by Tammy Knox, director of race marketing affairs, Hoosier Park

Anderson, IN — The second annual Hoosierdega Nights is gearing up for another evening of fast paced action at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. The evening will bring a Nascar feel to the atmosphere as the Fab Five Standardbred Drivers are joined by The Champion and The Challengers in a special race for charity on Saturday, April 16.

The eighth race of the evening, tagged as the Hoosierdega Champion Cup, will feature all nine drivers involved in the Fab Five promotion. The seven-eighths of a mile event will offer pari-mutuel wagering and have a post time of approximately 7 p.m. (EDT).

The driver crossing the finish line first in the Hoosierdega Championship will record $2,000 for their selected charity. Second place will receive $1,000, third place $750, and the breakdown continues, offering a total of $5,000 in charitable funds for the race.

Returning to the promotion this season are the original Fab Five members. Ricky Macomber, representing the Indiana School for the Deaf; Jason Dillander, representing American Cancer Society; Mike Peterson, representing Shriner’s Hospital for Children; Joe Putnam, representing Outfitters, Inc.; and Trace Tetrick, representing D.A.R.E., were introduced to racing fans in 2009 as the Fab Five. Since that time, they have made numerous special appearances and have raised more than $13,500.

The Champion, Peter Wrenn, joined the promotion last year. He represents St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Joining the cast in 2011 are three Challengers, Josh Sutton, raising money for the Animal Protection League; Brandon Bates, choosing Second Harvest Food Bank; and Trent Stohler, who will put his charitable efforts towards assisting St. John’s Children’s Clinic.

In addition to the Hoosierdega Championship race, several additional promotions and activities will be available throughout the racing card. The evening will be complemented by additional food and beverage stations located throughout the facility both indoors and outdoors.

Hoosierdega Nights will be the first of several fundraisers throughout the 2011 Standardbred meet. The drivers will continue to participate in various activities to raise money for their charities, including the popular Charity Chariots, where drivers give rides to fans around the racetrack in a double seated jog cart behind a racehorse. The entire $20 fee goes to their charity. The first day of Charity Chariots in 2011 is slated for Monday, May 30, during a special Memorial Day racing program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Rides for fans in the Charity Chariots program will be conducted from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. from the Grandstand Paddock.

For more information on Hoosierdega Nights or other upcoming activities at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, log onto www.hoosierpark.com.