May 21, 2010

JJ Yeley drew the 23rd pill in the Showdown qualifying today. JJ drove the #46 Whitney Motorsports Dodge into the 15th starting spot, but with only four cars left to qualify, rain began to fall on the track. After waiting as long as they could, Nascar cancelled qualifying. The cars will now start in the order they drew to qualify. JJ will start 23rd.

The #46 Whitney Motorsports Dodge will be wearing the "Shake For Jake" logo on the hood in the showdown and in the Charlotte race next weekend. Shake for Jake is the name for the fund raiser for the Jake Owen Raborn Foundation. A cause JJ holds close to his heart.

JJ met Jake while he was in Memphis, TN visiting the St Jude Research Hospital. Jake was undergoing treatment at the time and JJ had heard he was Jake's favorite driver. JJ spent time with Jake and his family. The visit was an eye opening event for JJ, the visit opened his eyes to many of the struggles and difficult times these kids and their families had to endure. Jake was only four years old. JJ kept in touch with his family and progress, but received the news that Jake had lost his heroic battle on October 5, 2006.

JJ has since had two fund raisers for Jake's Foundation, in 2008 he raffled off his helmet and DLP TV at the annual Chili Bowl in Tulsa. JJ raised more than $20,000 for the foundation.

The Jake Owen Raborn Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to financially supporting families enduring pediatric cancer, as well as providing financial support to organizations and facilities that care for families enduring pediatric cancer.

The foundation is named in memory of an extraordinary child, Jake Owen Raborn who died of a rare liver cancer at age four in October 2006. Our mission is guided by the principle of “paying it forward”: helping others and encouraging them in turn to do the same in a caring, ever-widening undertaking. That’s what people did for Jake and his family in his struggle with pediatric cancer, and we know that’s what Jake wants.

JJ is proud to have "Shake For Jake" on the hood for these two races. Hopefully it will open alot of peoples eyes and hearts to help.  

For more information on the "Shake For Jake" fund raiser you can go to jakesfoundation.org