The 2010 HOT ROD Power Tour, presented by GM Performance Division has named the Austin Hatcher Foundation for pediatric cancer the official charity of the 2010 tour.  The 7-day, 7-city tour arrives in Bowling Green on June 8th, 2010 at the Warren County Airport.

In Bowling Green, as well as the other stops along the 2010 Power Tour, is the Austin Hatcher Foundation’s daily Pinewood “Muscle Car” Derby.  The derby, sponsored by Skinit, allows participants and fans a chance to build and race customized pinewood cars in single heat eliminations, competing for daily prizes.  The June 8th stop in Bowling Green is sponsored by Holley Products, and the day’s derby winner will take home a $500 Holley Products gift certificate, along with the chance to compete with the winners from the other days of the Power Tour for the grand prize sponsored by BF Goodrich and Comp Cams.  The championship heat to determine the grand prize winner will take place at the last stop of the Tour.   Although many cars have been sold online in advance, there will be a limited number available for purchase at all of the stops along the tour. 

Foundation staff will meet and greet Power Tour participants and fans each day at their mobile racetrack, where they will inspect pinewood cars prior to racing and hold the races.  Information about pediatric cancer and the Austin Hatcher Foundation, as well as its newly opened cancer-care center Hatch’s house of hope will also be onsite.

Proceeds from the sales of the Pinewood “Muscle Car” will benefit the Austin Hatcher Foundation for pediatric cancer.  “We hope that this large community of car lovers will enjoy customizing and racing the pine cars during their week long tour,” said Jim Osborn, Co-Founder of The Austin Hatcher Foundation.   “We are fortunate that HOT ROD Magazine is bringing us on board with such an amazing event and giving us the opportunity to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer.”

After stopping in Newton, IA, Springfield, IL, Du Quoin, IL, and Bowling Green, the 2010 makes stops in Chattanooga, TN on June 9th, Birmingham, AL on June 10th and Mobile, AL on June 11th.  For more information, go to www.hotrod.com.

The Austin Hatcher Foundation for a carefree childhood was formed in 2006 after Amy Jo and Jim Osborn lost their infant son Hatch to a rare form of pediatric cancer.  The foundation’s mission is to support research towards the diagnosis, treatment and development of a cure for pediatric cancer, and to provide support and hope to children and families undergoing treatment, as well as those who have lost children due to cancer.  The foundation has developed a landmark group of programs and services essential to help cancer stricken children and their families function within their community.  All services provided by the Foundation are free of charge, funded solely by the generous donations of its supporters.

Hatch’s house of hope is a unique Austin Hatcher Foundation concept designed to empower children and families affected by pediatric cancer to thrive. The landmark cancer care center equips children and their family members with the educational, emotional and social skills necessary to succeed.  Specifically, these services include Problem Solving Skills Training, neurocognitive testing, educational programming to help effected children overcome their cognitive and learning deficits, emotional counseling for the cancer affected child, their siblings and parents, and marital and financial counseling to ensure a safe environment to maximize the family growth as a whole.  All services at Hatch’s are free to its guests, funded entirely by donations.  Erlanger Medical Mall in Chattanooga, TN, is the site of the first Hatch’s house of hope, which opened September
18, 2009.  This Hatch’s is the model for other Hatch’s in the planning stages nationwide.  For more information, visit www.hatcherfoundation.org
 or www.hatcherfoundation.org.

The HOT ROD Power Tour, organized by HOT ROD Magazine staff in 1995, is billed as the world’s largest traveling car show. The cross country show lasts for 7 days and makes stops in 7 cities.   It welcomes entry of all makes and models of cars and motorcycles, and last year hosted over 2700 cars daily from across the country.