CONCORD, N.C. (August 29, 2016) – NASCAR’s First Officially Licensed Artist and Diabetes Advocate Sam Bass will ‘ride’ with Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed this weekend at Darlington Raceway. The Concord, N.C. resident will have his name featured on a decal above the passenger-side window on the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang.
Bass was diagnosed with diabetes more than 20 years ago and has had his share of complications relating to the disease. In 2008, he lost the lower portion of his left leg and since has had three bouts of sepsis, a serious blood infection that can lead to death. Today, Bass knows the importance of working with his doctors, eating right and staying as active as possible to avoid complications and lead a normal life.
“I definitely learned the hard way what can happen if you don’t properly manage your diabetes,” said Bass. “If I can reach just one person and let them know how important it is to take care of yourself, it means so much to me. Ryan Reed and the Drive to Stop Diabetes team do such a great job showing people how it’s possible to be successful with diabetes and I’m honored to be a part of it.”
Bass has shared his story of diagnosis at several American Diabetes Association events, including the Association’s 2014 Father of the Year Awards in Charlotte.
This Friday at Darlington Raceway, Bass will serve a special role with the No. 16 team as he will do a live painting of Lilly Diabetes’ 140th Anniversary logo on the decklid of the car that Reed will race on Saturday afternoon. Reed’s Darlington paint scheme is an adaption Bobby Allison’s 1975 ‘Matador’ scheme, originally run by Penske Racing, which Bass helped adjust to fit Reed’s current Ford Mustang.
“Having such a talented artist and fellow diabetes ambassador like Sam be a part of our Drive to Stop Diabetes program and especially the race at Darlington this weekend is truly an honor,” said Reed. “He’s a true testament that diabetes has its challenges, but doesn’t have to stop you from doing great things. I will definitely leave the artwork to him and hope to make him proud on-track this weekend.”
Ryan Reed and the ‘Riding with Ryan’ program roll into Darlington Raceway for the first time this season. In this race last year, Reed finished 23rd after starting 17th.
The NASCAR XFINITY Series takes the green flag from Darlington Raceway on Saturday, September 3rd at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC and MRN.
About Drive to Stop Diabetes
The Drive to Stop DiabetesSM campaign strives to educate people about living well with diabetes. The campaign encourages the millions of Americans who have diabetes to talk about a management plan with their doctor, family, and friends and to lead healthy lives.
About Lilly Diabetes
Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world’s first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a broad and growing product portfolio and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines to support programs and more—we strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes.
About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes® and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, the Association’s mission is to prevent and cure diabetes, and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information, please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org. Information from both of these sources is available in English and Spanish.
