National Guard ADRL Hosting Boys and Girls Town of Missouri at Gateway Drags II

O’FALLON, MO (Aug. 3, 2009) — For several weeks now, residents of Boys and Girls Town of Missouri have been earning the opportunity to attend the ADRL Hardee’s Gateway Drags II at Gateway International Raceway, just across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis.

“We’re excited about being able to offer this outing to the children in our care,” said Vince Hillyer, president of Boys and Girls Town of Missouri, a nationally accredited non-profit organization that offers housing and treatment for troubled youth from all across the country. “We really appreciate everything the National Guard ADRL is doing to welcome us to what sounds like a fantastic event.”

Presented by the O’Fallon, Missouri-based National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL), the world’s premier eighth-mile drag racing sanctioning body, the Hardee’s Gateway Drags II will feature cars accelerating to more than 200 miles per hour in less than 3.7 seconds.

“I’ve been involved with the ADRL since it got started and know what a great group of people are behind it and participate there,” said Tim McAmis, a professional race car chassis builder in Hawk Point, Missouri, and a Board of Trustees member for Boys and Girls Town of Missouri. “I think having these kids come out to the track, meeting the drivers, the crew guys, the ADRL staff, it’ll show them that you can work hard, but have a lot of fun doing it, too. I’m hoping they’ll get as much of a kick out of being at the races as I do.”

Up to 350 Boys and Girls Town of Missouri residents from campuses at St. James, Columbia and St. Louis are expected to visit Gateway International Raceway Aug.8, where they’ll be treated as VIPs and served a meal catered by event sponsor Hardee’s.

“We’re very happy to be part of such a worthy event,” Hardee’s Vice President of Field Marketing and Media Steve Lemley said. “Boys and Girls Town of Missouri does great work in helping out children and families in times of need and stress and anything we can do to help them give their children a good time at the Hardee’s Gateway Drags II is our pleasure.”

Hillyer said the organization expects its children that visit the race track will see the extraordinary amount of work and dedication it takes to field a National Guard ADRL race team. Beyond that, he hopes they’re able to appreciate the trust that exists not only between driver and crew, but between race crews and track officials to know the safest possible conditions are maintained at all times.

“I don’t know a lot about drag racing,” Hillyer admits, “but I do know it has to require a great deal of cooperation, coordination and dedication; all traits we try to instill in the children we care for at Boys and Girls Town of Missouri. I really think this is going to be a great trip for our children. I’m very excited about it.”

Boys and Girls Town of Missouri operates six facilities across the state for the housing and treatment of troubled youth, with the largest being its St. James campus (shown). The nationally accredited organization is sending up to 350 of its current residents on a field trip Aug. 8, to the National Guard ADRL Hardee’s Gateway Drags II at Madison, Illinois, near St. Louis. (Photo courtesy BGTM.org)