Contact:
Tim Keenan, 313.203.7152, tkeenan@pcgcampbell.com
Tara Burd, 212.479.7524, tburd@jdrf.org

• More than 50 children ages 5-18 living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) from around the country are raising funds for T1D research through votes now until April 25, 2014 at www.FordRaceCar.jdrf.org in the hopes of making the cut to the finals in the “Our Everyday Heroes” Race Car Design Contest for JDRF, hosted by Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire and Auto Centers.
• The top 10 highest-earning entries advance, with the winner decided by representatives from JDRF, Motorcraft and Quick Lane Racing, and driver Bob Tasca III. For official rules, visit www.FordRaceCar.jdrf.org.
• The winning designer wins a trip to see the car that he or she designed race in the Mile High NHRA Nationals, part of the NHRA Mello Yello Series, in Denver, Colo., July 18-20, 2014, a professional drag race where the JDRF-themed Ford Shelby Mustang Funny Car, driven by Bob Tasca III, will race at speeds faster than 300 mph.

DEARBORN, Mich., March 21, 2014 — Your vote can help to create a world without type 1 diabetes (T1D) during the “Our Everyday Heroes” Race Car Design Contest for JDRF, hosted by Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD) and its brands, Motorcraft and Quick Lane.

More than 50 children ages 5-18 living with T1D from around the country are raising funds for T1D research now until April 25, 2014 at www.FordRaceCar.jdrf.org in the hopes of making the Top 10 and advancing to the finals, where voting continues until June 6, 2014. The winning entry will be chosen by FCSD, JDRF and Bob Tasca III, driver of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Shelby Mustang Funny Car in the NHRA Mello Yello Series.

Every child who enters raises money for JDRF by asking their friends and family to “vote” through donations. The money raised will help to continue JDRF’s efforts to turn Type One into Type None through the support of research.

“Vote now for a chance to see a 300-mph Ford Mustang Funny Car featuring the unique creativity of a child living with T1D,” said Mary Lou Quesnell, director of marketing for FCSD. “The children who entered this year’s contest produced some amazing vehicle designs. It is an honor to use our racing platform to raise awareness for type 1 diabetes. We can’t wait to bring the winning child’s design to life.”

The winner will see the car that he or she designed race at speeds faster than 300 mph at the Mile High NHRA Nationals, part of the NHRA Mello Yello Series, in Denver, Colo., July 18-20, 2014.

Last year’s winner, Blake Lillicraf, 13, of Trumbull, Conn., had the racing experience of a lifetime. The multiple-sport athlete had just been diagnosed with T1D the previous November.

In T1D, the body’s pancreas stops producing enough insulin, a hormone that is needed to turn food into energy. People with T1D must monitor their blood sugar levels and administer insulin via shots or an insulin pump, multiple times every day. Even vigilant management does not ward against T1D complications such as heart attack, stroke, blindness and amputation.

Ford Motor Company’s relationship with JDRF spans three decades. In 2008, Motorcraft and Quick Lane Racing joined the effort. In five years, the race car design contest has raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for JDRF, the world’s leading charitable funder of T1D research.

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About JDRF
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research.  JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until we achieve a world without T1D.  JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D.  As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF is currently sponsoring $568 million in scientific research in 17 countries.

About Motorcraft
Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln dealers, independent distributors, and automotive parts retailers. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers
Quick Lane® provides automotive quick services for all makes and models.  Quick Lane’s nationwide network of 700 facilities, each providing the convenience of an aftermarket company (no appointment necessary, service while you wait, evening and weekend hours, competitive prices) with the confidence of a major automotive manufacturer (quality parts, factory-trained technicians).  Quick Lane® is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.quicklane.com.