MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 17, 2011) – Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in conjunction with Speedway Children’s Charities announced today that they will pay remembrance to Zahra Baker, the 10-year-old from Hickory, N.C. that was tragically murdered last September, during Friday’s N.C. Education Lottery 200. Zahra’s name and picture will adorn the area above the passenger side window of Kyle Busch’s No. 18 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry and Charlotte Motor Speedway will observe a moment of silence in her honor before the start of the race.
One of the last times that Zahra was seen in public was at the Starkey Hearing Foundation “Get in Gear to Help Children Hear” event hosted by Speedway Children’s Charities at Charlotte Motor Speedway last May. She was one of 75 underprivileged children and adults throughout the Carolinas that were given the gift of hearing at the event. The event was attended by NASCAR legend Richard Petty as well as KBM drivers Brian Ickler and Tayler Malsam.
Speedway Children’s Charities has invited several of the hearing-impaired children who attended last May’s event to take part in Friday’s festivities. The children will stand next to Kyle Busch and his No. 18 Toyota during pre-race festivities and immediately following the moment of silence release balloons in honor of Zahra. Speedway Children’s Charities has also graciously donated tickets for these children to watch the race from the grandstand along with residents of the Church of God Children’s Home, a primary charity of the Kyle Busch Foundation located in Kannapolis, N.C.
“The story of Zahra Baker’s tragic murder really hit home with KBM and the Kyle Busch Foundation,” said Busch. “It wasn’t too long after the event that Brian and Tayler attended at Charlotte Motor Speedway that Zahra was first reported missing and later found to have been murdered. We wanted to do something special in her honor and felt that the truck race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was the perfect opportunity. We are honored to have Speedway Children’s Charities and several of the kids that attended last year’s event at the Speedway join us in paying remembrance to her. Zahra will never be forgotten. She will always be in our hearts.”
About Speedway Children’s Charities
The mission of Speedway Children’s Charities remains true to the ideals it was founded upon in 1982: To care for children in educational, financial, social and medical need in order to help them lead productive lives. SCC provides funding for hundreds of non-profit organizations throughout the nation that meet the direct needs of children. Our vision is that every child has the same opportunities no matter what obstacle they are facing.
About Kyle Busch Motorsports
NASCAR superstar Kyle Busch added a second career within NASCAR in December 2009 when he announced his Kyle Busch Motorsports team would compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2010. KBM is a leader on and off the track in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, becoming the first team since the series originated in 1995 to capture the owners’ championship in their inaugural season. In October of 2010, the team moved into a brand new 77,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C., which boasts state-of-the-art equipment and its pending LEED certification make it unmatched among its peers. Fans can stay up-to-date with all the latest KBM news online at www.kylebuschmotorsports.com, by liking the team on facebook (www.facebook.com/KyleBuschMS) and following the team on twitter (@KyleBuschMS).
