Robinson Benefit Set For May 11-12

Anticipation and excitement are building for the May 11 benefit for longtime NASCAR and northeast short track announcer Al Robinson.

Support for the event is flooding in, from local short tracks all the way up to NASCAR and the Indy Racing League.  The two-day event takes place May 11-12 at Shangri-La II Motorspeedway in Tioga Center, NY. While the schedule is still in its final stages of preparation, tentative plans call for gates to open at 11 am Friday, May 11, for race fans to begin setting up their camp sites and vendors to set up their displays. The event will officially kick off at 5 pm Friday, with activities taking place until 1:00 am Saturday morning.

Activities resume at 8 am Saturday, and run through 12 noon. 

Al Robinson

Race teams planning to participate in Saturday’s open practice session at the speedway are encouraged to bring in their haulers Friday, to take part in a scheduled hauler tour. Both live and silent auctions are scheduled to take place Friday, with items going on display at 6 pm Friday. Silent Auction winners will be announced at 11 am Saturday.

Other planned activities planned include a 50/50 raffle, Face Painting, Bounce House, Candy Store, Red Solo Cup Challenge, Kids Bicycle Races, Down Hill Races, Pace Car Rides, Face Painting, Movies, Bon Fire, Friday Night Disco Fever Costume and Dance Contest and a Penny Drop for the kids. Race Teams from all forms of motorsports will have their machines on display.

“The donations are starting to come in to the Spalding Foundation” reports foundation director Betty Sherwood. “Once we receive a donation, we immediately send paperwork for a charitable donation to the donor. We are looking for items for both the Live and Silent Auctions; from race teams and drivers from the local, regional and national levels.” 

Already received is a 2008 Target Indy Car diecast signed by 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner, Scott Dixon courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. New Hampshire Motor Speedway has made a cash donation, as well as a ticket package valued at $360.00 and a body panel from a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car. Holland Speedway has donated a 2012 season Family Pass and a “Hot Lap” ride program for two at Lime Rock Speedway. Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway has contributed a Richie Evans Gift Pack.

Cash donations have been received from other motorsports entities, including Dover International Speedway, Ray Evernham Racing, Competition Photographers, Dick Macco and Allan Brown. Any donations of tickets and/or auction items may be sent to Shangri-La 2 Speedway, 114 Skyline Drive, Tioga Center, NY, 13845; designated for the "Al Robinson Fund.”  Monetary donations may be sent by check to The Spalding Foundation, c/o Betty Sherwood, 1074 Sulpher Springs Road, Owego, NY, 13827. Please write "Al Robinson Fund" on the comment line. 

All monetary donations will go directly to Al Robinson, a well-known voice on track public address systems around the nation. Robinson has been involved in racing for over 40 years in various capacities; serving as track announcer at the original Shangri-La Speedway in Owego, NY and as Public Relations Director at Dover International Speedway. He also served as Public Relations Director for NASCAR’s Busch North Series, in addition to being an avid race fan and dedicated “race chaser” for many decades. He suffered a debilitating stroke May 11 which left him in need of 24 hour care, and he remains confined to Elderwood Care Facility in Waverly, New York.

Robinson has been working hard at his prescribed regimen of physical therapy, but still has a long way to go. He is determined to “beat this thing” and has made tremendous progress, but his financial situation has taken a severe beating. He now faced significant financial hardship, with bills mounting and credit cards reaching their limit.  A group of Al’s friends in the Southern Tier of New York have come together to help Al pay his bills and get back on a solid financial footing.