For Immediate Release: Boston, MA - December 19, 2011
Guardian Angel Motorsports and Banner Racing are returning to North America’s toughest endurance race, the Rolex 24hr at Daytona. Oliver Gavin, Gunter Schaldach, Eric Curran and Bruce Ledoux complete The KWL Trucking Camaro GT entry. Leighton Reese’s Banner Racing will be working hard to prep and support the team’s brand-new car.
“It’s such a thrill to be driving with such a strong line up,” says Ledoux, “I’m humbled to be with such an experienced team and am excited about the exposure we should be able to gain for our target charities this year.” Having donated more than $115,000 the past two Daytona 24 Hour races, this year Guardian Angel Motorsports is fundraising for a young girl that could really use our help. Continue reading ‘Is Three the Charm?’
About this undertaking this year. It’s been such a battle royale. Last year’s race had us signing contracts and commitment checks in August. This year, we were doing that just 18 days before the race….a huge testament to Debra & Kevin Buckler. Talk about magicians. They gave us world class, championship quality preparation in days & hours when other teams can’t get it done in years. I love you guys
2010 Rolex24hr GT Field
I find I’m feeling SUPER guilty about the expense vs. the family and find myself asking lots of questions, like, Is this over indulgent? Am I being selfish? Is this fair to Linda, Emily, Colin & Ryan? and most importantly, Is this worth it? I mean, who really cares? Then yesterday, amid all of the fury of packing and getting ready, Linda hands me this note that Colin’s aid at school sent home with him. “Mr. Ledoux & Team GAM” (btw - I’m 41, Mr. Ledoux is my dad). I want to wish you luck on your race this weekend. I think it’s truly amazing that you get behind the wheel not to win a race but for the purpose that goes beyond getting a trophy at the end. In your blog on the web, you said that you were a ‘nobody’, (basically comparing yourself to the professional drivers out there) and I disagree. I think there are a substantial amount of people that would agree with me on this. You truly ARE a hero in the eyes of not only your own children and family members but to everyone who knows what it actually is that your driving for. Christopher Reeve once said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” This is exactly what you and your team stand for! Congratulations already on everything you have accomplished and I wish you the best of luck in all of your races to come. Good Luck this weekend, Go Get ‘em!!! “Miss A*****” PS - I hope that my small donation to FAAN will somehow make a difference.
***************************************
….and then I could sleep…..for a few hours anyway…
Thank you Miss A*** for letting me know that we are in some how, some way making a difference. Bruce Ledoux Rolex GT #18
….using his index fingers to painfully hunt & peck out each letter….gives you the complete mental imagery that you need when you read Guardian Angel Pilot Tommy Sheehan’s tomb below. As I was casting around the house, awaiting my airport ride (at 3:38am), I sent him an email with the subject line reading: “What gear are you in?”
How far do i have to go to get to you
Many the miles
Many the miles
Jamie, Colin & Emily are grade-school students with severe food allergies. If someone accidentally spills milk on Jamie or gets peanuts or sesame near Colin and
Emily during school lunch, the resulting anaphylactic
Jamie in headband, Emily facing on right
shock would be life threatening.
More than 12 million Americans have food allergies. That’s 4% of the population.
The incidence of food allergy is highest in young children, 1 in 17 among those under age 3.
Anaphylactic reactions requiring hospital treatment appear to be increasing.
Authorities in England report a threefold increase between 1994 and 2004.
Peanut allergies doubled in children over a five-year period, 1997 to 2002.
How far do i have to go to get to you Many the miles
Many the miles
Little girl #146 is missing. If you have a daughter, her story will sicken you. That someone would rob a girl of her childhood innocence erodes our humanity. The recent stats released by the U.S. Department of Justice paint a bleak picture for young women and girls.
More than 1,200 incidents of human trafficking were reported in the U.S. over the 21-month period from January 2007 to September 2008.
Over 90% of the victims, overall, are female. Hispanics are particularly hard hit, constituting 37% of all sex trafficking victims and 56% of labor trafficking victims.
83% of reported incidents involve sex trafficking, and one-third of the total involve sex trafficking of children. 71% of sex trafficking victims are under age 25.
U.S. citizens account for 63% — a clear majority - of sex trafficking victims.
How far do i have to go to get to you
Many the miles
Many the miles
But send me the miles and i’ll be happy to follow you…
Guardian Angel Motorsports’ founders Bruce Ledoux, David Quinlan & Dan Watkins triumphantly return for their sophomore effort at the 2010 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona with co-drivers Bob Doyle and Tom Sheehan. Their mission - as a team of amateurs - is not to win on the track, but to win in the paddock & in race fans’ hearts. The goal is simple: Raise over $100k for children’s charities by driving 1750 laps at four events in 2010.
It’s deeply personal.
“Thru our own experiences as fathers of children with disabilities and allergies, we want to help as many children as possible by simply giving them the luxury of a chance to win. Right now, so many don’t have the luxury of even a chance.” (Bruce Ledoux, father of Colin & Emily)
In 2009, Guardian Angel Motorsports raised over $75,000 for Children’s Hospital of Boston. This year they race for two charities: www.LOVE146.org, working toward nothing less than the abolition of child sex slavery and child exploitation, and FAAN, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (www.foodallergy.org), raising public awareness, providing advocacy and education, and advancing research on behalf of millions affected by food allergies.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona is a chance of a lifetime for Guardian Angel Motorsports
…and a chance of a life for the kids we support.
Would you please help us to defend the defenseless?
Cc: David Quinlan; Travis Hill; Bob Doyle; Tom Sheehan; Kevin Buckler; Debra Buckler
Subject: Data Report
Hello all. This is your friendly neighborhood data guy.
At several people’s request I have gone through all of the data from the weekend and found a few problems. The main thing is shifting needs to be cleaned up. There are many instances of poor shifting. These will land you in the garage with a broken gearbox or out of the race completely with a blown motor. For some of you I know we discussed specific issues, but I wanted to bring these to everyone’s attention. Below are some specifics that I have found.
From: Tom Sheehan Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 1:17 PM
Toby's Render for the 48th Rolex24 @ Daytona
To: ‘M****, K A.’
Subject: RE: Hugginz
K,
It was all surreal. I walked in to the Grand Am credentials office in Daytona Beach. I handed them my paperwork. I walked out in 35 min with a Grand am License, and FIA card. Being used to complicated SCCA licensing and registration processes with lots of lines, I walked back in to the credentials office seeking my next task to get me into the” Roar Before The 24“. The registration worker pulled down her glasses and peered over at me with a pleasant but puzzled expression. Her next words floored me. “Honey, you are all set, done, you don’t have to register for or stand in this or any other line again until this time next year. ” I shook her hand and knew I had reached into an entirely different world than the one I knew.
I drove to the track, in through the tunnel, parked the rental rig, and walked into the Garage area with Montoya and one of his buddies. I found the TRG garage. Got a trailer assignment and started to drop off my Continue reading ‘Hugginz….(don’t ask)’
Last week was movie night in the Ledoux household and Linda wanted to watch the movie Julie & Julia. I mean heck, sometimes, as a guy - you have to take a hit for the team…. For those of you that haven’t seen it, it’s fun story about a Brooklyn, NY woman that is drifting in life until she decides to cook every recipe in Julia Child’s book over the course of 1 year…..and blog about it.
What was fascinating to me about the movie was how much momentum and notoriety her efforts gain from the blog. The blog led to interviews with the New York Times, dinners with famous writers, chefs and even some communication via third party to Julia Childs herself. Segue to reality.
GodStone Ranch with the 'Angels
Yesterday morning we were sitting at breakfast when GodStone Ranch racer John McCutchen came over to introduce himself. (He’s running a Pratt & Miller Corvette this year…a formidibly competitive car). He said that he had watched our efforts as a team last year and was inspired by us to mount his own effort for Texas Heart Institute.
The introduction caught me completely off guard as I was fairly certain only a handful of people had dialed into what we had undertaken last year. In fact, as we’ve battled so hard this year to muster an entry, I was beginning to believe that the number of people was smaller than I had expected. It’s been beyond trying and everyone around me has been wondering why I can’t put this down…..and then something like this happens.
I find I’m taken by the humanity of the participants in this event. It’s like little else I’ve been involved in so far. Certainly at the other events, people are friendly, many very genuine but here, for some reason, the vibe is so so different. Particularly this year.
Cold, Rainy & CLOSED paddock
Apparently we are feeling the effects of global warming as the loss of the polar ice cap. I have a friend that tells me they are the ‘batteries’ to our global weather and help keep things evenly balanced. Probably not a great topic considering our undertaking.
So moving right along, as we sit in the trailer…waiting for the weather to change, we contemplate the ways we can use the time to prepare for our undertaking in just 21 days.
We did 90 minutes of video replay discussions with multi-champion Andy Lally. This was a great learning experience and I took a great deal from the discussion. Next we suited up and heading across the arctic howl from the trailer to the garage to practice our driver
Ledoux Driver Change
change proceedure. This was great as we all got to learn the nuances and idiosyncracies of buckling into the car fast. This is an important part of our race as it is a place where we can better control our outcome and have a BIG impact on our overall laps completed. We lose roughly 1/2 lap on our way in and then another 1/2 lap on our way back out of a pit stop. 2 minutes in the pit would cost another lap meaning the car loses 2 laps per pit. If we’re inefficient in the pit and have to return, it may take 10-12hours to drive back a 2 lap (4 minute) deficit.
Currently, I sit in the trailer trying to get some feeling back in my feet and listening to the Flying Lizard guys talk thru their testing session with Patrick Long, Seth Neiman & Jorg Bergmeister…..I think I’ll stroll down the stairs to hang for a few moment with 2001 Winston Cup Champion Bobby Labonte……..such a ho - hum day.
…with a dream to get in my car again
Welcome to the land of fame, excess, whoa am I gotta fit in?
Jumped in the cab, here I am for the 2nd time
Look to my right, and I see the Speedway sign
This is all so crazy, everybody seems so famous
My tummy’s turnin’ and I’m feelin’ kinda homesick
Too much pressure and I’m nervous
That’s when the taxi man rolled down the window
And the DP song was on
And the GT song was on
And the Rolex song was on
So I put my hands up, they’re playin’ my song
The butterflies fly away
I’m noddin’ my head like “Yeah!”
3 Amigos at hotel
Movin’ my shifts like “Yeah!”
Got my hands up, they’re playin’ my song
And now I’m gonna be okay
Yeah! It’s a party in FLA!
Yeah! It’s a party in FLA!
I’ve been asking myself this a great deal lately. Here we are just 19 days away from the Roar Before the 24 test on 1.8.10 and we’re still one seat shy of a complete team. The race is a mere 41 days away and the car is functional but not prepared for the race and we’re playing chicken with parts & supplier deadlines as well as $100,000 in funds required to operate the car … “Why Bother?” seems like a logical question.
As I was traveling this past Thursday I watched Michael Moore’s movie “Sicko“. In his usual satirical, bombastic manner, Moore shines a spotlight on the disaster that the American health care system has become.
Right or Left, socialist or capitalist, no matter what your political orientation there is no denying that there are in fact some pretty disturbing issues around our health care system today. Stratospheric bills, irresponsible care or no care at all. Even ‘winners’ become losers, stripped of their life savings.
THIS is why we bother.
It will take much more than our meager efforts to change the current scenario, but we can immediately work to impact the lives of others. Of our family, friends and fellow citizens.
Just like George did.
In just a few more days, we’ll celebrate the 233rd anniversary of General George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River. Not being much of a history buff, I recently learned the real story behind the significance of the crossing. Yup, GW did navigate the ice filled river, at night, in a blizzard to surprise and defeat the elite Hessian guards and their German leader Johann Rall. What’s the real story?
Washington Crossing the Delaware
The real story is that GW’s army of 20,000 had dwindled down to just 2,500 troops … the American revolution was rapidly losing steam and the support of what is now the American public. Washington was focused and determined. He took his remaining, courageous supporters, THIRTY PERCENT of which had NO SHOES but bare, bloody feet wrapped in burlap and marched them NINE miles thru the blizzard to the river. In small boats they crossed the river, surprised the Hessians and rejuvenated the conviction of the American people in the Revolutionary War.
So much so that just two weeks after the Hessian defeat, Washington’s ranks grew back up to over 15,000 fighters.
Fast forward to today, 233 years later, and we’re helping to fight a different kind of “War of Independence” - for the children. For their freedom, for their liberty, for their right to feel safe and secure.
A picture is worth 1,000 words right?
How about humanity at it’s lowest, most disturbing level:
Did you know that Boston, MA is one of the largest trafficking hubs in the United States? Makes you feel sick to your stomach doesn’t it?
Let’s take Mahatma Ghandi at his word and realize that maybe the way these children are being treated isn’t right. It doesn’t reflect our best effort, we are better than this, we can make a difference in the world we live in, just one child at a time.
So my plan?
I can’t change the situation quickly. I can’t turn the Titanic around myself. I can only use my First Amendment Right to speak. I can vote with my feet and work to make a difference. To try to make things better than how I found them. My plan is to take a page from GW’s Christmas march and put my money and effort where my mouth is.
And to make a difference, with your help, by supporting these two organizations: FAAN, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, working tirelessly to free children with severe allergies through education, awareness and research. And Love146, devoted to abolishing child sex slavery and exploitation, nothing less.
Help me use the power and panache of professional motorsports and its 78 million-person US fan base to affect that change. Spread the word. Help us engage sponsors who can support our racing as the racing, in turn, helps us enable Love146 and FAAN as they wage the war to treat our weakest with the dignity and the respect you and I know, that the greatest society in the history of mankind is capable of.
An opportunity of a lifetime. An opportunity for a life.
Will you join me in that fight? I need your help…..badly.
It seems so easy and uneventful … even whimsical … but that’s the last thing that it is. Actually, the 24 hours of piloting the car on race day is easy in comparison to the 4 months of stress, anguish and financial calisthenics that precede it. Driver searches are based as much on financial where-with-all as they are on skill or intensity. Critical part availability is an investment in faith as much as anything.
No matter how you look at it, the math is just brutal.
Our 2009 effort at Daytona had math that looked like this:
Catastrophic Wreck Insurance: $25,000
22 sets of tires: $46,000
600 gallons of fuel: $3,600
Entry Fee: $8,500
New motor: $25,000
Trans R&R: $25,000
Trackside Support: $125,000
Brakes: $4,200
Livery: $5,400 Uniforms: $5,140
Subtotal: $277,980
Race Damage: $56,000
Total: $333,980 spent to raise $75,000 for charity.
Obviously the math only starts working when the funds raised get into the millions…per event. Yet the potential, when considering the international draw and multi million person fan base keeps eating at me. It feels like raising a few million dollars should be EASY.
Tom Sheehan
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