| Florida Racer Makes A Wish Come True | By Melanie Parker
 Jerry Parker started racing this year in the Florida Mini Cup Racing Association Series with the Make-A-Wish Foundation on board as a sponsor. The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. Jerry’s involvement hit hard at home when his cousin was diagnosed with leukemia when they were growing up and Make-A-Wish Foundation granted her wish.
Jerry decided when he started racing that he was going to campaign for the foundation in advertising. This lead to his sponsorship with the foundation. Jerry along with others in the FMCRA has displayed their cars at fundraisers for Make-A-Wish. During one fundraiser at the Orlando History Center Jerry meet a 10 year old girl named Ashlee. Ashlee was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma when she was only 5 years old. She is only the 6th known case for her age due to this type of cancer is most common in teenagers.
After Jerry spoke with Ashlee and her family at the fundraiser he knew he wanted to do something special for her. So with the help of the FMCRA director Tom Clarke and his wife Karen, and GM of Orlando Speedworld Rusty Marcus they put on a night of racing focused on Ashlee and her family.
The night started as Ashlee and her family got a tour of the pits. Then moved to the FMCRA drivers meeting where Ashlee and her sister Darla were presented with many gifts donated by FMCRA drivers and their sponsors. These gifts ranged from t-shirts, stuffed animals, koolies, key chains, autographed pictures of FMCRA drivers, a cardboard cut out of Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Ashley’s favorite Nextel Cup driver), plaques designed especially for Ashlee and Darla, and from Jerry Parker with the help from Dale Earnhardt Incorporated an autographed cap from Dale Jr.. Ashlee then got to watch qualifying of the minicup cars.
 Jerry knew he had to do good in honor of Ashlee. The #6 Make-A-Wish car started the heat race on the outside pole position and led 5 of the 6 lap qualifying only to be passed by 2 cars on the last lap. But as luck had fallen that night they inverted the field by 3 rows putting the #6 car back on the inside front row. Then Ashlee and Darla got to ride in the pace truck.
Jerry now knew that he was on a mission to get a great finish for Ashlee. Jerry up until this point had never finished better than 7th position in the 7 races he has ran. Before the race Jerry told Ashlee he would do what ever it took to get a top 5 and even possibly the win. Then it was time for Ashlee and her family to go to the start finish line so she and her sister could be the honorable flag waivers for the FMCRA races. Jerry again after running side by side with the #12 car for approximately 3 or 4 laps took the lead and held on to the lead till around 6 to go. He then fell back to 3rd position were he keep his word and finished in the top 5.
After the race the Pro drivers and the 1st place winner in the junior division all donated there trophies to Ashlee. A special Thanks goes out to everyone that helped make this night a Special night for Ashlee and her family. Visit www.wish.org to learn more on how you can help the Make-A-Wish foundation make more children’s dreams come true. Also visit www.floridaminicup.com to learn more about the exciting series of minicup racing.
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