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| Teen Celebrity Racing Across USA for Childhood Cancer Gets Help from Cleveland Mechanic |
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July 12, 2010 |
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(LOS ANGELES, CA, July 11, 2010)—World Famous Bullrun 2010 Rally reveals the next checkpoint to race drivers, including Drake Kemper, teen celebrity youngest selected to race, and his co-driver Harrison Webster Allen. Bullrunners will head to Michigan International Speedway, then on to Chicago, from Cleveland, OH today. Already 520 miles into the race, Kemper and Allen have encountered some challenges on their first day across the USA to race to the finish line in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 16.
On the outskirts of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in Monroeville, Kemper's alternator on the Porsche Boxster went out. Within a ten-hour ordeal of getting towed twice, finding out that mechanics, parts shops, and even dealers are all closed on Saturday evening, Kemper was assisted by Pep Boys staff that opened up their store to diagnose the problem. However, no replacement parts could be found in the entire Three Rivers Area. Finally after 150-mile tow on a flatbed, Kemper and Allen arrived in Cleveland around 2:30 a.m.
"Literally hundreds of emails and calls and hours into the mission, which even resorted to air freighting parts from the west coast, my home team made a phone call from a Craig's list ad in Cleveland," said Kemper, "since we had exhausted Pittsburg and decided to tow the car all the way to Cleveland's over night point of the rally, knowing that at least we would be with all the other teams and have a hotel to sleep at." Closed on Sunday in respect for the Sabbath, Frank Spurgeon, a mechanic at Karpen's Pro Car Care in Cleveland, Ohio, first answered Kemper's call somewhat sleepily and asked, "Do you know what time it is?" A member of Kemper's home team apologized and explained the call was coming from the West Coast and two teenagers were racing across the country to bring attention to childhood cancer. Spurgeon's voice softened and he said, "I lost my niece to cancer. How can I help?" After the situation was explained, Spurgeon opened up his shop to Kemper and Allen. Spurgeon's niece, Misty Moore, died of Hodgkins Lymphoma. Kemper and Allen are grateful to have received the kindness, compassion, and talent from a stranger, who was able to put them back on the road in a race that they hope will bring attention to Children's Cancer Research Fund, a charity in Los Angeles, and childhood cancer. Teen actor and comedian Kemper was selected to participate in this invitation-only race. Kemper co-stars in a "Victorious" episode airing on Nickelodeon and webisode, and has also co-starred on Eastwick, Three Rivers, Entourage, iCarly, Flash Forward, and has two upcoming feature films, "Beautiful Boy" and "A Fighting Chance." In addition, Kemper is creating and writing a pilot geared to a teen audience. "I am going to use this opportunity to bring awareness for Children's Cancer Research Fund in Los Angeles and race in the memory of many family friends whom have lost their life to cancer," said Kemper, who has already lost four friends to cancer, all under the age of 20, and will now be racing in memory of Moore. "If I can use my acting to benefit anyone challenged with cancer, then I know that I am living a life with a purpose. Making a difference to these kids and their families is very important to me." As a Bullrunner, Kemper and other 2010 rally drivers are stars of the Bullrun television show, "Cops, Cars and Superstars." The show will be in its 7th season and now airs in 96 countries around the world. Kemper is also broadcasting live to his Twitter followers and fans. Sponsored by Bullrun, Philly's Best- Burbank, Speed Gallery, Dirty Devil Customs, and www.Drakekemper.com, Kemper is giving daily updates on his race. Anyone can follow him on www.Twitter@DrakeKemper and www.Drakekemper.com |