KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA | Hydro racer raises $11,000 for children

Hydro racer raises $11,000 for children

Brent Hall achieved a new milestones last weekend driving a 5 litre Hydroplane at Tastin n' Racin.   This is only Brent's second weekend driving, and his first race was at Tastin n' Racin last year. 

Hall started a fundraising campaign around the event with other AT&T employees, and raised over $4,000 for the Friends of the Children in 2008.  This year, he added AT&T as the title sponsor and 14 associate sponsors who all donated to Friends of the Children.  In the 2 years to date he has now raised over $11,000.00 for this great cause.  

"We are so appreciative of the support Brent and AT&T have shown our agency. Our kids love to go to the races and the monetary support helps them to succeed throughout the year with their mentor" stated Edgar Masmela, Interim Executive Director of Friends of the Children. www.friendskc.org

Hall stated, "Everyone needs a mentor, myself included, and I was so impressed with the long term mentoring program that Friends of the Children Organization has created that I had to figure out a way to help." 

Regarding mentors, Brent has the honor of being mentored by National Champion Driver, and recent inductee into the African American Ethnic Sports Hall Fame, Harold Mills.   Brent and Harold definitely have an old school vs. new school relationship.   Brent is a promoter and looks for any way to get people excited about the sport using technology, Facebook, GPS watch, mini onboard cameras and attending networking meetings. Harold, on the other hand, is 100% Driver, and barks at Brent on a regular basis to make sure he gets in his office - "the Cockpit" - in order and has a systematic process for everything regarding the boat and racing.  

Brent's boss Jim Lovvorn, Call Center Director from AT&T, loved watching Harold "busting Brent's chops" after every heat.  Hall said, "I appreciate Harold's style.  Nowadays in life, people get trophies for just showing up, Harold comes from the era that one only gives credit when credit is due.  Plus he is quick to remind Hall that, "You ain't no driver yet!" Harold's frankness lets me know that when complement comes from him, it is genuine and definitely earned, and I wouldn't have it any other way." 

The question was asked of Mills, why would you throw Brent in with the five litres?  That is a tough place to start.  The field is extremely competitive, and they have been known to swap paint from time to time.   Harold replied confidently, "He is learning more about driving in each heat of five litre racing than he would in multiple heats in some of the less competitive classes." Brent is coachable, and if I didn't think he was capable of being there I wouldn't support the decision. "

Brent's wife Elsa was pretty cool, calm, and collected through all of this.  In between running an adult Family home for seniors in Bothell, Wa, www.tranquilityhomecare.com, she popped by to attend on both days.  "Brent has a lot of fans at our Adult Family Home too.  They all couldn't wait for him to get home to share the results."

At the end of the weekend, Hall completed his last 4 of his 8 rookie heats and will be able to mix it up more in races to come.