Recap of AAA of Northern California, Nevada & Utah Driver Appearance Event Las Vegas Motor Speedway

       AAA NASCAR Driver David Ragan (back row: 7th from left in below photo) taught a driver’s education class to a group of high school students. The event took place at 3 pm on Thursday, March 8th at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The students came from Valley High school, Bishop Gorman High School and Centennial. There were twenty students in attendance.

The event began with Michael Geeser, AAA of Northern California, Nevada & Utah Media Relations, introducing the participants and explaining to the teens, school administrators and parents why teen driver safety is so important to our club. He spoke at length about AAA’s Driver ZED DVD as well as pending legislation currently in the Nevada Legislature that would strengthen traffic safety within the state.

  Ragan addressed the students for ten minutes, talking about what he does in a race car and how that translates into what every driver can practice in their own car. Richard Petty Driving Experience set up a crash avoidance course in a parking lot. Carl Kircher, an instructor with the group, spoke with the teens on what they were supposed to do on the course. Hertz donated two rental cars for the event. The Nevada Highway Patrol was represented by Trooper Kevin Honea. 

The event was well attended by local media. KVBC-TV (NBC), LV1 (cable,CBS) and KTNV-TV (ABC) all had reporters and photographers at the event. In addition, Action Photography was hired by AAA of Northern California, Nevada & Utah.

The goal of the event was to highlight for local teens the importance of being prepared to drive. That includes checking your vehicle before driving and being in the right frame of mind to get behind the wheel. To reinforce that message, AAA of Northern California, Nevada & Utah used its driver of the AAA Ford Fusion #6 car to explain what tools he uses while racing and how his preparation and focus translates into what everyone can practice to be a safe driver.

            The event took months to plan. In fact, it was shortly after last year’s event that we started working on this one. This was a team effort from Paulette Stracuzzi, Kelli Wynne and Michael Geeser and GMR (Roush Racing’s marketing unit). Together, they were able to come up with an event that not only promoted AAA’s involvement with NASCAR but also held a meaningful lesson for local high school students. A truly successful event! 

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