The Roadracing World Action Fund has reached $238,372.30 in total road-racing-designated contributions thanks to individuals who not only made tax-deductible donations, but who also pro-actively reached out to the motorcycle community to rally support and interest for improving motorcycle racing safety.

Individuals donated and urged others to do the same; manufacturers pledged profits from product sales; and a motorcycle club sponsored a fundraiser.

Mr.& Mrs. Frederick Bittner contributed $2900, enough for an entire section of Airfence. In an e-mail, Fred pledged to make a lot of phone calls, writing “Like many others, my wife and I continue to find the news about injuries sustained by road racers as a result of contact with unprotected barriers troubling. We therefore decided to make an additional contribution to the Roadracing World Action Fund, and consider it an investment in the future safety of roadracers. I would like to note that I am racing this year, and am very gratified to see that several of the manufacturers and service providers whose goods and services I use also support the Fund. Nevertheless, I would be very proud to be able to say that all the companies and organizations associated with my racing program have contributed to the Fund. To this end, I am in the process of contacting nearly 100 organizations in an effort to encourage them to do just that. Finally, a big thumbs up to all who have contributed and especially to John Ulrich and Roadracing World.” Last year, the Bittners donated $2900 in honor of injured racer Papa Thiam, bringing their total contribution to the Action Fund to $5800.

This year’s Bandit Owners Southern Stampede, the “B.O.S.S. 2003” held May 2-4 at Two Wheels Only motorcycle resort in Suches, Georgia, yielded a $308 donation for the Roadracing World Action Fund. Organizer Pete Cedel rallied support from event attendees who managed to more than double last year’s B.O.S.S. 2002 contribution of $116.

Max McAllister of Traxxion Dynamics contributed $250, the first installment fulfilling a pledge of $5 for each suspension set-up video sold at www.traxxion.com. Others who have pledged product-sales-related contributions include Hi-Side Racing Tire Warmers, (which will donate $25 for every set of Hi-Side Racing tire warmers sold through the end of the year), BBVR Performance Products, (which will donate $25 for each Ontrack portable laser wheel alignment system sold for competition end use), and Kyle Racing, (which will donate $50 for each Ohlins shock or fork sold through June 22, 2003.)

Last year Don Emde contributed $1000 in memory of Cal Rayborn. This year he chose to memorialize fallen racers of the past with a contribution of $500, “In memory of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini, who died May 20, 1973.” Emde donated another $500 following Woody Deatherage’s crash at Road Atlanta, at the same time issuing a challenge to others to match his contribution.

Royalty Racing’s Jerry King rose to that challenge and called in with a $500 contribution. Jerry stated that it was something that he always wanted to do, and Don Emde spurred him on to do it. Jerry is an ex-racer, all of his sons have raced, and his son Travis King is currently racing WERA, CCS and some AMA events.

Brian Drebber made a donation of $1000 in memory of his father, Rocky Drebber. Brian stated in a phone call that, like Roadracing World Action Fund founder John Ulrich, he had lost his father recently, and he wanted to make a contribution in his father’s memory.

Other contributions include: Mark Godfrey, $50; Philippe Kostezer, $50; Andrew Kupfer, $20; and an anonymous donation of $20 at California Speedway.

Repeat contributors include Jason Temme, who added $25 to an earlier donation of $100; David Kopfinger, adding $55.05 to $126 for a grand total of $181.05; and Allan Lockheed, adding $200 to last year’s $100 donation.

Roadracing World Action Fund dirt track contributions have stalled at $18,597, with no new contributions since the last post. However, dirt track-designated funds were used for the first time when Airfence was deployed and demonstrated at the Springfield Mile in May. A fresh batch of 11 Airfence modules was delivered there, some of which were actually designated for road race use. The road race modules made the trek from Springfield to Pikes Peak for the AMA races last weekend courtesy of Danny Walker’s SuperCamp, and are now in a trailer being towed by racer Chris Ulrich to Road America.

Summary of New Contributions Recently Posted

Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Bittner $2900
Don Emde $500
Don Emde/In Memory of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini $500
Brian Drebber/In Memory of Rocky Drebber $1000
Jerry King $500
Boss ’03 Raffle $308
Traxxion Dynamics $250
Allan Lockheed $200
David Kopfinger $55.05
Philippe Kostezer $50
Mark Godfrey $50
Jason Temme $25
Andrew Kupfer, $20
Anonymous at California Speedway $20

Accounting Details to Date
Road Racing Expenditure Details

Direct purchase of soft barriers: $101,350
Shipping/Customs: $5654.75
Bank Fees: $344.05
Airfence* Deployment Crew Training: $700
Transportation & Installation: $4689.47
Corporation/Business Fees: $592
Online Auction Fees: $221.99
Misc Supplies: $19
Donation to AMA Pro Racing for Airfence: $104,104

Total Spent: $217,675.26

Total Donations Collected $238,372.30
Misc. Income $67.27

Cash on hand: $20,764.31


Dirt Track Expenditure Details

Direct purchase of soft barriers: $15,000
Shipping/Customs: $2717.72

Total Spent: $17,717.72

Total collected: $18,597
Cash on hand: $879.28

All administrative costs, including the percentage taken by credit card companies on credit card donations, have been absorbed by Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

*Trademark of Airfence Safety Systems Australia.