Rain-free Seattle 100 Raises Money Toward Kidney Cure

Rain-free Seattle 100 Raises Money Toward Kidney Cure

© 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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From a press release:

The First Annual “Seattle 100” Motorcycle Event A Fundraising Success in the Emerald City…

With all the rainfall in Seattle this last Friday, June 20th, one would hardly look to the Emerald City for worthy motorcycle news. Yet to the delight of motorcycle enthusiasts and racers participating in the first annual “Seattle 100,” an act of God took place at Seattle’s Pacific Raceways, formerly Seattle International Raceway: there was no rain overhead, or on pavement of Pacific Raceway’s 2.3 mile road course. And that was an answer to prayer for the riders participating in The Seattle 100, an unconventional fundraiser involving motorcyclists and some of the Northwest’s best known racers participating in a 100 lap endurance event to raise money for kidney disease research benefitting children.

The first annual “Seattle 100: Racing Towards a Cure for Kidney Disease” was the idea of motorcycle enthusiast Brian Orton, Co-Founder and current Vice President of the The NephCure Foundation, an organization he helped start in late 1999 from his home in Woodinville, WA. In conjunction with an Adrenaline Freaks operated public track day (www.adrenalinefreaks.com) on the road course of Pacific Raceways, 15 different riders amongst roughly 55 Adrenaline Freaks track day participants went out onto the winding track to do something they’d never done before: rather than break a personal lap record or practice for Sunday’s races, the riders went out to raise money for a charitable cause… a cause that hits home for the family of Brian Orton.

In 1999, Orton’s 4 year old son Christian, then only one year of age, was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney disease known as Nephrotic Syndrome. Nephrotic Syndrome has no known cause or cure, and often leads to dialysis or a kidney transplant. Treatment of the disease generally involves medications with severe side effects, both physical and psychological. Orton could not stand the thought of what his son’s childhood might be like if a cure went undiscovered, and could hardly watch as his son struggled with his medications. So, out of frustration for the lack of funds directed towards glomerular kidney disease research, Orton helped start The NephCure Foundation (www.nephcure.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to changing the face of glomerular kidney disease research: they raise private funds for scientific research, help families with patient education seminars across the country, have successfully lobbied congress for increased federal funding of research, and have approached NBA superstar Alonzo Mourning – himself a victim of glomerular kidney disease – about becoming a spokesperson for the organization.

Fortunately, Orton’s son is doing extremely well today, and has been in remission for over two years. He is currently living the life of a very normal, happy 4 year old boy.

The Seattle 100, not your typical golf tournament or charitable auction, is Orton’s attempt at taking one’s unique passion and turning it into something more than just a hobby or favorite pasttime. Orton and his motorcycle riding friends decided to take their love of competitive motorcycle riding and combine it with their desire to raise funds for The NephCure Foundation, and thus came about The Seattle 100. On June 20th, Orton and his fellow riders went out onto the track for the first annual Seattle 100 and rode lap after lap at speeds as high as 170 mph, raising approximately $18,000 in donations and pledges. Riders did not compete in a typical race to the finish line; instead, the day was dedicated to the goal of simply completing 100 laps around the track for the sole purpose of raising pledges and contributions. Contributions to The NephCure Foundation were given through track day participants, corporate sponsors, local motorcycle shops, friends and family. Proceeds of a T-shirt sale also benefitted The NephCure Foundation, and continued throughout the weekend at the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association sanctioned races, which took place on Sunday, June 22nd.

The event’s success, highlighted in a KOMO News 4 television newscast and several newspapers, could not have been without the help of sponsors that supported The Seattle 100. Alan Thain of Eastside Motosports in Bellevue, WA said “The Seattle 100 was easy for Eastside Motosports to support: the cause was a good one, it was fun for several of us to participate in as riders, and we know Brian Orton as a customer and friend. We hope to help The Seattle 100 become even more successful in the years to come.” Gary Ricci of Ricci Motorsports said “The Seattle 100 got great reviews from particants, sponsors, and even the people who just came out to watch. Ricci Motorsports was happy to lend a hand to such a positive event within the motorcycle riding and racing community.”

Mario & Melissa Alvarez, owners and operators of Adrenaline Freaks Track Day Excursions (www.adrenalinefreaks.com), deserve special mention. Adrenaline Freaks allowed Orton’s Seattle 100 to take place in conjunction with one of their scheduled track day events so that Orton would not have to rent the track on his own, a substantial cost savings. In addition to Mario Alvarez’s personal ride in The Seattle 100, the Alvarez family contributed many of the sponsored rider’s registration fees of $175 each back to The NephCure Foundation, and auctioned off two free track day passes to the highest bidders in Friday’s crowd of track day participants. The two passes raised nearly $500.

A very special thanks to the following additional sponsors of the fundraiser: Moto-Tech NW of Kenmore, I-90 Motorsports of Issaquah, Eastside Harley Davidson in Bellevue, Kibble & Prentice in Seattle, the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association (WMRRA), Kneedraggers.com, Ducati Seattle, and Lucky’s Choppers in Seattle’s Georgetown area.

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