14 July 16 - August 5, 2011 Race car from Page 1
Robison began his racing career with a bang, receiving Rookie of the Year in 1993 after fi nishing fourth in the LARA Northern Nevada Sprint Car championship. From there, he assisted in the design and building of the Humvee race trucks that he drove in the Paris to Dakar Rally in both 1996 and 1999. He also won several times in off-road races in Baja, CA, among many other victories.
While Robison still enters a race “here and there,” today he can mostly be found at Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Racing, where he serves as lead driving instructor. There, he says, he trains drivers from all walks of life.
“I work with teenage drivers from time to time all the way up to professional drivers like Kyle Busch and other NASCAR drivers,” Robison says.
Community
www.SanTanSun.com
Chandler Service Club continues
tradition of giving A nonprofi t organization born in 1933 out of the vision of eight local women continues to contribute to charitable causes in the community.
Chandler Service Club, a local charity founded from the needs generated by the Great Depression, defi ned its original mission as “feeding hungry school children in Chandler.”
Submitted photo
RACING TEACHER: These days Austin Robison spends time teaching high performance racing at Bob Bondurant school near Firebird Lake.
Today, with membership topping 100 and millions of volunteer hours behind them, the club’s expanded mission continues a tradition of successfully fundraising for local charitable causes, many of which still involve children.
Club touches community
About eight times a year, Robison works with a Navy Seal team, which he especially enjoys. “I look at it as a way to contribute, to giving them a skill set for what they do.” Robison says whether commuting on the streets of Chandler at 30 mph or racing off road through the desert as fast as the car will go, drivers must keep many of the same things in mind.
“A lot of the techniques you use while driving down the road every day are the same as in racing,” he says. “It’s more of the visual aspects, like having more time to react and avoiding situations.” Robison says both Connor and Aubrey have enjoyed spending time in a racecar with their dad at the wheel. Aubrey, he says, is especially fond of it. Looking back at his time racing, Robison says his family has inspired him to be a better driver.
“I think when all is said and done, being a husband and father made me make smarter decisions,” he says, adding while other drivers claimed having a family made them lose their competitive edge, his caused him to do better.
While he hopes to get back into auto racing when he can, for now Robison is happy to teach others to have the same love and respect for cars he has had his entire life.
Alison Stanton is a freelance writer who lives in the East Valley. She can be reached at
Alison@SanTanSun.com.
To help those less fortunate, events throughout the year serve to fi ll the voids in basic survival needs. For example, Chandler Service Club spokeswoman Leigh Dow says many children have inadequate essentials such as footwear or jackets to attend school. The club’s October Taste of Chandler Silent Auction raises thousands of dollars to address the needs and funnel these revenues into the club’s signature program, “Warm Feet, Warm Hearts.”
December through springtime brings a steady stream of club activities aimed at fundraising, such as a bowling marathon, which this year alone raised nearly $20,000; the “Wine and Old Bags” March event, which generating $16,000; the club’s 77th Annual Charity Ball, where club scholarships are awarded to deserving individuals; and a “Spirit of the Southwest” event bringing in nearly $10,000 towards community scholarships.
The club’s year comes to a close with its annual spring luncheon and installation of new offi cers. For information on the Chandler Service Club and its events, access
www.chandlerserviceclub.org.
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