Healey, Racing For Chelsey iRacing Team Raises $500

Team Release

ENFIELD, N.S.: The checkered flag has flown on the very successful Racing for Chelsey sim racing fundraiser by online iRacer Pat Healey.

Healey is pleased to announce that with the assistance of two Fall River and area businesses, and a community resident, he was able to raise $500 through top finishes in two separate iRacing leagues.

The Enfield native drove the no. 5 GO Tire HRM/AEROTEC Engines Chevrolet in the Maritime iRacing League (MIRL) Sportsman series for the Steven Matthews-led Cape Breton Connection (CBC) Racing; he finished in fourth place in the points standings. He also drove the no. 75 and 45 in the Championship Online Racing Teams (CORT) Indy car and CUP series for Ford Performance Racing (FPR), operated online by Stephen Taylor of Charlotte, N.C.

The agreement was for every top 12 finish (only the top 12 received points) in the Indycar series, he would get $10; it was $10 for a top 15 finish in the MIRL and CORT CUP. Healey performed best in MIRL Sportsman and CORT CUP.

He was doing it for Pictou County teen Chelsey Livingstone, who has Lyme disease and is heading to the U.S. shortly for more treatments. The money that Healey was raising was going towards expenses that trip would incur.

The breakdown for the final tally saw GO Tire HRM (Scott and Elizabeth MacRae) of Fall River donate $180; Beaver Bank-based AEROTEC Engines, owned by Jason and Joy Crowell, donated $160; and Barry Dalrymple of Wellington matched AEROTEC’s donation of $160. Dalrymple is the local councillor for the Fall River area.

“It’s just awesome that a simple idea of me doing something I like, like iRacing, could blossom into something like this,” Healey said. “I’m so thankful to have real sponsors step up when approached about this idea.”

In the past four months, the only thing Healey, 35, focused on was doing league races and none of the official series for iRacing. He is now continuing racing, with the focus on the CORT Cup series, which races every Wednesday night.

Healey said the drive for good finishes kept him out of trouble for the most part on the sim racing track.

“It was something that was always in my mind when the green flag flew,” he said. “I was always thinking to weave myself around and keep the cars clean from any damage. If I did get damaged, I would try to continue on hoping for a good finish to help Chelsey.”

It was a coming together of Nova Scotia generosity as none of those who pitched in to assist Healey, who is a reporter at The Weekly Press and The Laker in Enfield, knew Livingstone.

“Scott and Elizabeth, Barry, and Jason and Joy don’t know Chelsey or her family, but once I told them and showed them the countless stories done on her battle, they had no qualms joining me to do what we could,” said Healey. “Complete strangers and this just shows how generous business community and residents are to help out.

“It warms my heart to be able to help out, even if it’s only a small way.”

Crowell said AEROTEC Engines was pleased to be part of the fundraiser.

“It might be simulation racing on iRacing, but it shows that even a virtual game can help out a great cause,” said Crowell, an avid NASCAR fan. “Pat asked us if we were interested, and I saw how he had raced and knew what he was doing. We had no problem jumping on to support him.”

“We hope what we did can go a long way to help make things easier for Chelsey and her family).”

Healey wished to thank all three for coming on.

“Without them, it wouldn’t have been possible,” he said. “I thank them for their kind hearts for a complete stranger.”

Healey actually raised more than $500 as word spread to the racing community, a pair of Fredericton, N.B.-area stock car drivers sent money to him to pass along to Chelsey.

If you’re in the area, there will be a fundraising auction and dance in support of Livingstone at the White Tail Pub and Grill in Westville on Saturday April 26, beginning at 7 p.m. The band NEXT EXIT will be playing live music from 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

To follow Pat’s progress in CORT which races Trucks, Indycars, and Gen-6 NASCAR-like cars, check out www.cortracing.com; and in the MIRL Late Model/Super Late Model series visit www.mirl.ca.

Photo: The Maritime iRacing League Late Model division runs at Lanier in October 2013.