Sports
Racers take track for Ryan George
Tyler Ohmann
07/23/2013
On Sunday there were more No. 29’s circling the track than usual. Normally the only No. 29 that zips around area tracks is that of Ryan George. However, he wasn’t even one of the three last Sunday.
That’s because the 36-year-old that is a truck driver for MBI Energy suffered a massive stroke, and is currently at the University of Minnesota.
Despite not getting to race due to mother nature’s interruption the thought from Robbie, Chase and Kylie Conway was what counted.
Robbie, who also works at MBI, said his kids were the ones who started what came to be known as the “Racing for Ryan” campaign.
Chase, 15, started the whole thing when he began working on a car last Wednesday, to try and get into shape for Sunday to honor George. According to Robbie, Chase tore down the car in one day, and after two long days of working late into the night, completed the new ‘29’ car.
“He (Chase) told me that we’re going to go racing for Ryan,” Robbie Conway said.
He told Robbie that anything they win goes to George. Thinking this would be a good idea, he contacted some sponsors who eagerly pitched in to support George.
Following Chase’s lead, his sister Kylie, who works on a screen printer all day, thought of a good idea to print up some t-shirts and sell them to raise more money for George.
“Before I knew it, there were a lot of people willing to help,” Robbie Conway said.
There has also been a fund that people can donate to at the People’s State Bank in Westhope.
“He (George) can use all the support he can get, just like most people he was working paycheck to paycheck,” Robbie Conway said. “Plus he’s going to lose his CDL.”
Conway said as far as he knows George will likely have a long road to recovery ahead of him, and that he isn’t totally out of the woods yet.
Other racers also chipped in and offered support to George while he battles the stroke. Steve Beckedahl and his family helped organize a 50/50 raffle. The Beckedahl’s live near George in Landa, N.D.