The ‘Cat Car for Kids’ is back for the 2018 edition of the IWK 250 presented by Steve Lewis and will be driven by this year’s celebrity driver, Kenny Wallace – one of NASCAR’s most infectious personalities.

The ‘Cat Car for Kids’ has grown to become a brand of its own and a unique element of the IWK 250. Sponsored by Toromont Cat, the ‘Cat Car for Kids’ is instantly recognizable by the dozens of signatures on it which are collected when the car and driver visit the IWK Health Centre in Halifax as part of the IWK 250 weekend.

“We are very pleased to be back for our 11th year of partnership with Riverside International Speedway,” said Andy Hunt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Toromont Cat.  “This year we have a new name but the same enthusiasm for this unique racing experience in support of the IWK. The IWK is a wonderful facility for the entire Atlantic region and holds a special place in the hearts of many in the Toromont Cat family. We’re looking forward to our visit to the IWK and are sure that both Kenny Wallace and the Cat Car for Kids will bring smiles to the children and excitement to the race track.”

The hospital event creates precious lifetime memories for patients and their families as they become part of one of the premier summer sporting events in Nova Scotia as co-sponsors of the car with Toromont Cat and get a unique chance to meet a NASCAR personality.

Like those who have come before him, Wallace is looking forward to visiting the IWK Health Centre as part of his trip to Nova Scotia.

“My wife Kim and I are very lucky to have three healthy beautiful girls. I absolutely love children and am so proud to be driving the Cat Car for Kids. I am like a baseball player who would tell the children in the hospital I am going to get a hhome runfor them, except I will tell them they have inspired me to win the race for them.”

Wallace has 905 starts in NASCAR’s top three series and holds the all-time record for the most starts in the XFINITY Series, showing his longevity in the sport. He retired from a  25-year NASCAR driving career in 2015 after scoring nine wins in 547 XFINITY Series starts. Wallace is still involved with NASCAR as an analyst with FOX Sports Racing and still drives race cars at short tracks throughout America.

Since 2008 drivers of the ‘Cat Car for Kids’ have included Aric Almirola, Marcos Ambrose, Matt Crafton, Ricky Craven, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, David Reutimann, and Regan Smith – the only celebrity driver to ever win the IWK 250.

“It’s amazing how the ‘Cat Car for Kids’ has grown over the years,” said Paul McLean, general manager of Riverside International Speedway. “We’re thankful to Toromont Cat for their support and to the fans for embracing what the car stands for.”

The ‘Cat Car for Kids’ is fielded out of the Nova Racing shop in Antigonish. Wallace will be a teammate to 2016  IWK 250 champion and 2015 Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour champion Donald Chisholm (Antigonish) and multi-time race winner at Riverside, George Koszkulics (New Glasgow).

The IWK 250 presented by Steve Lewis kicks off on Wednesday, July 11 with practice for teams in the NAPA Sportsman Series and Maritime League of Legends. Thursday, July 12 sees practice for the IWK 250 and the annual IWK 250 Tailgate Party. Friday it’s the Henry’s AUTOPRO 150 and the Maritime League of Legends and Saturday is the IWK 250, a championship points event for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour which has historically attracted challengers from outside the series and the region all hoping to take home the unique trophy and see their name engraved into perpetuity on the John W. Chisholm Memorial Cup.

Besides being recognized as one of the most entertaining stock car races in Canada, the IWK 250 helps raise awareness and funding for the IWK Health Centre with more than $500,000 donated to the IWK Foundation since 2007.

Advance tickets for the IWK 250 will be available in June; campsite reservations are well underway. All sites must be reserved in advance, i.e. no drive-ups.

The 2018 season at Riverside gets underway June 16 with the Ron MacGillivray Chev Buick GMC 150 for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour along with the Henry’s AUTOPRO 75 for the NAPA Sportsman Series. Advance tickets for the June show will be available in May at www.riversidespeedway.ca.

About Toromont Cat

Established in 1993, Toromont Cat is a division of Toromont Industries (TSX: TIH), a publically traded, diversified growth company incorporated in 1963. We are focused on offering our customers solutions aimed at making their business more successful. Toromont Cat is the authorized Caterpillar dealer in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nunavut. We are dedicated to supplying and servicing new and used equipment backed by exceptional product support. With over 300 machine models and specialized attachments in our Cat equipment product line, a host of allied equipment and technology partners, and varied service and rental options, regardless of your needs or the job at hand, we strive to be your first choice. For more information please visit www.Toromont.com.

Riverside International Speedway is recognized as a premier stock car racing facility in Canada. The 1/3-mile high-banked asphalt oval roars to action several times a year for special events. It is the home of the IWK 250 – widely known as the best stock-car race in Canada, and of the Bumper to Bumper 300 – eastern Canada’s only NASCAR event. Located in James River, between New Glasgow and Antigonish, the facility is easily accessible at exit 30 on Trans Canada Highway 104. For more information please visit www.riversidespeedway.ca .