Racing Laps for Best Friends Raffle Winners To Receive Bertil Roos Racing School Packages

LAS VEGAS, March 24 — Fans have a chance to win packages at the famous Bertil Roos Racing School in a raffle to benefit the Best Friends Animal Society as part of Indy Pro Series driver Andrew Prendeville's popular "Racing Laps for Best Friends" program in 2008.

Tickets cost $5 each. They're available on the racinglapsforbestfriends.com Web site; at the Racing Laps for Best Friends trailer at the track; or at the PetStops that are being staged at local animal shelters before the races this year.

"The first prize this year is a three-day racing school," Prendeville said. "Two one-day schools is the second prize. The third prize is two half-day schools; the winner can do the school with a friend, or do both half-days by himself.” Dennis Macchio, president of the Bertil Roos Racing School, said he got involved with this year's raffle because it's a win-win situation for everyone. "Any opportunity that we in the racing community have for a cause of this nature, we ought to jump on it," Macchio said. "It helps a great young race car driver to show his wares, it helps distressed animals, and it provides positive publicity for our school and the sport. We feel very good about the partnership; it helps us, and simultaneously it allows us to become involved in an important public service."

“We wanted to provide prizes that race fans would be excited about,” Prendeville added. “Dennis Macchio and the Bertil Roos Racing School have always been dedicated to spreading the passion of racing. I think this creates a lot of value for the Racing Laps for Best Friends program and for the Bertil Roos Racing School.”

Using Formula 2000 cars, the Bertil Roos School offers "arrive-and-drive" classes at Pocono International Raceway in Mt. Pocono, Pa.; VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.; Moroso Motorsports Park in West Palm Beach, Fla.; BeaveRun Motorsports Complex in Big Beaver Borough, Pa., and the brand-new New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J.

Prendeville, a former student at the school, is now one of its instructors. "Andrew has been involved with the school for about seven years," Macchio said. "He was one of our students, and he showed a tremendous amount of talent. Then he raced for my team, Hot Shoe Racing, and then climbed the ladder from there.

"Now he's racing professionally, but because of the person he is, he still comes back and teaches here when he can," Macchio added. "As good a driver as he is, he's also an incredibly great teacher. He's very inspirational. He loves the sport, and one of our mandates as a school is to get people to love the sport. Andrew is definitely passionate about racing."

Transportation and lodging are not included in the prize packages. The drawing will be held Sept. 19 at the Best Friends sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. Raffle tickets and more information on the Racing Laps for Best Friends program are available at racinglapsforbestfriends.com. The Bertil Roos Racing School's Web site is at racenow.com. The Best Friends Animal Society's Web site is at bestfriends.org.