Ron Fellows hitting the ice for good cause

He's more accustomed to driving exotic, high-performance race cars at breathtaking speeds on tracks across North America than lacing up his skates and chasing after a black rubber disc. But next month Canadian racing icon Ron Fellows - a passionate hockey fan - will be joined by other race drivers and crew, along with some current and former hockey pros, to play in a fun game of hockey for a serious cause.

The Ron Fellows-Mosport Hockey Challenge, in support of the Canada Hemophilia Society, will be held at the Campus Ice Centre (on the grounds of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology) in Oshawa, ON, Wednesday, August 20, with the puck dropping at 7:30 pm. This event is part of the Mobil 1 presents The Grand Prix of Mosport race week festivities, Round 8 of the 2008 American Le Mans Series.

"Mosport's my home track and the Grand Prix's American Le Mans Series weekend is by far the biggest race of the season. I'd expressed an interest in working with Mosport to organize a fun event in the days leading up to the race," said Fellows, who has been a factory driver for Corvette Racing since the Series launched in 1999.

"I remembered a hockey game that I played in two years ago with racers and some real hockey players. Everyone had a blast and I thought it would be fun to try to revive that game. We're really looking forward to putting on a great evening of entertainment and to generating some much-needed funds for the Canadian Hemophilia Society."

For the Canadian Hemophilia Society (CHS), teaming up with Fellows and Mosport to stage this charity fundraiser on ice was a natural extension of a national program - also with a motorsports theme - launched in 2007.

"Recognizing that the Canadian Hemophilia Society plays a pole position role in the lives of the thousands of people that it supports and informs, we launched the Dare to Dream fundraising initiative last year, providing donors with a unique chance to win a day at a racing school at Mosport and it has been a big success," said Deborah Currie, National Director of Resource Development for the Canadian Hemophilia Society.

"We're thrilled to be associated with the Hockey Challenge and to have this opportunity to partner with Ron and Mosport to raise awareness and funds for the CHS."

The Canadian Hemophilia Society serves people with inherited bleeding disorders. These bleeding disorders include hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, rare factor deficiencies and platelet disorders.

One of the pro hockey players committed to play in the Fellows-Mosport game next month is 14-year NHL veteran and current Toronto Marlie, Bryan Muir, who first met Fellows in a similar game two years ago.

"I had a lot of fun when I played with Ronny a few years ago, and from that meeting, I've had the chance to get out and see him race a couple of times," said the 35-year old defenseman who played with the Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche in 2001.

"I'm in awe of what Ron and the other drivers can do on a race track and have become a big motorsports fan. I'm looking forward to getting the racers on a rink and show them how we corner and brake on ice. It'll be a good evening."

More player announcements will be made in the coming weeks. Tickets are $50 for Corporate VIP packages, $15 for adults and $10 for children 16 and under. For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.hemophilia.ca/en or www.mosport.com. 

- Bob Dickinson-