Sonya Clay - Founder
Hello to everyone and thank you for visiting the Pit Board Charity.
My name is Sonya Clay and I am the founder of the PBC, established in 2002.
I was born and raised in Gustine, a small farming community in the central valley of California. My family is in the transportation business and that is where I have been employed since 1988.
I am the Mommy to Amy Nicole (age 8), Ashley Marie (age 6), and Stephen (age 17), and the soon-to-be wife of Ed. Ask me again AFTER October 18, 2008.
I have to be honest—my racing interest was NHRA for many years. My dad took me to the drags for years. My best friend and her husband watched a lot of NASCAR and I spent many weekends hanging out with them. After a while, I asked, "So who do you like?" She responded, "Dale Earnhardt." "Hmmm, ok, so who aren’t you rooting for?" "Jeff Gordon." I said, "Ok, Jeff is my guy then." We went a few years like that and, to be honest, it made no difference to me at all. It was just fun to hang out and watch.
After the death of Dale Earnhardt, the media was in a frenzy. You couldn’t watch anything NASCAR without hearing about Earnhardt. I observed and took in a lot of information. I was playing online and found www.dalejrpitstop.com and then found the Pit Board. There was so much information at the Pit Board and WOW the people were so nice!
I chatted online with many and then came September 11, 2001—a day in our lives we will never forget. On the Pit Board the chatter was constant; we want to help, but how? Red Cross? Donate time? What?
So ... that night I went to bed and, seriously, it was like a little light bulb went off. 43 charity list ... 43 spots ... one winner each week. I got out of bed and wrote down the information I had because I just knew I would forget!! I then pitched the idea to the Pit Board members. I’m sure they thought I was nuts. But I did some research and came up with the list of charities, all racing related. So as we kicked off the 2002 NASCAR season and the PBC made its first donation $ 25.00 from Sonya Clay. Week 2 was $ 30.00, $25.00 from Sonya and $ 5.00 from Lynn Pipkins. As time went on, our group got a little bigger and bigger until, by the end of the season, we had donated more then $10,000, which was our goal!!!
Well, here we are, 6 years later and still donating strong. The PBC has a unique relationship with its members (www.dalejrpitstop.com) and JR Motorsports (www.dalejr.com).
In the past, I had never thought of myself as a charitable person. Now, I cannot imagine my world with helping others. The friends I have made, the values I have taught my children, the organizations just needing a little extra help each year and the PBC being able to provide that! It’s an unbelievable feeling that warms your heart and soul.
Thank you for reading and visiting! If you have any questions, PLEASE drop me an email at Mickeynco@aol.com.
Karen Adams - Board Member
My husband and I have been race fans for 20+ years. We loved watching the black #3 slice through the field. As Dale Jr, Kelley, and Kerry began racing late models, we would look through the fine print of the sports section of the local paper that occasionally would publish the results from places like Myrtle Beach. When Dale Jr came into Busch and then Cup racing, we cheered him on. I always like to point out though, that especially after Dale Sr’s death, Dale Jr did not “inherit” us as fans but earned our support and loyalty with his attitude, humor, determination, and character. We have been to races at Talladega, Atlanta, and Daytona’s July race.
Being an Earnhardt fan led me to www.dalejrpitstop.com (still my favorite web site). I have been a member of the Pit Board Charity from it’s beginning, sending in my first donation one month after Sonya posted on the Pit Board about her new idea. I have been a PBC board member since the Board’s inception. My favorite PBC activity each year is the adoption of the Christmas families. As a teacher, I have seen many children over the years who don’t have the best lot in life. It is very heartwarming to know that we make a difference in the lives of children every Christmas.
In 2003 and 2004, in connection with the PBC and one of the charities we support, Pit Crews for Kids, I organized toy drives at my school to collect new toys and school supplies to send to the children suffering with cancer at Duke Children’s Hospital in N.C. In 2004 we donated 93 pounds of toys for the kids at Duke. It was a fun project!
Being from Louisiana, I got to witness the tremendous outpouring of love and support that is the PBC first hand immediately after Hurricane Katrina. I personally took a check for $1,100.00, donated by PBC members, to a organization who was supplying food, water, cots, and medicine to those who had lost everything. Nothing has ever touched me more than knowing that when my neighbors were at their lowest hour, the PBC came through.
Even for those of us who were not directly affected, life in Louisiana has forever been defined as “before Katrina” and “after Katrina”. During the summer of 2006 as we were approaching the one-year anniversary of Katrina, I proposed that the PBC conduct a fundraiser to benefit two of the local chapters of Habitat for Humanity. Jr Motorsports and The Tony Stewart Foundation agreed to match any funds we raised. Together, we raised $12,000 for the Habitat chapters in Slidell, Louisiana and Waveland/Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. I was honored to be able to take the checks to the directors of those Chapters. Pictures of the check presentations and the devastation that still exists can be found here. http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q200/PBCphotos/Habitat/?start=all
My other hobbies include reading, when I have the time, but my other sports passion/obsession is LSU football. Our family was thrilled to be able to go to New Orleans on January 7th to see our beloved LSU Tigers win the National Championship! It was an experience we will never forget!
For me, being a part of the PBC has been a very rewarding experience. I love seeing where we make a difference and I have made friendships that will last a lifetime.
Lisa Angus - Board Member - Rookie
I live in Fenton, Michigan. I have been a race fan since 2000 and discovered the Pit Board Charity about 4 years ago and am so happy I did! Through my involvement with the PBC, I have had the great pleasure of being involved with many activities including: JR Elves, Adopt-a-soldier, Adopt-a-family, various raffles and Team Josh - just to name a few. As a new member of the board, I am really looking forward to becoming even more involved in all that we do!! It's going to be a great year!
I'm a graduate of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Go Blue!!) and have worked for General Motors for the last 14 years. I'm currently working as a Development & Validation Engineer for GM's Powertrain Division on various hybrid programs. Our first program, a 2009 Saturn Vue Two-mode will be released later this year - very exciting!! I've worked for powertrain for about 2 1/2 years and it's been, by far, the biggest challenge of my career. I work at GM's Proving Ground, in Milford, Michigan and really love it there.
I have so enjoyed being involved with the Pit Board Charity and am really looking forward to this upcoming race year, raising a lot of money, helping out a lot of worthy causes and, most of all, having FUN!!
Karen Avara- Board Member
I started watching NASCAR for the second time around 1994, Dale Earnhardt was my driver, which lead to my discovering the dalejrpitstop web site.
I joined the charity shortly after Sonya started it. I have been a Board Member since the Board was formed and hope to continue to serve and help it grow for many more years.
I am the Operations Manager for a 911 dispatch center near where I live in northern California. I have been married for 35 years, have 2 boys and 3 grandchildren. We go camping, boating and on jeep runs with friends, and of course to races as often as we can, we have been to Bristol, Infineon, Fontana, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Daytona. My dream when I retire is to buy a motorhome and follow the circuit all year. I am an avid reader and never go anywhere without a book.
Amanda Carter- Board Member
I have been a board member for the Pit Board Charity for several years. My interest in racing began at a young age while watching NASCAR on Sundays with my grandfather. My enjoyment for the sport waned for a while until the Pepsi 400 when Dale Jr. won soon after his father's death. While posting on the Dale Jr. Pit Stop message board, I saw a new initiative in it's early stages for a fan-based charity founded by friend, Sonya Clay.
I am a full-time employee of a community college in North Carolina. I am also taking distance courses through East Carolina University in persuit of a Master's degree. I joined the Pit Board Charity in its early years and discovered that my degree in Internet Technologies could be put to good use.
I began creating graphics for fundraisers and grew to be the webmaster for the charity. The charity has grown so much in the past few years that I will now be joined by Patricia and Kevin on the web committee. Other board members will make appearances on the website as well.
I hopes to find renewed passion for the sport I've loved for so long with the new team and number. Among my other hobbies, I enjoy watching and attending Carolina Hurricanes hockey games and making jewelry. I cannot turn away a good book and enjoy spending time with friends. I am active in several local civic groups including the Rotaract club which has a Relay for Life team each year to benefit the American Cancer Society. I lost two of my grandparents to cancer and find this to be a way to give back and fund research to cure cancer.
Barrett Cummings - Board Member
Stephanie Howell - Board Member - Rookie
I am 38 years old, live in California and have been married to my high school sweetheart, Mike, for 19 years. We have been blessed with four children, Kyle (17), Kevin (14), Katie (9) and Kayla (8). We have two dogs (Buck and Nestlie), three cats (Curious George, Boots and Fury) and one rabbit (Thumper). My oldest son Kyle is a senior in high school this year. After graduation, Kyle will be moving to Arizona to attend a Motorcycle Mechanic Institute. His dream is to be a mechanic for a Motocross race team. This has started a new season in my life, one of trying to learn to let go. The years fly by so quickly. My 2nd son Kevin is a freshman this year. He loves acting and has been in a commercial and a couple movies. He also loves video games and hanging out with his friends. My oldest daughter Katie is in the 4th grade and she loves animals and playing with her friends. Kayla is our baby girl. She is in the 3rd grade and she loves softball and wants to do everything her big sister does.
In 1995 we started a Communication Tower Service company. I manage the office for our company while my husband manages the field employees. We install, repair and maintain Communication Towers for TV stations, radio stations and cellular companies. We contract mostly in California but occasionally in neighboring states.
I love the Lord and spending time with my family and friends. I travel to Colorado as often as I can to visit my only sister, Tami, her husband, Blake and my adorable nephew Andrew, who is now three! My husband and I also love watching NASCAR races. We started watching in the late 80’s right after we were married. Our sons attended their first race at the ages of 1 and 4. Back then, what was their favorite part about going to the race you might ask? Why it was THE CONCESSION STAND of course!! Now…. they love putting on their headphones and listening to the drivers.
Another passion I have is charity work. Ever since high school I have been involved in some form of giving. Every year we take stockings to our Children’s Hospital at Christmas time and baskets to them at Easter. We donate to different charities through our church and to The Leiomyosarcoma Cancer Foundation, (this is the type of cancer I was diagnosed with in 2004). Mothers Against Drunk Drivers is the first group I was involved with, as I lost my best friend in high school to a drunk driver, and I am still a member today. I love giving a hand up to those in need. You never fully know how what you do and say can affect someone forever. People are so important and I have always had a special place in my heart for children. It is because of this that I am so excited to be a member of the PBC. After going to North Carolina as a Jr. Elf my love and admiration for what the PBC stands for has greatly increased. To see the looks on the children’s faces as they had their first Limo ride, their first full fledge shopping spree and an opportunity to pick out whatever they wanted to get their mother for Christmas. Which really seemed to be their favorite part. It is a joy that I will keep in my heart forever and I look forward to do it again every year. I consider myself blessed to be a PBC board member.
Laura Kovatch - Board Member
Since finding the Pit Board Charity and joining; I have found a very pleasant part of the world to be in. Helping people is just part of my nature and what a great way to do just that with NASCAR in there too.
I first started an interest in racing at a local track and went to the drag races during my teen years. Time slipped by rather quickly and so did my racing experiences. It never really leaves you once you start that interest; and I picked up NASCAR again in the late 90's. After the tragic loss of Dale Earnhardt Sr.; I was surfing around the racing sites and came across Dale Jr's listings and found in one the Pit Board Charity. Intrigued with what I read, I contacted Sonya and she graciously took time to tell me all about it. I was hooked!! Being a part of this very special group has filled my heart with joy.
As an "empty nester", my two boys now grown men, one with a family of his own and the other with his Chef's career about to take off, and myself forced to retire from my Veterinary work, the PBC gave me direction. Working on the various project, "Christmas Around the Country", the many fundraisers, and my favorite, Jr. Elves. The feeling it give syou inside to be able to help others in needs is so very hard to put into words. You need to experience it!!!!
With the help of all the member of the PBC, there is a winning charity every race weekend!! We have the best team that has ever been formed and each and every one plays a very important part in our race to help others in need.
Lynn Kramer- Board Member
I'm 59 years old and have been married for 42-1/2 years. I have three grown daughters - Beckey, Loree and Coral. I have three grandchildren - Tyler (9), Kylie (7) and Maddie (3). I live in a growing town in the southern part of Oregon and have for the past 20 years. I was born in northern California above San Francisco and lived there until after my first two daughters were born. My family built sprint cars and my father raced/built them, so I guess you could say I was born into a racing family. The races I have been able to attend are Las Vegas twice, Charlotte 600 once and Bristol. My goal is to be able to attend all of the race tracks at least once.
I work for a large company that deals with insurance, travel, etc. I've worked as an insurance agent for the past 14 years, and have worked in many areas of insurance since I started my career 27 years ago.
Some of my hobbies include reading, gardening, camping, cooking, and of course racing, which is how I became involved with the PBC since it was founded by Sonya. I can't explain the feelings that it gives to you to know
that you have made a difference in someone's life. It doesn't have to be huge, just a little help. All the charities that we get involved with do so much to help families and animals. Some of my favorites that we are
involved in are our Junior's Elves project and our families at the holidays - to be able to see their faces light up is amazing.
Chris O'Brien - Board Member
Iam 33 years old. I am currently a military wife of 13yrs. I am living in Ohio due to my husband is over in Iraq, but have lived in Washington, Alabama, and North Carolina. I have three children, all boys, Austin (12), Jake (9), and Zack (7). Growing up in Ohio I was into some sprint cars but mostly Indy. Once I was married in 95 my husband, a Virginia boy, got me into NASCAR. I was hooked ever since then, especially since there were some familiar names from the series I grew up with. Been hooked ever since!!!
When I do get to work I try to stay within the field of lodging. Being a military wife this makes it difficult having to move around so much, but you know there is always some type of hotels anywhere. I have been currently on the board for going on 4 years. I love it...I do hope you all are ready for this racing season...I know I am!!!
Patricia (Tricia) O'Brien - Board Member
I am a native of New York. I work as an Administrative Assistant for an internationally known retailer. I have been a NASCAR fan for quite a number of years. I became a devoted and loyal fan when Dale Jr. entered the scene full time. I found out about the PBC through www.dalejr.com. It was listed under favorites. I also posted and continue to do so on the Pit Board.
I supported the Pit Board Charity in 2005. In 2006 I became a Board Member. I have been a team leader for the Adopt a Holiday Family for the last two years. I have been fortunate to have been able to attend the Jr. Elves Event for the last three years.
I have attended several races at Dover, Richmond and Pocono. I have attended and hosted NASCAR parties at local establishments as well as planned overnight NASCAR racing trips. I have attended several events over the years that took place in NYC during Champions Week including the annual Victory Lap. I am an avid reader of SCENE and NASCAR Illustrated. I love to read books on the history of the sport. I also enjoy documentaries and shows like "Back in the Day" that review past races and expand my knowledge of the sport.
Kevin Ort - Board Member
I live in New Hampshire about 15 miles from NH Motor Speedway. I have a wife, Marcy, and three kids. For my day job, I am an Account Manager for Hewlett Packard. I have been a member of the PBC since 2004 and a Director since 2006. I became a member of the PBC because I love racing and helping others but I never really had an outlet to donate my time or money to helping those that needed it. Once I found the PBC I realized how wonderful the charity was and just how great a concept - no matter where Jr finishes, a charity wins, How Cool! It was easy to get involved. Paypal to donate, very simple and if you wanted to get involved with a project all you had to do was ask. I sent in money for races and weekly challenges for the first year or so, but then I heard about our Christmas around the country and Jr Elves events and just got sucked into it. I remember the first year I did Christmas around the country being assigned to Lynn's Missouri team. Our Family was a single mom with a 4 year old and a baby on the way. My own Daughter was about to turn 8. I thought about what it would be like to wake up on Christmas morning and not have a tree, or any presents from Santa for her to open, I couldn't wait to help out. So now I'm a life-er. Yup I Love it, and the passion I see from all of you every time we hold and event or challenge or fundraiser. I remember that there are still a lot of good people in the world willing to help others for little more than a thank you and pure joy of opening your heart to help someone else.
I help out with many of the events the PBC does throughout the year and now in my junior year as a director, I will be helping out with our website. If you see something amiss on our webpages let me know. If you have any suggestions on how to make it better, I'd love to hear them! Additionally, I am the commissioner of the PBC Fantasy Racing League again, I can't wait to see how we do this season - last year was so close!
Lynn Pipkins - Board Member
Hey! I am Lynn Pipkins or Momma Pipkins if you ask my 2 year old daughter. I have been married to my husband, Lee for 9 years and we have a beautiful daughter, Avery. We are looking forward to a lot of milestones this year, I will be 30J, Lee and I will be married for 10 years and Avery is going to be 3 which in her little world is HUGE! Haha.
I joined the PBC in early 2002 after I saw a post on the Pitboard. I was a little unsure but thought it was worth a $10.00 risk to see if Sonya was the real deal. After the first donation she sent me a receipt so I sent her more money. Years later I am still an active member of the PBC and Sonya is one of my best friends!
I enjoy all the projects we do but my favorite has to be Christmas Across the Country. If you are not familiar with the project, we adopt a family and provide for them starting with Thanksgiving Dinner. It is truly amazing to pick a family that is down on their luck and provide for them during the holiday season. Every family has been unique but one thing is the same, they are very thankful and completely blown away by the generosity of this group! If you have never participated in the project I highly recommend it!
I have not been able to post on the Pitboard much over the last few years but I signed up for a username, Momma Pipkins and I can not wait to get chatting with all you again!
Margaret Stover - Board Member
Hi all. I’m Peggy (Margaret, if you insist on being formal). I’ve been a member of the PBC since 2002 and am an original member of the Board.
With regret, I must admit that I wasted the first four decades of my life, since I didn’t watch any racing until mid-1997, the first Busch race at Gateway. It took me a while to get hooked, but I’ll be forever grateful that I got to watch Dale Earnhardt’s 1998 Daytona 500 win and that incredible tribute paid to him by the entire field of competitors at the end of that race. I’ve learned to enjoy a little dirt-track racing at local tracks, particularly Schrader’s “high banks of Pevely” where I’ve gotten to see Dale Jr. race one year and flag the race another.
When I started watching racing, I was absolutely stunned and then captivated by all the good that results from this sport and its people. I’d never seen a sport with so much heart, where the entire community — drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, the governing body — gave so much of their time and talents and money in so many ways and for so many causes. With Dale and Dale Jr. as my favorite drivers, the PBC seemed a perfect fit, and I joined shortly after it was formed.
In my professional life, I’m a configuration management analyst working for a defense contractor and spend much of my time ensuring our software meets security certification and accreditation requirements. I have several years active-duty Air Force in my history, and NASCAR’s support for our country and its military is quite important to me. I’m also active in disability-awareness and recycling projects in my town. My other sports enthusiasms are gymnastics and figure skating, although the closest I’ve come to doing any of the three is driving 200 kph on the German Autobahn. I also sing, and am very particular about the presentation of our National Anthem. I’m 55, have two nieces (and two new nephews-in-law), and, like Karen, am never found without something to read, even at the track.
I, too, have enjoyed seeing the PBC grow and develop. It is an important part of my life, and I know it will remain so for many years to come.
Deb Sweatt - Board Member
Hello Everyone! I’m Deb, from Harmans, Maryland. My husband, Michael, and I enjoy watching NASCAR and our oldest son “Dale Jr” race the circuit! Just kidding, but we love him so much we do consider him our oldest! We have two grown children, Jessica and Brandon, two grandchildren, Patrick and Abigail, and three grandpuppies, Harley, Wicket and Mia! Life is gr88!
Michael and I pulled for Big E until his untimely death in 2001. We had a hard time losing Dale, like so many other fans. We felt lost for a long time. Do we quit racing, continue to watch without our driver, or (the unthinkable) pick a new one? After seeing Junior deal with his father’s death in front of millions of fans, with the grace only Junior has, and seeing a glimpse of the heart that beats inside that young man … we were hooked on Junior for life!
I’ve been a member of the Pit Board Charity, PBC Board of Directors, and the Dale Jr Pit Board since 2002. I kind of did things in reverse; I joined the PBC in April 2002 and the Pit Board not long after. I was very honored when Sonya asked me to be on the original Board of Directors in 2002 and still have a position on the PBC board today. I love every aspect of the PBC. We are involved in so many different areas of giving, donations, and giving of time to those in need.
I consider myself a Christian and have always had a giving heart. I attribute that to God and both of my parents. They were the best parents anyone could have and never stopped helping others their whole life. I hope to always follow in their giving footsteps.
From the time I was a young girl, I’ve been a fan of all kinds of racing, but stock cars have always been my favorite. You could come in my parents’ home any given weekend and you would find a race on the TV. It didn’t matter what series of racing, they loved all types. Our local dirt track was Dorsey Speedway; I have fond memories of attending weekly features at the track. My house is close enough that I would listen to the races on Friday and Saturday nights when I couldn’t be there. Those were the days!
Starting in the 70’s on up until the 90’s, my children and I used to travel with my parents to Watkins Glen, NY, Pocono, PA, and Summit Point, WV, in addition to some smaller tracks to watch my brother and some family friends race in the World Karting Association. My brother raced the lay down version of the carts that went approximately 150 mph. It was amazing to watch the changes and improvements made over the years to those same tracks.
I will follow Junior’s career in NASCAR for as long as he races!
Susan Zavertnik - Board Member
Hello to all!
I can't quite remember how old I was when I began watching Nascar but it was because my brother would turn it on every so often. I would ask who to root for and my brother would say, "The number 3 car. He's the best. They call him the Intimidator and he's bad ass." Okay, maybe not in those exact words but something to that effect. Thus began my journey into fandome. My interest was sparked even more while watching the IROC races. I thought, "how great is it that each car was a different color but everything else was the same." And there I was when those races came on, looking for the Earnhardt name. When Dale Jr. came onto the scene I decided he would be my driver. Dale Sr. was my brother's so Dale Jr. would be mine. He was close to my age, just beginning his Cup career and through thick and thin I'd support and cheer for him.
Being on the west coast, let alone in San Francisco, I was NASCAR deprived. The result was a lot of surfing and checking out websites. While checking out the Dale Jr. Pit Stop and lurking around the Pit Board, I saw the link to the Pit Board Charity but didn't think too much of it. On Dale Jr's site, I once again saw the link to the Pit Board Charity and I figured it must be legit so I decided to take a look to see what it was all about. I liked what I saw and liked the idea of how the charity was raising money. I donated a couple of times but participating in the Christmas groups is what had me hooked and I've been doing it ever since. I came to the realization that I could take the $3.50 for my daily mocha at Starbucks and use it for someone that I knew needed it more than I did or instead of buying lunch one day, I could make it at home. We all have our moments of enlightment and that was mine. Now my problem is that I have to curb my spending at Christmas because I start buying too much for those families!!!
I've made a lot new friends and hopefully life long friends from participating in the Pit Board Charity. Everyone comes from different spaces and places and I think that what makes this charity work. A common love for Nascar and the desire to help people.