LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is going pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
On Thursday, about 75 volunteers, including breast cancer survivors representing American Cancer Society Nevada, met up at the speedway to paint the start/finish line pink. It's the second year the speedway has hosted the event.
"From the day we moved our fall South Point 400 from September to October, we had several female employees come to us and say what can we do in the name of raising awareness for breast cancer and the ever-growing effort to end it," said Chris Powell, the President of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "Several employees came up with the idea of painting the start/finish line pink so we called NASCAR. NASCAR was very receptive to the idea."
Powell said it's a small way to show their support.
"Just to look down from on high, from the grandstand, from the suites, it really makes an impact. We received several letters from breast cancer survivors and people who had been affected by breast cancer who watched the race on national television and expressed their appreciation for what we had done for breast cancer awareness," Powell said.
It's also a cause that's close to his heart.
"I lost my mother-in-law in Bristol, Tennessee in 1998, Nov. 4, to breast cancer. My wife and I are always mindful of the impact that breast cancer has had on our lives," Powell said. "My wife, like many women, is concerned about what tomorrow might bring. That's why we want to raise awareness, raise money, and do all we can do so one day we can talk about it in the past tense."
Breast cancer has also touched Chelsey Brehm's life. She the wife of PGA Tour golfer Ryan Brehm, who is playing in the Shriners Children's Open in Summerlin this week. Brehm and several others from the PGA Tour Wives Association helped with painting on Thursday.
"One of my best friends in college, my roommate, lost her mom at a young age, too young," Brehm said. "I think it affects more families than any other form of cancer."
NASCAR driver and Las Vegas native Riley Herbst also volunteered to help paint. He said it was cool to be back home and be able to give back. And as for race weekend, he said there is a lot to look forward to.
"It should be a very action-packed race weekend. On Saturday, the Xfinity series, which I'm in and Sunday, the Cup cars. This is the playoffs. The stakes are higher, the margins are smaller so it should be a really good race both days," Herbst said. "I'm looking forward to hopefully winning here on Saturday, getting my first career Xfinity win. We just resigned with Stewart-Haas Racing for next year. I'm excited about that and to continue my path as a race car driver and hopfully be in the Cup Series here one day racing in front of my hometown fans."
