive (9am) – Drive Toward a Cure Rally – a four-hour tour of the beautiful Arizona region – 100 percent of tour registration fee is tax deductible to benefit Parkinson’s disease – registration fee is $250 per car www.drivetowardacure.org/tom/az2021
- Taste Preview Party & Silent Auction – tickets limited to 50 guests for an all-inclusive evening affair. Silent auction will benefit Drive Toward a Cure
Sunday, March 14, 2021 – all day at Bondurant High-Performance Driving School
- All tickets can be purchased at: tasteofmotorsports.motorsportreg.com/events/taste-of-motorsports-bondurant-639135 ranging from:
- All Access Guest Pass, provides full access to the on track ‘Demo Experience’, Gourmet Food Experience and Concours d’Elegance
- Reserve a premium space to display your vehicle in the judged Concours d’Elegance – or simply attend the luxurious experience where attendees collaborate with car owners and experts of high-performance automobiles.
- Super Cruise Drive Groups – designed for drivers who own a performance car but don’t often find an opportunity to drive on track – a limited 50 spots will be sold and broken into three (3) groups on track – includes access to Gourmet Food experience all day plus two (2) complimentary cocktails following all driving experiences.
Floyd noted “No other event matches Taste’s combination of offerings with the opportunity to experience and explore a curated collection of exotic cars, savor delicious gourmet food and drink, and socialize with others who enjoy a rarified lifestyle and understand the passion for luxury automobiles. Our attendees are a balance of enthusiasts, car collectors and families – folks that can appreciate the design, engineering, and value these type of vehicles inspire.”
About Taste of Motorsports
Held annually since 2018 at the Portland International Raceway (PIR), Taste of Motorsports was conceived in 2016 as a premiere automotive lifestyle event by Tom Floyd, a native of San Diego, California now making his home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Passionate about racing automobiles and design, Floyd is an entrepreneur and remains involved in several businesses including Elevation Lab, which makes accessories for Apple Products.
A key feature of Taste of Motorsports includes a “Demo Experience” offering a safe on-track environment to evaluate one’s next performance car purchase. Attendees can learn, explore, and experience a first-hand familiarity from an insider’s perspective with instructor supervision on a proper racetrack.
As Taste of Motorsports continues to elevate its place among noteworthy automotive events nationwide, presenting sponsor Vasek Polak Collection lends a celebration of Porsche racing heritage and credibility to the brand. Longtime and globally renowned figures within the Porsche community, Vasek Polak and his daughter Maurie bring storytelling, memorabilia, and on-site involvement to each event. Polak and Floyd have had a friendship for more than 30 years – and complement each other’s joy of racing.
For 2021, Taste of Motorsports will host three events including venues in Arizona, Oregon, and California. For more information view www.tasteofmotorsports.com.
About Drive Toward a Cure:
Drive Toward a Cure raises funds and awareness for Parkinson’s Disease research and patient care. Inspired by the camaraderie found within the automotive culture, the organization’s mission benefits equally from both enthusiast communities and industry professionals. Drive Toward a Cure events harness enthusiasm for cars and driving and turn that power into support for ongoing work to improve the lives of those living with Parkinson’s, as well as the research that will hopefully one day lead to a cure.
Drive Toward a Cure is a 501(c)(3) non-profit supporting beneficiaries including The Michael J. Fox Foundation, The Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center and the Parkinson’s Foundation. For donations, sponsorship and event registration please visit www.drivetowardacure.org.
About Parkinson’s Disease
Affecting nearly one million Americans and 10 million worldwide, Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the United States. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson’s and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.
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