Dan Wheldon’s absence Feb. 24 from the first night of the Open Test at Homestead-Miami Speedway wasn’t cause for alarm. The 2005 IndyCar Series champion, who joined Panther Racing during the offseason, was in Washington, D.C., for the National Guard Foundation’s Youth ChalleNGe Champions Gala.
Wheldon and Panther Racing raised more than $130,000 for the program by donating ticket packages to the Indianapolis 500 and by autographing a painting commissioned for the event.
Georgia Youth ChalleNGe graduate Cadet Clarence Jones sat next to Wheldon during the event, and the former Indianapolis 500 champion invited Jones to be his personal guest at this year’s Indianapolis 500. At the conclusion of the event, Jones spoke to the crowd of over 1,000 guests and told his story of being involved in gangs his entire life before Youth ChalleNGe changed his life. He is now enrolled in flight school in Colorado with his sights set on becoming a commercial airline pilot.
“The Youth ChalleNGe Champions Gala was, in my career, by far the best appearance I’ve done in terms of how rewarding and inspiring it was. To be in a room with so many great people and as a representative of the National Guard was truly an honor. It was particularly inspiring to sit next to (Youth ChalleNGe graduate) Cadet Clarence Jones and learn his story. Sometimes a lot of people in our business, to a certain degree, take their life and upbringing for granted, but to hear his story and the direction his life has gone is unbelievable. It was actually pretty emotional for me, and to be able to bring him to the Indianapolis 500 this May is, in my opinion, the least I could do. I think he’ll very much enjoy the race, as he’s enrolling in flight school in Colorado and definitely has the need for speed. So now we’re looking forward to getting him to enjoy it on four wheels and without the wings.”
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