Rookies of '79 and friends

Event Report

Springfield, IL 09/10/2021 - 09/13/2021

Event details: The Rookies of '79, led by Executive Director Charlie Roberts (#64 to the flat track world), and many beloved staff, family and volunteers, attended the entire Springfield spectacular Friday through Monday, 2021. The event went flawlessly Friday. The AFT Singles championship series ran under the same program as the Nace All-Star Flat Track series.

Saturday was scheduled as the famous Springfield Mile 1. It turned out to be Rain Delay 1. Both of the two Springfield Mile events were pushed back one day due to the flood of rain that struck the area, including the Rookies' merchandise tents and parade staging tent. God bless our dedicated fans. Much of the crowd stayed for the extra days to witness some very competitive racing.

Highlight for the charity was Sunday with the running of the Ride The Mile event with Brad Baker and James Monaco. The event was rescheduled to run after the final AFT main event, which actually worked out best for the special lap. There were so many people involved, all donors to the charity who paid $25 - over $500 per person to ride in the parade lap on the famous Springfield Mile, that if the event would have been during the main schedule...there might have been a television delay.  

A heartfelt THANK YOU to all of the AFT and flat track fans that came to the event and participated in the rid, donated and supported the charity with their hard earned money.

Funds raised: $20,929

Special fundraiser comments: What a joy to watch Brad Baker and James Monaco ride again! 

Photo credits to Mia Moore, Sammy Sebedra, Cheri Norris, Melissann.photos, Tom Stein (sorry if we missed anyone). :)  Thank you all for your coverage of the event and generosity.