Drivers and Survivors Come Together to Paint Pit Road Pink

CONCORD, NC – Charlotte Motor Speedway staff continue to gear up for the return of NASCAR on Saturday, October 7, 2023. On top of the usual preparations, speedway staff, drivers and breast cancer survivors came together for an ongoing tradition that emphasizes hope and awareness.

When the Roval race comes to town, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina ensures the Saturday race is on the ticket and easy to catch. The Drive For The Cure 250 is unique to other race sponsorships as its sole focus is to raise awareness towards breast cancer, before and after tires hit the pavement.

“With all the ladies and everyone out here painting and telling stories, big hugs, big smiles, there’s some tears as well. It’s really neat to see the group,” said Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, and the founder of Window of Hope.

When it comes to pink, this partnership works to pull out all the stops. Pit road is a place of teamwork and it took no time at all for drivers and survivors to cover it in pink.

Bubba Wallace of 23XII Racing is in the middle of his playoff push, sitting ninth in the standings. He said setting time aside to take part in the day helped to put everything in perspective.

“(I’m) realizing in a lot of moments that life is much bigger than yourself and when you have time to kind of escape the madness and do something that is way more important than anything you would ever think of it definitely makes you feel good about yourself, but it just makes you happy for the ones that are around you and the ones you are really celebrating,” said Wallace

Not only will Cup series cars sport a pink window net, but to kick off the Xfinity race, the field will be lead out by one of two pink pace cars designed personally by two breast cancer survivors, who poured their souls and stories into their stock cars.

“I got emotional because I wish my mother was here to experience this car with me. I lost her to breast cancer as well and just to know that they actually took my story from the dark place and made it to a bright place, I am super excited about the car. I think it is so beautiful,” said Patrice Bidgood, a breast cancer survivor who lost her mother to the same disease a month before she was diagnosed.

“I’m very happy. These women are coming up to me and they are like ‘You are an inspiration’ and I am like ‘You are an inspiration.’ We are here together, we are going to get through this together. We are survivors and just being apart of this has been amazing,” said Destiny Medlin, a breast cancer survivor of four years.

Fans can vote for the pace car they want to lead the field. by going to dftc250pacecar.com. For each vote Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina will donate one dollar to the Levine Cancer Institute.