A pair of Kulwicki Driver Development Program finalists are working together to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation during the month of October.
Max Cookson and Riley Stenjem, two Late Model racers who are currently part of the Kulwicki Driver Development Program, have joined forces to launch a raffle, with a goal of raising $7,777 this month.
For every $10 an individual donates to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, they will earn a ticket into the raffle. Prizes for the raffle include several pieces of sheet metal, coming from Cookson, Stenjem and other racers including Bubba Pollard, Derek Griffith, Derek Kraus and more.
The idea stemmed as the result of a long friendship between Cookson and Stenjem, dating back several years to time spent together on iRacing long before they became KDDP finalists.
“Me and Riley are really good friends,” said Cookson. “We’ve never met personally or anything, but just been friends through iRacing and friends over the past four, five, six years.
“We’re both in the program this year. October came around and both of us wanted to do something for breast cancer awareness, so me and him decided to do something together.”
“We had talked all year about wanting to do something together on the off-track side,” added Stenjem. “It worked out in October for us to do this. I had the groundwork laid a little bit from last year. We did a similar fundraiser for Susan G. Komen last year with Steve Apel.
“We just did it for one week at the Falloween race at the Dells last year at the end of October. We were able to raise around $2,700.”
While Cookson and Stenjem are technically competing against each other for the Kulwicki Cup as finalists in the Kulwicki Driver Development Program, they saw this as an opportunity to work together for a greater good.
“For us to remain friends and be close and do something together is what the program is all about, doing good,” said Cookson. “It is a competition, but for us to do it together is really cool and something a lot of people will appreciate.”
Other KDDP finalists have also offered a helping hand, submitting their own sheet metal to be added to the prizes in the raffle.
“Me and Max were able to put the competition aside and do something together for the greater good,” said Stenjem. “Even with us doing that, it has inspired some of the other Kulwicki participants to reach out and donate some stuff as well. Jackson Boone donated a door, as well as Haeden Plybon all the way from Washington. We’ve added those two items.”
Stenjem and Cookson are also incorporating pink numbers into their race cars for the month of October. Stenjem’s car took the track last weekend at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway’s Oktoberfest, with a guest of honor on hand as well.
“Last year, we did the same thing. We had pink numbers on the car. We did a little bit more this year, we might even do more for Falloween in terms of pink accents and other logos and stuff. We had a special guest riding along with us on the right-side door. A lady by the name of Tammy who recently got diagnosed with breast cancer, kind of have a mutual friend with her.
“She was really touched by it. We got some pictures with her and got to meet her, sit down and talk to her for a little bit. My mom also set up a table a couple of days and was able to collect some money for raffle tickets.”
Fans can click here to make their donation and enter the raffle today. To be eligible for the raffles, ensure your donation is not anonymous so that you can be contacted if you win.
Cookson will also be accepting in-person donations this weekend at Oxford Plains Speedway while competing in the PASS 400 weekend. Similarly, Stenjem’s team will be accepting donations at Dells Raceway Park’s Falloween weekend on October 20-21.
-Featured Photo: Team Huff Customs on Facebook
