BBi Autosport Supports Drive Toward a Cure in 99th Pikes Peak International Hillclimb

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Deb Pollack   (t) 805.320.9248
info@drivetowardacure.org
www.drivetowardacure.org
 

BBI AUTOSPORT SUPPORTS DRIVE TOWARD A CURE IN 99TH PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILLCLIMB

A Chance to Win: Talk Racing, Porsches, Pikes Peak and Parkinson’s with Tanner Foust

PIKES PEAK, CO – June 1, 2021 – There’s just one more accessory professional racing and stunt driver Tanner Foust will be adding to the OPTIMA Yokohama Porsche GT4 Clubsport he’ll by piloting in the 99th Pikes Peak International Hillclimb on June 27th — and that’s his support for Parkinson’s Disease, when he places a Drive Toward a Cure decal on his Porsche Trophy Class by Yokahama entry, and helps raise funds for the University of Colorado Movement Disorders Center, the Rocky Mountain region’s Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence located in Aurora, CO.

Every donation received on behalf of Tanner and his team at www.drivetowardacure.org/bbi will be entered to WIN LUNCH WITH TANNER FOUST at the Porsche Experience Center’s “917” restaurant (Los Angeles), overlooking the track and talking about the excitement of Pike’s Peak and Tanner’s many accomplishments in motorsports.

Tanner and his BBi Autosport teammates, David Donohue and Raphael Astier, are vying for wins in three separate classes in three separate Porsches, and their efforts will also be helping win on the charity front. In addition to Drive Toward a Cure, the team will be supporting the locally based Little Warriors Foundation.

According to BBi team owner and Porsche motorsport technology specialist Betim Berisha, adding the charitable layer in the famed race increases the personal horsepower their team is providing. “We are passionate about every aspect of what we do, from the engineering and performance front to every moment we achieve on the hill — but by enhancing our efforts with the ability to give to others, our role becomes that much more meaningful.”

The ‘Race to the Clouds’ covers 12.42 miles, climbing 4,720 ft from the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway to the finish at 14,115 ft, on grades averaging 7.2% — with more than 156 turns! The topography changes, the altitude changes, and the temperature changes! But Betim promises that one thing will not change – the determination to win — which is what all who are challenged by Parkinson’s take on every day.

Deb Pollack, founder of Drive Toward a Cure has broadened the awareness of Parkinson’s within the automotive enthusiast community through national multi-day drives, localized car club events and on-track driving days, and since 2016 the Foundation has raised more than $500,000 thanks to the contributions and personal involvement of car lovers and automotive professionals. Drive Toward a Cure created its own ‘Access to Care’ fund to support patient care through donations to numerous Parkinson Centers of Excellence throughout the United States, as well as contributed to directed research programs within the globally renowned Michael J. Fox Foundation.

“Pikes Peak, like Parkinson’s Disease, is one of the most arduous challenges one can face,” said Pollack. “Thanks to Betim and his team, we are growing an additional audience that can spread the word to support Parkinson’s. BBi has a history of taking on and exceeding challenges and their team, with accomplished drivers like Tanner, has broken world records — let’s hope together we can break one more!”

BBi’s Commitment to Charity

• BBi is supporting non-profit Drive Toward a Cure, a 501(c)3 organization that raises funds and awareness for Parkinson’s Disease research AND patient care. Inspired by the camaraderie found within the automotive culture, the Foundation’s mission benefits equally from both enthusiast communities and industry professionals and since 2016 has raised more than a half-million dollars including contributions that benefit various Parkinson’s Foundation Centers of Excellence on local, regional, and national levels through Drive Toward a Cure’s “Access to Care” program. 100% of BBI’s contributions to Drive Toward a Cure will benefit the University of Colorado Movement Disorders Center located in Aurora, on the campus of the largest health center in the Rocky Mountain Region. For more information view: www.drivetowardacure.org 
• BBi is additionally joining The Little Warrior Foundation to help raise awareness, funding and finding cures for childhood cancers, with a specific focus on Ewing’s Sarcoma. The organization funds projects and research that have high potential for saving kids’ lives. Lucy Spada is one of many kids affected by this cancer and BBi is dedicating “Lucy” the OPTIMA GT3 TurboCup owned by Lisa Taylor and driven by Raphael Astier to put a spotlight on the cause. For more information, view: www.little-warrior.org

Both Drive Toward a Cure and Little Warrior logos will be unveiled on all three of BBi’s Porsche entries, including the OPTIMA Yokohama Porsche GT4 Clubsport driven by Tanner Foust; Audrain Motorsport GT2 RS Clubsport driven by David Donohue; and the OPTIMA Batteries Porsche GT3 “TurboCup” driven by Raphael Astier.

BBi’s impressive and updated aerodynamics will be entered in three racing classes: Open Class, Time Attack 1 and The Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy class by Yokohama. (View media portal: bit.ly/34ujOU5)

TEAM BACKGROUND

BBi Autosport Drivers

• Tanner Foust — World-record holder Tanner Foust is a versatile and multi-talented driver known for his supreme car control and a proven track record of podium placements, national and global championships. He is a three-time U.S. rallycross champion (2012, 2011, 2010) who has also won four X Games gold medals (2013, 2010, 2007), and two Formula Drift championships (2008, 2007). Foust is the first American driver to win a round of the European Rallycross Championship and finished both 2011 and 2012 ranked in the top three. In North America, Foust has been a dominant rallycross driver since the sport of rallycross was first introduced to the United States in 2010. His varied race experience includes multiple years of open wheel competition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, rally racing, various types of sports car racing and the SCORE Baja. He has represented the USA in the annual Race of Champions three times (2010, 2009, 2008).
• Raphael Astier —French rally car driver Astier holds a number of Championship wins in the French Rally Cup, WRC3 and FIA RGT Rally. Astier has raced for more than a decade with impressive finishes and class wins worldwide and this year will mark his fourth race at Pikes Peak, including a 2019, TA1 record set while piloting the OPTIMA GT3 TurboCup.
• David Donohue – Firmly established as a champion racing driver with an impressive resume that includes Touring Cars, Prototypes, NASCAR Stock Car and Craftsman Truck Series, Donohue was an integral part of the Brumos Racing family, driving a Brumos Racing Daytona Prototype in every Rolex Sports Car series race from 2003 through 2010. In 2009 he co-drove to victory in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Donohue and co-driver Darren Law joined Action Express Racing in 2011, sharing three podium finishes and 3rd place finish in DP driver points and later returned to Action Express Racing in 2012 with an all-new Corvette Daytona Prototype finishing 4th in points. Donohue was the 2013 Rolex-24 Hour GX class winner in Napleton Racing’s Porsche Cayman.

 

About BBi Autosport:

BBi Autosport, founded in 2005, specializes in Porsche service and race engineering, blending motorsport and street performance throughout the BBi product line and comprehensive workshop services. Located in Huntington Beach, Calif., BBi is the premier Porsche service facility in Southern California. BBi develops a comprehensive line of performance aftermarket and safety upgrades for all Porsche platforms and offers bespoke street and race engineering services. Through industry partnerships and new technology, BBi pushes the envelope in engineering and performance. For up-todate information view: www.bbiautosport.com/bbihc2021

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.  Since 2016, Drive Toward a Cure has raised more than a half million dollars to support BOTH research AND patient care.

Drive Toward a Cure ended 2020 with contributions making an impact of $160,000 and for 2021 continues expanding with localized groups and supporters to benefit alignments with various Centers of Excellence for Parkinson’s’ on a national level through Drive Toward a Cure’s ‘Access to Care Fund’ that currently partners with the Parkinson Foundation and donates to Centers in Portland, Atlanta, San Diego, Arizona, Houston, Boston, Colorado, NY and Nashville.

Drive Toward a Cure is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that supports beneficiaries including The Michael J. Fox Foundation, the Parkinson’s Foundation, and numerous Centers of Excellence for Parkinson’s. 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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