Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of various parts of the body, especially skin, joints and kidneys. Lupus is not infectious, rare or cancerous.

Lupus strikes primarily women in their childbearing years from the age of 16-45. The true sadness of this disease is there is no cure and the treatments used today have severe side effects. Market research shows that there are more than 2.8 million people reported to have been diagnosed with lupus. For most people it may cause serious and even life threatening problems. Thousands of people die each year from lupus related complications.

Lupus affects more people than AIDS, Cerebral Palsy, Sickle Cell Anemia, Multiple Sclerosis and Cystic Fibrosis COMBINED!

What is Lupus International?
Lupus International is a full service organization dedicated to working for lupus patients worldwide.

You can contact Lupus International at 17985 Sky Park Circle, Suite J, Irvine, California 92614-6351 Phone: 949-833-2121 - Fax: 949-833-1183 - www.lupusinternational.com

Why is Blodgett Family Racing supporting Lupus International in the fight against lupus? Beth Blodgett has been fighting lupus for several years and Lupus International has proven to be a wonderful source for information and support.

The Lupus Race For Life
One morning in the Fall of 2004, Beth Blodgett asked her husband, Mike when “somebody” was going to do “something” about lupus. Mike really had no idea what the “something” was, but he knew that he was the “somebody” she had in mind. As a Past-President of the Rotary Club of Gardena, getting “something” done is right up his alley. After a couple months of planning, Blodgett Family Racing’s “Lupus Race For Life” was created. To read Beth’s story published in Lupusline, Spring 2005, click here.

What are we trying to accomplish?
1. Bring the seriousness of this disease to the attention of the general public.
2. Assist lupus patients in finding services and support.
3. Raise money for Lupus International to assist them in their Mission.

Bigger and Better in 2006 Blodgett Family Racing expects to exceed last year's fundraising results due in part to the continued support of the Rotary Club of Carson-Gardena-Dominguez and the recent sponsorship arrangement they have agreed to with the BP Carson Refinery which is best known in California for its ARCO brand of gasoline. Watch for more prizes to be added each month. Purchase your tickets on-line at www.LupusInternational.com or by mail: Blodgett Family Racing / Lupus International Fundraiser 3826 Radnor Ave. Long Beach, CA 90808 Tickets are $20 each, 6 tickets for $100, or 32 tickets for $500. Make checks payable to Lupus International. The prize giveaway begins on February 11th at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, the first race of the year in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. These prizes include a pair of tickets to the upcoming NASCAR Nextel Cup Auto Club 500 that were donated by California Speedway as well as tickets to the Sam's Town 300 NASCAR Busch Series and World of Outlaws events donated by Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Other terrific prizes for this year include a Hewlett-Packard Compaq Microtower PC and 17'' Flat Panel Monitor which was donated by Globepc.com, a $1,000.00 Shopping Spree which was donated by the former NHRA Pro Stock Champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. at Jeg's High Performance, and tickets for the NHRA Summitracing.com Nationals and NHRA ACDelco Nationals donated by The Strip at LVMS. The action will conclude on November 11, 2006 when the Grand Prize, a ride for four aboard the Goodyear Blimp Spirit of America will be awarded at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals. Goodyear Airship Operations receives thousands of blimp ride requests from charitable organizations each year so we are extremely honored that Goodyear has made this donation in support of Lupus International.

First year results
Mike, Beth and Sydney Blodgett celebrated their Super Gas victory at the 41st annual Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals with an emotional trip to the winner's circle. The win improved Blodgett's NHRA National Event final round record to a perfect 4-0 but it was the results of their hard work off the track that put the finishing touch on what Mike described as the "most rewarding" year he has ever had. In 2005, Blodgett Family Racing generated well over $15,000.00 for Lupus International and raised Lupus awareness across the country through their Lupus Race For Life Program. Here’s how it happened.

The program started off on the right foot when the Rotary Club of Carson-Dominguez-Gardena offered their support. With a unanimous vote, their Board of Directors decided to underwrite the expenses the program was going to incur such as printing and postage. This allowed Lupus International to retain 100% of the proceeds we anticipated from our supporters.

The Lupus Race For Life Program was unveiled on Speed Scene in February and featured on ESPN’s drag racing show NHRA 2Day’s coverage of the NHRA season-opening 45th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals. National Dragster, Drag News, Roddin’ & Racing, DragRaceResults.com and local newspapers soon helped promote the program.

How did we raise the money?
The fundraising portion of the program involved an opportunity drawing with a Grand Prize that was described as “priceless” and a “once in a lifetime opportunity”. Goodyear Airship Operations had donated a ride for four people aboard their Spirit of America for us to generate financial support through ticket sales. On April 11th, Blodgett Family Racing presented Lupus International's Executive Director, Christina Kelly with a check for $7,500.00 in front of the world famous “blimp”.

JEG'S High Performance joined the fight against Lupus. The Coughlin family has led the charge for cancer research with the JEG'S Foundation For Cancer Research but their community involvement doesn't stop there. Team JEG'S authorized the Blodgett Family to offer a bonus drawing especially for the racers and "car guys" who decide to join in Lupus Race For Life. If you bought your Lupus International Blimp Ride drawing tickets prior to April 15th, 2005 you were entered into The JEG'S High Performance Bonus Drawing where one lucky Lupus International supporter would win $1,000.00 Shopping Spree at JEG'S! Our first winner turned out to be Carl Spear and he was living a racer’s dream when he parlayed his $20 ticket into a $1,000.00 at JEG’s!

Winner, Carl Spear celebrated with Beth Blodgett and Jeg Coughlin Jr. soon after being announced as the winner of a JEG'S High Performance Shopping Spree. Carl was one of a couple hundred drag racers who participated in the Lupus International fundraiser organized by the Blodgett Family.

Lupus International held their 6th Annual Race For Life 5K Run & Walk on October 2, 2005 at La Mirada Regional Park. Beth and a few of her friends formed Team Blazin' Beth and completed the race in just under 45 minutes. Completing the race was a major accomplishment for someone like Beth that has battled Lupus for so long. Beth is looking for more people to join her team in 2006!