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March 16, 2023
Legendary race car driver Tony Stewart won just about every racing series there is. It started in a go-kart when he was just eight-years-old. “I was so excited to be the "kid on the block" that got to go racing with my family,” said Stewart. “All of my buddies thought it was cool that I raced on Saturday nights, and then we all rode our bikes together on Sunday.”
Stewart has ribbons, medals and trophies from hundreds, if not thousands, of competitions. Still, he wants more, “I want kids of all ages and abilities to experience the joy and excitement I’ve had on the track,” said Stewart. “Through the foundation, we are working hard to accelerate change for kids, injured motor sport drivers and animals for 20 years now. We are so excited to provide all children and their families with the opportunity to feel the exhilaration of racing and enjoy the sport I love.”
The Tony Stewart Foundation is making it possible for more families to race together at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) experience within the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. The foundation worked with the museum to acquire pedal cars that meet multiple needs and create a track with ‘lane barriers’ or guides similar to bumper rails you might use while bowling.
“Safety is a paramount goal of ours – to make sure families enjoy sports in a safe and fun way together. The barriers allow drivers of all ages and abilities to race. By separating the lanes, we can let racers in wheelchairs zoom around out track. This system will also give full control back to the drivers as the steering is 100% on the driver, which makes for an even more exciting experience,” said Caleb Bailey, director, Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience.
In addition to bumper lanes that help keep the cars on track, there’s no longer a height requirement. New miniature speedsters are geared toward little legends-in-training so they can easily reach the pedals. There is also a handcycle option that can attach to most wheelchairs. Finally, the new ‘bumper guides’ help create a lane for wheelchair users who can choose to race their own set of wheels around the track.
Mark your calendar for May 29, 2023 for an exciting, high octane day filled with racing themed activities including a baby race (crawling) and take photos with real race cars! The Children’s Museum hopes families enjoy more than just new equipment, “We want to give everyone the thrill of racing regardless of size or abilities,” said Jennifer Pace Robinson. Providing these kinds of accessible experiences, helps give children and their grown-ups a sense of empowerment and opportunity to control the fast track in ways not everyone has been able to do in the past.” Pace Robinson realizes that not everyone will become a race car driver; but The Children’s Museum is driven to help kids and families experience the thrill of racing.
