The NASCAR Foundation teamed up with Michigan International Speedway and Ronald McDonald House of Ann Arbor to host a Speediatrics Fun Day Festival to teach kids in the community how to lead a healthy life.
We were able to catch up with Stacy, mom to Austin and Callie, who joined us at the festival, all the way from Ohio. Read about their experience at the festival, their NASCAR fandom and the importance of healthy living in their family.
What did you think about the Speediatrics Fun Day Festival event in Michigan?
Stacy: I thought the event was a great addition to our race weekend. The event was well organized, and the volunteers were great. My kids interacted with some of the boy scout volunteers whom were great as well. I was impressed with Dalton and Myatt with the way they didn’t hesitate to jump in and participate with the kids.
How did you hear about the event and what made you want to attend?
Stacy: I heard about the event on the MIS twitter page. We had planned on coming to MIS to watch some practice and qualifying but came for a full day once we heard of the Speediatrics event. Austin and Callie love to be active, try new things and meet new friends.
What did your kids think about Speediatrics Fun Day Festival?
Stacy: Austin and Callie had a blast! They enjoyed all the activities, they even had fun doing the warmup jumping jacks and exercises. I think their favorites were the jump rope and hula hoop race, and the Goodyear tire race, but they really enjoyed everything!
I know you were able to attend Eldora this year. When you go to races, What types of events do you look for to have your kids participate in?
Stacy: We are big fans of NASCAR, and all racing in general. We look for tracks that make the weekend fan and family friendly. The 3 tracks we attended this year for NASCAR races all had kids’ events… Chicagoland, Eldora and MIS twice. The kid only driver meet, and greets/autograph sessions are great, we participated at Chicagoland, Eldora and MIS this year. We found out about the Speediatrics Fun Day Festival at Chicagoland too late but were excited to attend when we saw it announced for MIS. Both Chicagoland and MIS had great kid zone areas with inflatable activities that were great for kids to be active and get out some energy before sitting through the races.
The Speediatrics Fun Day Festivals are all about encouraging kids to be active and live healthy. Would you say your kids took any lessons away from the event?
Stacy: Health and wellness are very important in our family. We eat very healthy and it was nice to have healthy snacks at a kid’s event instead of the usual “kids” snacks. Austin and Callie loved teaming up with other children for the activities and racing against one another. I’d say watching drivers they look up to participate alongside them, as well as having fun being active with new friends is always encouraging to children on many levels!
