[MotorSports News]

HOMESTEAD, Fla. - Cole Collins' excited "Hey, Mario" rose above the din in the garage area two hours before the Firestone Indy 300, catching the attention of φMario Moraes and everyone within earshot.
The wide smile displayed by the 8-year-old from Seattle was returned by the IndyCar Series driver as they met near the KV Racing Technology transporter. Collins, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, was visiting Homestead-Miami Speedway as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. His wish: "go fast in a race car."
That he did, receiving a ride in the Indy Racing Experience street-legal two-seater on the track as part of the full day of activity. He also received a custom race suit courtesy of Hinchman Racewear, pre-race access to the grid, an A.J. Foyt Racing crew shirt and the opportunity to sit in Ryan Hunter-Reay's No. 14 ABC Supply Co.-sponsored race car, and autographs among other items.
"This is priceless," said Heather Collins, Cole's mother. "Knowing that you have one dream come true and nobody else can match it is remarkable. To be up close and one-on-one is just amazing to me."
Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited diseases that are characterized by weakness and wasting away of muscle tissue, with or without the breakdown of nerve tissue. There are nine types of muscular dystrophy, but in each type there is an eventual loss of strength and increasing disability.
Meeting Moraes, who started 10th in the season finale in the No. 5 Azul Tequila/Votorantim/KV Racing Technology car, was something that Cole had been looking forward to since his wish was granted.
"He had the choice to pick anybody and he picked Mario, which to this day I still don't know why," Heather Collins said. "He just went through the cars and said, 'That's the one I want.' "
Moraes, 20, who recently lost his father to cancer, was humbled by the designation.
"Stay strong my friend," Moraes said as they clasped hands and theφplayful Cole used a battery-operated fan to help cool him off.φ
The local Make-A-Wish Foundation was among 20 charities to receive race day tickets compliments of Apex-Brazil and distributed by IndyCar Series drivers.
Standing up for cancer programs
Drivers and Indy Racing League officials demonstrated their support for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, forming a pink ribbon in Victory Lane for a photo. League officials wore pink shirts provided by IZOD.
In addition, several teams extended the platform with their own efforts. Sarah Fisher Racing conducting a multi-faceted initiative in conjunction with primary sponsor Dollar General and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Firestone surprised the driver/team owner with a $10k check on pit lane before the race to aid in breast cancer research.
Fisher's No. 67 car was pink (sporting pink Firestone tire sidewalls) along with wearing a pink firesuit and a pink-themed helmet designedφby Dean Ackerman, a fan from West Bloomfield, Mich., whose family has been touched by breast cancer.
Alex Lloyd's car featured the No. 40202, signifying the "text to donate" number for "Stand Up To Cancer." Fans can donateφ$5 to help raise funds forφcancer research by texting the word "Stand" to 40202.
Earlier in the week, Hunter-Reay took part in the 11th NFL/United Way Hometown Huddle, a series of volunteer projects implemented on the same day across the country. The Hometown Huddle in Miami focused on the prevention of obesity among special-needs children as part of NFL PLAY 60, the league's youth health and fitness campaign.
About 200 children and young adults with disabilities joined Hunter-Reay, Miami Dolphins players and United Way volunteers in manning fitness stations at the Dolphins' indoor training facility.
"It was a lot of fun," said Hunter-Reay, who will be a guest of the Dolphins at their Oct. 12 home game against the New York Jets. "I don't know who was happier being there, me or the kids."
Double duty
In addition to driving in the Firestone Indy 300, Hunter-Reay co-drove No. 95 Supercar Life Racing/Level 5 Motorsports Riley/BMW in the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series race as teammate to Scott Tucker.
"I saw this as a very unique challenge," said Hunter-Reay after the Daytona Prototype finished 11th in the race. "I'm doing the best I can to emulate 'A.J. the Ironman'."
Notes and such
Vision Racing driver Ed Carpenter wore an orange Dolphins T-shirt throughout the day as the loser of a bet with Hunter-Reay that the Dolphins wouldn't win seven games in the 2008 NFL season. Of, course they won 11 and the AFC East title. Had Hunter-Reay lost, he would have had to wear an Indianapolis Colts logo on his helmet for the race. ... Two-time Indianapolis 500 champion and IndyCar Series driver coach Al Unser Jr. was the grand marshal and gave the command to start engines.


10/10 :: Wish comes true

[Racer Duck]

a "feel good" story to be sure, but one that's worth telling and reading about.

kudos to all who were involved in raising awareness in their causes.