Morgan Curtis Captures Patriot 500 Racing Championship at Summit Motorsports Park

As a veteran of the United States Air Force and a parent with a passion for positively influencing children, AJ Myers of Copley, Ohio created Patriot 500 Racing in 2009.

As part of the nonprofit program, he visits schools to talk about science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and to aid in visualization, he takes with him his ’96 Top Sportsman Corvette, which is named American Pride.

Upon partnering with Summit Motorsports Park for the program in 2015, Myers tapped Bear Motorsports presented by Wiseco Intermediate Junior Dragster driver Aubrey Collins to help introduce it to drivers and their families, and he then announced a points program for 2016 for junior dragster drivers who sign up and run associated decals on their vehicles.

“I love helping kids, guiding them and mentoring them, and that’s my whole reason for doing this,” said Myers, whose son, Michael, and daughter, Nichole, serve in the United States Army.

As part of the program, Myers supports the junior dragster drivers at the track and spends time with them away from the track. Field trips include visits to Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, tours of Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels in Stow, Ohio, and more.

Morgan Curtis, who was the 2015 Bear Motorsports presented by Wiseco Novice Junior Dragster champion, earned the Patriot 500 Racing championship for 2016, and the sixth-grader at Tappan Middle School in Ann Arbor, Michigan who finished third in the Bear Motorsports presented by Wiseco Intermediate Junior Dragster category in 2016, earned the Patriot 500 Racing championship again for 2017.

“AJ and this program are really nice, and I think he should keep doing it,” said Morgan. “I can’t wait until next season because it will be even more fun than this season.”

As part of the Patriot 500 Racing championship, Morgan and her parents, Sarah and Bill Curtis, will receive $2,500 and team uniforms, and will visit select schools and displays with Myers.

“We’re very excited to work with Morgan and her family again,” said Myers, whose Patriot 500 Racing also sponsors Summit Motorsports Park’s University of Northwestern Ohio High School Nationals. “Her role for this is to just be a child, drive her junior dragster with our sticker on it, continue with the good moral values she already has, and win or lose, we’ll be beside her. She and the other junior dragster drivers have stolen my heart.”