Real Racing Heroes

March 12, 2020 was a dark day for professional motor racing in the United States, and around the world. With the cancellation of WEC's 1,000-mile Sebring race, and eventual postponement of IMSA's 12 Hours of Sebring, a chain reaction of race event cancellations spread like wildfire across the US due to the Covid-19 pandemic. By the time the dust settled, all professional Sportscar racing in the US was wiped off the calendar until Summer 2020, at the soonest. As fans, this is a real downer, but for many of the hard-working men and women who fly in every weekend to put on the show, this could mean months without work.

Some of the hardest hit will be the contract or "fly-in" crew that make their living slinging tires, working wheel guns, and slamming fuel probes for teams up and down pit lane. These jobs are not glamorous, nor do they pay glamorous wages - so the men and women behind those helmets often book crew spots on multiple teams in multiple series to piece together enough paying race weekends to provide a sustainable living for themselves and their families.

This is not a hobby for them, it is their livelihood - and without races to support, there is no livelihood.
 
They are the Real Racing Heroes and they need our help. Because of this we've launched the Hardpoint Paddock Foundation, a non-profit aimed at providing emergency financial assistance to these out-of-work contract crewmembers and their families. We will be raising funds a few different ways:

1- Through this GoFundMe page, where we encourage fans, sponsors, and anyone involved in the racing industry to donate whatever they can.

2- Through our online store where we will be selling a limited edition "Flatten the Curve" line of merchandise.  http://shop.hardpoint.com

Donations made to the foundation, along with all proceeds from “Flatten the Curve” merchandise sales, will be used to provide this much-needed emergency financial assistance. By helping these men and women during unprecedented times, we’ll not only be bringing a lifeline to families in need but also ensure we have a sport to come back to this Summer – because, without race crews, there’s no racing.

Assistance will be provided through $1500 grants to qualified applicants that apply through our website www.realracingheroes.com.  All funds from this gofundme campaign are processed and sent to recipients by the Hardpoint Paddock Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit.