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Brentwood Press - DiscoveryBayPress_07.25.08 - Index

2B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS JULY 25, 2008
Local car show benefits injured racer
by Kyle Szymanski
Correspondent
After local racer Kellen Chadwick
was seriously injured in a February crash,
Bay Area businessman Pete Paulsen,
who’s been in the wheel and tire business
and closely affi liated with the local racing
scene for decades, knew immediately that
he wanted to help.
After all, the Chadwick family had
always lent its support in times of need,
whether at Paulsen’s yearly car show and
swap meet, when he needed help with his
racecars, or by sponsoring trophies.
Last Sunday, Paulsen returned the favor
to the Chadwick family in its time of
need.
People from around the Bay Area
turned out for a special raffl e to help
Knightsen’s own Kellen Chadwick during
the ninth annual Hot Antioch Nights Car
Show and Swap Meet.
An estimated $11,000 was raised by a
raffl e to help pay for Chadwick’s expenses,
which have been piling up since the crash
at Central Arizona Speedway on Feb. 22
left him unable to work. Chadwick sustained
broken vertebrae in his neck and
back, damage to an artery in his neck and
burns to his back and right arm in the accident.
Car buffs fl ocked to the raffl e table,
which was adorned with an array of rac-
ing-themed items – including attire, diecast
cars, a jukebox and a wolf whistle
– once an hour between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
to see if their lucky ticket numbers had
been chosen.
Although few of the raffl e entrants
participated specifi cally because their
money would be going to benefi t a worthy
cause, their generosity was noticed and
appreciated by Chadwick and his family.
“It’s been incredible,” said Kellen’s mother,
Tina. “The racing community as a whole
has been unreal. Everybody has been wonderful.”
Chadwick’s injuries restricted his visit
to the show to only a few hours, but he
didn’t leave without recognizing the support
of Paulsen and the local community.
Knightsen’s Kellen
Chadwick, 23, is
still recovering
from serious injuries
sustained during
a Feb. 22 crash
in Chandler, Ariz.
Sunday’s raffl e at
Hot Antioch Nights
raised more than
$11,000 to help
Chadwick and
his family pay off
medical bills.
Photo by Richard Wisdom
“I’ve been having a lot of support,” said
Kellen, his number 83 car prominently displayed
next to him. “It has defi nitely been
a tremendous help.”
Chadwick, who races dirt-modifi ed
and late-model cars, spent more than two
weeks in the hospital following the crash
and continues to endure treatment to regain
his ability to walk as well as recover
strength in his hands and arms.
Chadwick’s doctors say he survived
the crash with, miraculously, no paralysis,
and his family reports that he has made
great strides since suffering his injuries.
“It’s great,” said Kellen’s father Chad
Chadwick. “Everybody has been so supportive.
It’s just unbelievable.”
His competitive spirit and love of rac-
ing have Chadwick chafi ng to get back on
the track as soon as September, but it’s
unknown if doctors will clear him before
then. Chadwick’s mother believes her son
will be back racing by next February.
Chadwick began racing motorcycles
at age 6. Since then, he has raced in virtually
every state and made a name for himself
by competing in The Colossal 100 at
Lowe’s Dirt Track in Charlotte, N.C. and
in the feature event at the Show-Me 100 in
Missouri. He has career aspirations of one
day racing in NASCAR.
Sunday’s fundraiser was the third
major event for Chadwick, who has also
gained fi nancial support from various
small racetracks in California, Arizona
and Nevada.
While the car show and swap meet also
brought together swarms of beefed-up legendary
and modern American-made and
American-powered cars, boats and motorcycles,
most of the attention was directed
toward Chadwick and the raffl e.
“We are just trying to help him,” said
Paulsen. “He’s a local, homegrown boy.”
A trust fund has also been set up for
Chadwick. Donations can be sent to The
Chadwick Relief Fund, c/o Bank of the West,
2195 Main St., Suite D, Oakley, CA 94561.
Get-well stickers can also be purchased by
visiting www.kellenchadwick.com.
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