A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to support Riley Raynard and his efforts to continue racing in hobby stocks.
The campaign was started by Angela Prette Thursday morning, and has a goal of $20,000.
Raynard has been racing hobby stocks at the Estevan Motor Speedway and elsewhere since the 2012 season, even though he was born with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
“Most people around Estevan know who Riley Raynard is,” Prette wrote in her campaign. “If you don't know, he's been racing professionally for eight years in an IMCA hobby stock while battling muscular dystrophy. Not just racing, but consistently winning too!”
She went on to say that muscular dystrophy has been deteriorating his muscles since he was four years old. He has been in a wheelchair full time since he was 13, so driving a race car has been a little different for Raynard.
“He was using his hands for the brake and then kept his foot on the pedal for the gas but would have to push down on his leg to get it to go. But he can no longer operate this way ... he needs to implement full hand controls,” she wrote. “After a lot of research Riley and his family have found a place to get this done but it is quite expensive. If you can help in any way, it would mean the world to them.”
Racing is Riley's dream, she said, as it helps him to escape from everything.
Since he started racing, Raynard has won numerous races and awards, not just locally but abroad, including the prestigious Ken Schrader Real Racer Award in 2014. He and other drivers have also supported the Laps for Muscular Dystrophy campaign, in which they donate $1 to muscular dystrophy research for each lap led.
In a post on its Facebook page, Raynard Racing thanked Prette for setting up the GoFundMe campaign, and everyone who has donated to him so far.
The campaign page https://www.gofundme.com/f/rileys-race-car has more information and a place to donate.
