9/3/05 Our Cause in Motion

Young car racing prodigy Tony Steele could be racing's next big name, not unlike golf's Tiger Woods. Tony is only 16 years old and is steering his way to the winner's circle.

Along the track of his life, he is taking a pitstop for our cause, courtesy of well-known Southwest Series driver Darrell LaMoure, and his "pay it forward" mission, "Racing for the Missing", which is now a division of the National Center for Missing Adults. Back in 1999, Darrell began his work in our cause by placing a larger than life photo of missing Mikelle Biggs on the hood of his racecar. The program continues to expand across the U.S., adding more drivers, such as young Tony Steele.

This weekend, and into next week, Jason's face will be on the hood of Tony's car at racetracks in Nebraska and Iowa. Our family will attend the Sunday and Monday night events.

Here is the press release, announcing the addition of our son, Jason, to the Racing for the Missing roster:

Cause driven Youth living a dream
Steele Races for Missing Nebraska Youth


Tony Steele, of Glendale AZ accepts a challenge of a lifetime. Steele, at only sixteen years of age with many challenges ahead in his young life, has one huge one presently in front of him. “We can’t imagine what we will learn at the Nationals, most of the best drivers in the country will be competing in this event” Said Tony Steele.
http://www.racinginiowa.com/boonespeedway.html

Steele will be competing in the IMCA Super Nationals in Boone, IA. Boone Speedway is hosting stockcar racing at its finest with Hobby Stocks, Stocks, Late Models, Sprints and the Modifieds with car counts in the seven-hundred range. Racing starts on Monday September 5th through September 10th with tune up events for Steele at Beatrice Speedway, Nebraska Saturday night, September 3rd, and at Nebraska’s Raceway Park on Sunday, September 4th. http://www.neracewaypark.com

Veteran and standout driver/car owner Terry Shearer of Auburn, Nebraska will provide the experience necessary for Steele, as he will prepare a second IMCA hobby stock for action during the week of the Nationals. Steele, will be representing the Racing for the Missing (RFTM) Safety & Awareness program in Shearer`s #9TS Razor Chassis/Olds Cutlass. The photograph of missing Omaha youth, Jason Jolkowski, will adorn the hood of this racecar, and his family will be in attendance at both the Sunday and Monday night events.

Steele will have to literally out drive over one hundred of his competitors just to make it in to the main event held Saturday night September 10th. Pete Steele (Tony’s father) commented “This is the first step of many, Tony knows how to win and when we do this we can focus on winning the biggest race of Tony’s life to this point.” With the help of veteran racer and Nebraska resident Terry Shearer, the Arizona driver and his father will live one of many dreams in what they believe will be a long career in motorsports.

RFTM is a division of the Nations Missing Children’s Organization & Center for Missing Adults and aside from promoting safety in communities nationwide, RFTM`s mission is to increase the likelihood of a safe return of a missing child or “at risk” adult. We do this by positioning photographs of missing persons and law enforcement contact information on the most valued location on a racecar in high-visibility motor sports venues such as NASCAR, NHRA, USAC, and others. We provide support and encourage family involvement with teams and media trackside improving awareness and utilizing the team’s transporters as mobile billboards positively impacting the communities we travel through serving to protect and involve personal safety information at each event.


MISSING

Jason Anthony Jolkowski of Omaha Nebraska, disappeared June 13, 2001 Jason was last seen bringing in garbage cans at his residence after pickup. He was leaving to go meet a co-worker at the high school only 8 blocks away to get a ride to work but never arrived. He has not accessed his bank account and has not cashed checks from his employer. http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/gallery/ncmaprofile_all.php?A200301135W

Jason is a white male, six foot one inches tall, weighing 165 pounds with brown hair, brown eyes and a light complexion. Jason was last seen wearing a white "Chicago Cubs" or "Sammy Sosa" t-shirt, black dress pants, blue "Cubs" cap, dress shoes, and also carrying red work shirt.

To learn more about Jason’s disappearance and how you can help others, go to these web sites for more information. www.Projectjason.org and www.theyaremissed.org

“We are so fortunate to have people like the Steele family working with us, together we are creating a safer place for our children.” said Darrell LaMoure, Co-Founder of RFTM and Program Manager.

We extend a special thank you to our friends at Nebraska Raceway Park and Boone Speedway for their support of the family of Jason Jolkowski. Each facility will provide Jason’s family with complementary VIP passes to the events and an opportunity to share their story with the people of Iowa & Nebraska. Thanks also to Justice Brothers, Meyer-Earp Chevrolet and Razor Chassis for all of their efforts on the Hobby Stock that Tony will pilot.

I will be sure to take photos and post them here next week.

I want to add my thanks not only to the drivers, the tracks, Darrell, but also to the wonderful staff at the National Center for Missing Adults, especially Wade, who was instrumental in making this happen for us and our cause.

Gentlemen, start your engines!