INDIANAPOLIS – Along with confirming the third driver to their Chili Bowl roster on Wednesday morning, RAMS Racing also unveiled a new team partnership with Veterans Community Project.
The Kansas City, Missouri-based non-profit organization is made up of a group of combat veterans and features a village of “tiny houses” meant to help homeless veterans get back on their feet.
The village is located at the corner of 89th Street and Troost Avenue in Kansas City and consists of 49 homes of 240-320 square feet.
Beyond just providing a place to live for the homeless veterans in the program, VCP officials also offer walk-in support services for veterans in need, as well as aid in finding employment and long-term housing solutions for their future as well.
It’s a program close to the heart of RAMS team owner Rick Young, who first discovered VCP through a video posted to social media when the program was in its infancy.
Inspired to help the cause, Young forged a corporate philanthropy partnership to fund a tiny home for VCP through State Street Bank & Trust, where he was working at the time.
Though he’s since left State Street and gone on to other endeavors, VCP remains an initiative that is important to Young and his family.
“I wish I would have thought to put them on our cars a while ago,” Young noted. “We enjoy the great privilege of being able to race on a national stage. Using that stage to further the mission of a group so dedicated to helping our veterans is the least we can do as a team.”
Clinton Boyles will pilot the No. 14s Veterans Community Project midget for RAMS at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals next week, while mainstay RAMS driver Justin Grant will also carry the Veterans Community Project logo on his NOS Energy Drink-backed entry as well.
“I’m very excited to have Veterans Community Project partner with myself and our race team, starting at the Chili Bowl,” Boyles said. “To be able to promote something as special as VCP is an honor to me. They are based about 20 minutes from where I grew up, so it does mean a little extra knowing that I’m not only raising awareness to help homeless veterans across the country, but particularly in my own community.”
“Having driven for RAMS Racing for a while now, it’s so humbling to see how much they want to give back,” Grant added. “Being able to bring more recognition to the Veterans Community Project through the racing community will be incredible. I look forward to learning more about the group and helping in any way I can in the future.”
Three-time Knoxville Raceway 410 sprint car champion Brian Brown will also carry the Veterans Community Project logo on his familiar No. 21 during the upcoming season.
Brown plans to run roughly 80 races in 20 states, all while helping to further the news about the Veterans Community Project mission.
“Rick Young has been a good friend of mine for a while, and certainly a valued part of our race team at BBR,” Brown noted. “We are excited to have the Veterans Community Project on our car this season. It’s such a cool deal for the veterans who have fallen on hard times later in life. I look forward to bringing more brand awareness to such a great cause.”
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