RAL: Racing Against Leukemia
The Reason for RAL
As motorsports enthusiasts, we all love the hard-core racing action. But the RAL weekends are special for a different reason. Many of our NER family have and currently are battling cancer. The funds we raised go directly to supporting the UMass Medical Center and provide much needed resources to help those battling childhood cancers. As a region, we are so proud that we can come together to help bring smiles and support to those families. If you haven’t already, check out our visit to UMass and get a look at some of the big grins on the children’s faces from one of our visits. That is why we do this every year.
RAL Donations Through the Years
2017 – $10,017
2018 – $9,000
2019 – $15,000
2020 – $8,163
2021 – $14,000
2022 – $17,125
2023 – $4,535
2024 – $18,604
History of RAL
From Danielle Moehring: I was diagnosed with Childhood Leukemia at the age of 3 in 1989. I was treated at UMass Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts and Boston’s Children’s Hospital. During this time team Yankee Sports Car Club along with COM Sports Car Club of America and Indoor Model Racing raised money during my family’s time of need. My family decided that this money would be used for leukemia research and bone marrow donor recruiting. It was in the winter of 1990 that team Yankee and Polar Racing, made up of SCCA New England Region drivers Ed Funk, Ed Warkulewicz and Eric Strobe, and AMA motorcycle racer John Crowley, along with my father Manfred Moehring, Kjell Tollefsen and Bill Leitner formed Racing Against Leukemia to benefit childhood leukemia research at UMass Medical Center. All the proceeds go to UMass for research with the hope of becoming closer to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Since the 1990s RAL has been a strong event happening every year. With the great charity from many racers and all that have been committed to organizing and helping with the weekend many children have been helped during their fight with this awful disease. I personally send out a great and big thank you to my father and his racing friends, to SCCA and all that have been and continue to be a part of this event.
How to Get Involved
Every year, each NER program schedules an event dedicated to RAL. These typically happen during the month of August. During that designated event weekend, donations are collected, auctions held, and other fundraising tools are used to collect money that will be sent to the UMass Medical Center.
Rally, Solo and Road Racing program directors and the region BOD are always looking to the membership to help support this cause. Here’s a few ways to get involved:
- Donate goods or services for the road racing auction
- Collect or make cash donations to the RAL fundraising site
- Volunteer or organize a fundraising activity (iRacing event, auction, challenge, etc.)
- Spread the word among friends, family and fellow racers
