A 10-Year-Old Cancer Survivor is an Unlikely Victor at Pikes Peak Car Race
Lucy, an Ewings Sarcoma survivor teams up with “Lucy,” the Porsche, in a winning partnership between a nonprofit and the racing community at a prestigious race.
On Sunday, the eyes of the automotive racing community were on Pikes Peak for the 99th running of the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb. The uphill race, known as “The Race to the Clouds” is regarded as one of the most famous and arduous racing events in the world.
One of the most buzzed-about cars leading into the event was BBi Autosport’s Porsche GT3 Turbo Cup, nicknamed Lucy. Having set a new course record in 2019, the expectations for “Lucy” were sky-high.
When BBi heard about 10-year-old Lucy Spada of Brookfield and her battle with Ewing Sarcoma, they wanted to get involved with the cause. They dedicated their “Lucy” and two other Porsches to bring attention to an organization that’s in hot pursuit of better treatment options, the Little Warrior Foundation. The team placed the Little Warrior Foundation in prominent spots on the car spoiler and used their spotlight to raise awareness.
“We need to accelerate medical breakthroughs for these kids. There’s hope on the horizon, but these kids can’t wait,” said Emily McFadden, one of the co-founders of Little Warrior Foundation. “When you need things to go faster, BBi Autosport is a perfect partner.”
Lucy attended the race, along with her siblings and the foundation’s co-founders — her parents and godmother. In the days leading up to the event, Lucy served as much needed inspiration and perspective for the BBi Team.
“It was a tough week leading up to the race. We had a lot of mechanical issues, weather issues and obstacles in our path,” said Dmitiry Orlov BBi’s COO. “But that’s nothing compared to what these families go through. Lucy gave us great perspective and motivated us to keep pushing on.”
Despite snowy conditions and a shortened course, Lucy the Porsche took first place in the Open Division. BBi’s GT4 Club Sport, piloted by Tanner Foust also won in its division. BBi’s third Porsche, a GT2 RS, took third place in the highly competitive Time Attack Division.
When the driver Raphael Astier of France descended the mountain, he was greeted by a triumphant team and a huge hug from Lucy. As a trophy of her own, the BBi Team gave Lucy an autographed endplate from the wing to take home.
“It’s so cool that they won this race and then turned to clap for me!” said Lucy.
Lucy, listed on the foundation’s website as their “Chief Inspiring Warrior,” is now 9 months off treatment. Her cancer is in remission. She’ll be starting fifth grade this fall.
ABOUT THE LITTLE WARRIOR FOUNDATION: The Little Warrior Foundation was founded in April 2020 following 9 yr old Lucy’s diagnosis of Ewing Sarcoma. After a year in treatment, 14 cycles of chemotherapy, and 48 rounds of radiation, Lucy is a thriving 5th grader in remission. The Little Warrior Foundation has a mission to fund and find a lasting cure for pediatric cancer, with a specific focus on Ewing Sarcoma. They are focused on less-toxic therapies, such as immunotherapy, mRNA vaccines, and molecular targeting. To date, they have raised and granted over $500,000. www.littlewarrior.org
ABOUT BBi AUTOSPORT: BBi Autosport, founded in 2005, specializes in Porsche service and race engineering, blending motorsport and street performance throughout the BBi product line and comprehensive workshop services. Located in Huntington Beach, Calif., BBi is the premier Porsche service facility in Southern California. BBi develops a comprehensive line of performance aftermarket and safety upgrades for all Porsche platforms and offers bespoke street and race engineering services. Through industry partnerships and new technology, BBi pushes the envelope in engineering and performance.
PHOTOS AND MEDIA ASSETS AVAILABLE HERE: https://www.bbiautosport.com/bbihc2021
Emily McFadden
Little Warrior Foundation
+1 6085134155
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