Read to Race at Litton MS

What a way to start the school year!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 9, 2007

READ TO RACE PROGRAM LAUNCHES MONDAY

Jim Ed Norman, former president of Warner Reprise, first envisioned a program several years ago to introduce motorsports to the students of Nashville and Davidson County.

Norman saw motorsports as a tool to motivate educational achievement as well as to introduce students of all races, genders and financial means to the career opportunities of professional motorsports.

That idea has been cultivated into Read to Race, the first program offered by the Music City Motor Sports Institute, an initiative led by Joe Mattioli, President of the Music City Motorplex, MaryAnne Howland, President & CEO of IBIS Communications and Esther Bailey-Bass, Corporate Support Representative for Nashville Public Radio.

Read to Race will be introduced on the first day of school for Metro Nashville—Monday, August 13—at a 10:00 am Assembly at Isaac Litton Middle School (4601 Hedgewood Drive in Nashville). Prior to the Assembly, students will be greeted as they arrive at the school by stock cars and pace cars along with drivers from the Motorplex.

Read to Race strongly encourages reading as all students who read a set number of books will be invited to the Music City Motorplex for a special event to honor their achievement called the “Night of Champions” on September 29.

All students that qualify will receive a special pass to the September 29 races along with three free tickets for family members. The students also will receive special Achievement Certificates, participate in the singing of the National Anthem, make the “Gentlemen—start your engines” call, be involved in driver introductions and the Victory Lane winner’s ceremonies, and partake in a special autograph session with the drivers.
The top 10 students in number of books read by September 21 will have the additional thrill of riding around the Motorplex track in the pace car as part of a parade lap prior to the races.

The Music City Motorplex will provide commemorative Read to Race car key chains/flashlights along with T-shirts for all students. Also, the school will receive four electric powered Kidracers for children aged 4-7 to be shared with affiliated elementary schools.

“Our goal is to develop similar programs for all the middle and elementary schools in Nashville/Davidson County, leading up to a race camp at the Motorplex for high school students,” said MaryAnne Howland. “We are thrilled to see this dream come to light and thank Joe Mattioli and his Music City Motorplex, Esther Bailey-Bass and all of our supporters.”

Additional information regarding the vision for the Music City Motor Sports Institute is available at the Music City Motorplex website and the IBIS Communications website.

Contact:
David Underwood, Music City Motorplex—726-1818, Ext. 213
Jeff Diamond, The Ingram Group—345-9200
MaryAnne Howland, IBIS Communications—777-1900