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NASCAR: Fourth Annual Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride Raises Record Funds

31 January 2001

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
HICKORY, NC - The fourth-annual Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride for Charity, held this past weekend at Moosehead Lake in Greenville, Maine, raised an all-time high of $82,310 for five selected charities: The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Children's Miracle Network, the Marrow Foundation, the Travis Roy Foundation and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The event's founder and annual host is Maine native and veteran NASCAR driver Ricky Craven, who will contest the full 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series schedule with PPI Motorsports in the No. 32 Tide Ford.

Approximately 450 participants, 300 of whom were riders, took part in Saturday's (Jan. 27) event. The day began with an 87-mile snowmobile ride around Moosehead Lake in Maine, followed by a drawing for prizes and an autograph signing session with Craven.

"We were thrilled with the amount of money raised this year," said Craven, who maintains a home on Moosehead Lake and visits as often as his schedule permits. "The day was absolutely perfect. The weather was gorgeous, the crowd was a lot of fun, and everything went off without a hitch. Every year this event drums up more and more support, and it's incredibly rewarding to see everyone out there having a good time for some really good causes."

With a significant increase in the amount of funds raised each year, the Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride for Charity has contributed more than $262,400 to charitable causes since 1998. Contributions are raised through entry fees ($125 per person), door prize tickets and event sponsors, including this year's two primary partners: Arctic Cat, a snowmobile manufacturer, and New Hampshire-based financial consultancy Wallace & Associates.

More information about the Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride for Charity can be found on Craven's website, www.rickycraven.com . Next year's event is currently scheduled for the last weekend of January 2002. For participation inquiries, please contact Ricky Craven Motorsports North at (207) 338-0700.

Text Provided By Amy Riley

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