The Roadracing World Action Fund began back in 2001 as a grassroots movement to improve racetrack safety for motorcycle racers. At the time, haybales were placed in front of concrete walls or steel barriers for rider protection in case of a crash. A far better solution for rider safety existed — inflatable soft barriers which absorb the energy of a crash. Using soft barriers — made by Airfence or Alpina — means racers can often walk away from a crash which in the past might have caused catastrophic injury, or even death.

The Roadracing World Action Fund gained the support of the motorcycle community, as racers, riders, family and friends, motorcycle industry and businesses helped to make soft barriers the standard, rather than the exception, at motorcycle races and track days at racetracks across the nation. Now, from Laguna to Daytona, COTA to VIR, Arroyo Seca to Blackhawk Farms, and many more, soft barriers are deployed more frequently and in greater quantities than ever before, thanks to the contributors who, over 16 years, have donated $1,747,130.02 to support the Roadracing World Action Fund in fulfilling our mission to help prevent racetrack injuries and spread the word through motorcycle road racing safety education.

As the 2017 racing season begins…Here is a review of Roadracing World Action Fund 2016 highlights.

Steady Donations Add Up…

The Tammy Stratman Brown Charities Trust has donated to the Roadracing World Action Fund, Dirt Track Division, each year from 2012 to 2016. The most recent contribution of $2,000 brings the total donated over five years to $9,000.

Motosport.com matches customer donations to the Roadracing World Action Fund dollar-for-dollar. Since the program began in 2011 and through 2015, Motosport.com has raised $11,777.11. For 2016, the program’s contributions sky-rocketed, the amount of $6829.89 added to the total equaling 58% of the total raised up to that point. The grand total now stands at $18,607.

Back in 2006, Kurveygirl.com made its first donation to the Roadracing World Action Fund in the amount of $30, and, at that time, pledged to continue to make regular donations from its profits. Ten years and many donations later, Kurveygirl.com — with its latest contribution of $2,133 — has reached a grand total of $22,325 in donations.

Craig Beardsley has once again contributed to the Roadracing World Action Fund in 2016, in four quarterly payments of $100 each. With 31 donations ranging from $60 to $100 per donation since 2008, Beardsley’s grand total now stands at $2,810.

Charles Buse has donated to the Roadracing World Action Fund 13 times since 2003, and with his latest donation of $100, Buse’s total has reached $3,100.

For four years in a row now (since 2013), Rand Kennedy has donated $200, for a grand total of $800.

Fundraising…

The fifth annual Motovid.com Broken Wing Benefit in 2016 raised $5582 for the Roadracing World Action Fund, including $247 donated by Buffalo Wild Wings from track day dinner fundraisers. The event debuted in 2012, raising $6818; year two, 2013, $6,600; year three, 2014, $7,000, and year four, $7,000, in 2015. The event’s five-year grand total now stands at $33,000.

The 2016 P.R.E. Fundraiser raised $16,352, thanks to the leadership and dedication of President John Allen, who goes by a guiding philosophy. Allen wrote: “What we hope to accomplish (and this is something we’ve been actively promoting at our events for the last year) is that over time we can get people to view Airfence as something that is not just nice to have, but something they expect to see at their track day or race event, and if they aren’t seeing it to encourage them get involved with their local organizations to make that happen. I think that Airfence is an extension of a rider/racers protective gear and is just as important as wearing a helmet. We wouldn’t dream of riding without a helmet, and we hope to get people to feel the same way about riding without Airfence in place.”

John Allen has been involved with promoting rider safety for years, leading fundraising efforts for the Roadracing World Action Fund with two organizations – at first with the now-defunct NESBA at Road Atlanta ($58,500) and now with P.R.E. at VIR ($52,352), for a grand total of $110,974.50.

In acknowledging John Allen for his achievements, Roadracing World Action Fund Director Trudy Ulrich writes: “Thank you for all that you have done in leading the charge for soft barriers at racetracks in the Southeast. The fact that you’ve been able to maintain continuity over the years between the two organizations shows true dedication on your part. What you have done is exactly what we envisioned should be done.”

Snap-On Tools donated by Brendon Perry were raffled off at a WERA event at Road Atlanta the weekend of Sept. 10 –11, 2016, and the proceeds in the amount of $304 were donated to the Action Fund.

Midwest Track Days NCM Cook-Off raised $18,035 in 2016, including donations from John Cook, $7000; Thomas Blair, $1000; Nick Perkins, $500; Aarica Douglas, $500; Sportbike Track Time, $415; and Stacey Phelan, $400. Midwest Track Days total fundraising over three years has reached $23,777.

Chris Ulrich and Team Hammer held two-up rides at media events during select Moto America race weekends in 2016, and reserved a limited number of rides at each event to be used to raise money for the Roadracing World Action Fund. Donations made at various tracks include: Utah, $250; Laguna Seca, $750; VIR, $250; Miller, $250.

On Sunday during the Superbike World Championship event at Laguna Seca, as AMA’s Nick Haris presented Chris Ulrich the Hazel Cobb Brighter Image Award for his work with promoting road racing and road racing safety through the two-seat superbike media outreach program, Team Hammer rider Valentin Debise showed up with a giant check for $1000 for the Roadracing World Action Fund.

Fundraisers for the Roadracing World Action Fund were in plentiful supply at Laguna Seca in 2016:

Pirelli once again provided special VIP ticket/parking packages for the World Superbike round at Laguna Seca, to be sold and the proceeds donated to the Roadracing World Action Fund. This year’s total came to $2,500, and the total raised over five WSB events is $14,409.

Just before the Laguna event, an AFM bike night hosted riders and race fans and raised $130 for the Action Fund.

Large, glossy Roadracing World cover posters, which measure 24×30 inches, were sold at the Roadracing World vendor booths at COTA and Laguna Seca in 2016, including the August 2006 cover featuring Valentino Rossi, to raise money for the Action Fund. Along with walk up donations, $675 was raised this year.

Donations were made at the Kawasaki bicycle ride around the Laguna Seca racetrack on the Monday following the World Superbike weekend, raising $353 for the Roadracing World Action Fund.

In Memory of…

The American Motorcyclist Association has donated $100 in memory of Sandy Rainey, father of three-time 500cc World Champion and now MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey.

Roger Lyle of Motorcycle Xcitement has donated $500 “in loving memory of my mothers, Patricia Anderson and Virginia Erdesky. Thank you for starting the Action Fund and saving racers’ lives all these years! God bless you.”

Brandon and Heather O’Neill donated $400 in memory of Michael Czysz.

David Van Ommeren.began contributing to the Roadracing World Action Fund in 2009 with a $250 donation, and followed that up in 2010 with another donation of $250. In 2011, he doubled the amount donated to $500, writing, “Donation made in the memory of Michael A. Moore (NESBA Atlantic Director) who died on 11/9/11 as a result of a crash at NJMP on 11/6/11 where no Airfence was being used.” In July of 2012, the Mike Moore memorial fundraiser raised $6,403, to which Van Ommeren also contributed. Van Ommeren has donated each year since, and has established recurring monthly donations, each made in memory of Mike Moore. His grand total now stands at $3,769.50.

The Mike Moore Memorial Fundraiser is ongoing, thanks to the efforts of Moore’s good friend David Yarnall and Julie Moore, Mike’s widow, who together continue to raise funds for good causes “to remember and honor Mike,” Yarnall wrote. “You are receiving this donation as pretty much a random, perhaps ‘universe driven, act of kindness on behalf of myself and my dear friend, Julie A. Moore. Mike was a very genuine, beautiful person. To describe Mike’s greatest attribute of so many, in so very few words, would be ‘giving of himself.’ Mike was known for giving out a small Ganesha from time to time. The Ganesha, you see, is an eastern deity symbol representing the idea of remover of objects. It is ironic and very profound that an ‘object’ interrupted his mission to give of himself. In all of this, we hope in some way in your life, the objects that you have and may encounter will be removed or become less stressful for you. Please take a moment when you hear a motorcycle in the wind, think of Mike for a brief second as he continues to try to help others, as he has you, in this small way. With our sincere wish that you do well in life, in Mike’s honor, Julie A. Moore and Dave Yarnall.”

Sponsored Deployments in 2016

Roadracing World Action Fund soft barriers were able to be deployed at numerous events across the U.S. thanks to donations from sponsors and racing organizations who rallied to pay the costs of transportation and deployment, and made donations of $2,500 or more per event. Road race events held at COTA, Road Atlanta, and Laguna Seca, as well as special events at Pikes Peak and Mid-Ohio, raised $42,500. American Honda contributed $30,000, half the cost of 20 Alpine brand sections of soft barrier used at AMA/FIM North American events.

Summary of Recently Posted Contributions

(Contributor comments and dedications are included below with their listing. Total overall contribution appears in parentheses.)

Roadrace Fund

American Honda $30,000

PRE Fundraiser $16,352.50 ($52,474.50)

Motosport.com $6829.89 ($18,607)

2016 Midwest Track Days Chili Cook-Off NCM Fundraiser $18,035 ($23,777)

Jonathan F. Glaefke $5,000 ($22,293)

MCRA $3000 ($11,761)

Circuit of the Americas $2,500

AMA Pro Racing $2,500

Pirelli N.A. 2016 Laguna WSBK VIP Ticket Fundraiser $2,500 ($14,409)

Bob Robbins $2,500 ($25,400)

Kurveygirl.com $2,133 ($22,325)

Mike Moore Memorial Fundraiser $2,000

Michael Arenella/Chevron Matching Employee Funds $1,999.98 ($10,858.18)

Polaris Industries $1,294

Steven Brunton $1,000 ($10,500)

Valentin Debise $1,000

Chris Murtaugh $750

David Pierce $500 ($5000)

Roger Lyle/Motorcycle Xcitement $500 In Memory of Patricia Anderson and Virginia Erdesky

Sportbike Track Time $415 NCM Fundraiser

Stacey Phelan $400 NCM Fundraiser

Yoshimura Racing $400 ($1150)

Craig Beardsley $400 ($2,810)

Keith & Patti Souter $400 ($3000)

Brandon & Heather O’Neill/In Memory of Michael Czysz $400 ($650)

Kawasaki Laguna Seca Bicycle Ride $353

Alexander Oppermann $319 ($444)

Todd & Liz Pugh/In Honor of Chris & Kathie Hiatt Wedding $300

Gary Rand $300 ($2126)

Anonymous/United Way Greater Twin Cities $295

David Van Ommeren $269.50 ($3769.50; $1000 of total listed under Mike Moore Memorial Fundraiser)

Jair Park $250 Two-Up Ride At Miller Motorsports Park

Barbary Coast Living $250 Two Up Ride At Laguna Seca

Bob Robbins #46 $250 “I was recently protested for displacement at Barber in AHRMA recently and have shared the proceeds of $500 between AHRMA’s Benevolent Fund and yours. Keep up the good work!”

Chicken Hawk Racing $250 ($600)

Doug Burkholder $250 ($350)

Rand Kennedy $200 ($800) “Thanks for all you do!”

Westby Racing $200

Robert Dickey $200 ($573) “Thanks for all y’all do! Bob ‘Panthercity’ Dickey”

AFM Bike Night $130

Jaclyn Cundiff $120 Two-Up Ride At VIR

Jonathan Oakden-Graus $115 ($215)

American Motorcyclist Association $100/In Memory of Sandy Rainey

Patrick A. Reagan $100 ($150)

Dave Knott $100

Sheila Barnes $100 ($1150) In Memory of F. Allen Barnes

Robert Pabon $100

George Latus $100 ($600)

Michael J. Kelly $100 ($350)

Jim Bonner $100

Paul Rosal $100 ($680 RR/$120DT)

Charles Buse $100 ($3100)

Ryan L. Tyler $93.50 ($189.50)

Charles Pomeroy $75 ($125) “For Erin”

David Rutherford $50

Eric Lundquist $50

Nathan Kirklin $50

Gill Barnett $50

Anthony Morrison $50

Anonymous/ Jasper FL $50 ($450)

John Stewardson $50 ($1205)

Kenneth Johnson $45 ($65)

Diane Tribou $30 (Roadracing World cover fundraiser)

United Way California $25.58

Anthony Pagliaroli $25 “Danielle Teal Rules!”

Michael Marino $25

Bruce Stafford $20

Martin Lotman $20 ($35)

Dirt Track Fund

AMA $7500 ($42,435.76)

Tammy Stratman Brown Charities Trust $2000 ($9000)

Media Home Theater $100

Gerry & Ann Carr $100 ($400)

John Stewardson $50

December 31, 2016

Accounting Details to Date

Road Racing Expenditure Details

Purchases of soft barriers: $1,271,750.19

Shipping/Customs: $73,726.55

Bank Fees: $5,329.80
Transportation & Installation: $199,296.25

Soft Barrier Parts, Repairs & Signage $17,882.81

Accounting/Business Fees: $5,293.00

Misc. Supplies/Services $906.15

Office Services: $4987.00

Total Spent: $1,579,171.75

Total Donations Collected: $1,614,346.27

Cash on hand: $35,174.52

Dirt Track Expenditure Details

Purchases of soft barriers: $123,789.35

Shipping/Customs: $2717.72

Transportation & Installation $2174.77

Total Spent: $128,681.84

Total Donations Collected: $132,783.75

Cash on hand: $4,101.91

Certain administrative costs, including web site maintenance, promotional items and shipping have been absorbed by Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.