The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and NHRA Toyota Nationals “Going Pink” for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is “going pink” for the Oct. 24-27 NHRA Toyota Nationals in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. NBCAM is a collaboration of national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working together to promote breast cancer awareness, share information on the disease, and provide greater access to services.

Like last year, the center and sides of the starting line on the quarter-mile drag strip will be painted pink. And plenty of pink-themed NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series cars will rocket from the blush starting line throughout the weekend.

New this year will be free mammograms at the track for women over the age of 40. Alexis Dejoria Racing has partnered with the Nevada Health Centers (NVHC) to provide free mammograms over the race weekend. The NVHC “mammovan,” a mobile mammography unit housed within an 18-wheel truck, will be located directly behind the Alexis DeJoria Racing pit throughout the duration of the race weekend. It will be open for screenings at the start of each race day. Any woman over the age of 40 – regardless of health insurance status – is encouraged to stop at the mammovan throughout the weekend to take advantage of the free screenings.

“I’m thrilled we were able to team up with NVHC and provide this service to our fans,” said Dejoria, whose Tequila Patron Toyota Funny Car is decked out in pink graphics for month of October. “As a female in the auto racing industry, it’s important to me to be a vocal spokesperson for the fight against breast cancer. At any given race, you see just as many female fans as you do males. People don’t typically think of auto racing as a sport that attracts a large female audience, but it does, which is why I was so intent on doing something like this. Adding pink accents to race cars and selling specialty pink merchandise is great, but we wanted to take it a step further and be an active supporter of the fight against breast cancer. When planning what we were going to do to support National Breast Cancer Awareness month, we decided we wanted to do something that would be a direct benefit to our fans. According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, lack of health insurance is one of the main reasons women go without getting a mammogram. This is the perfect opportunity to have this important test performed.”

Defending NHRA Top Fuel Dragster champion Antron Brown will wear a special pink fire suit and helmet and will be driving a pink car. Brown’s unique firesuit, helmet and the race team’s pink crew shirts will be auctioned on eBay.com in November with all proceeds going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure as part of sponsor Matco Tools’ “Tools for a Cause” program.

Pro Stock points leader Jeg Coughlin’s yellow JEGS.com/Mopar Dodge will be punctuated with pink at the NHRA Toyota Nationals.

“We’re proud to be adding a splash of pink to the familiar yellow and black of our website and JEGS.com race cars,” Coughlin said. “We have family members who are cancer survivors and we’re dedicated to ensure there will be more success stories in every family. Almost everyone in this country has been touched by cancer in one way or another so it’s a cause we can all support. Going pink this month is our way of saluting the millions of Americans who are battling cancers of all types.”

In June, the JEGS Foundation donated $10 million to the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, which is a new cancer hospital under construction. In the past decade, the JEGS Foundation has donated more than $15 million to efforts related to cancer treatment, research and awareness.

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series attracts the world’s biggest names in professional drag racing twice each year to America’s Greatest Drag Strip. Experience blazing speeds in excess of 320 miles per hour powered by nitromethane-burning engines producing more than 7,000 horsepower. Pro (Top Fuel Dragster, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle) qualifying will take place on Friday and Saturday with eliminations on Sunday. Children 12 and under will be admitted free.

Tickets for the NHRA Toyota Nationals may be purchased online at www.LVMS.com, at the LVMS ticket office or by calling (702) 644-4444. Follow LVMS on Facebook and Twitter.

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