For the first time ever, the Mildred Williams International Driving Series 2008 finals will take place over three tracks in the United States.
With all preliminary legs now complete, the 2008 finals are set to take place at Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack in Chester, Pennsylvania on November 5th, Freehold Raceway in Freehold, New Jersey on November 6th and Dover Downs in Dover, Delaware also on November 6th.
There were 76 female drivers that competed at 32 tracks in North America. The top eight drivers from this series will be coming to the finals. Each track held a fundraiser for a local breast cancer charity or another local charity chosen by the tracks. Together the tracks have raised almost $90,000 at their fundraisers. The female drivers are all fully licensed drivers and they donate their earnings to the charities at these events. At the finals Chester is racing for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Freehold is racing for the Freehold Area Open Door Organization and Dover is racing for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition.
This is the third year for the series that originated in Canada. The series is meant to provide opportunity for female drivers and provide racetracks to market to the missing demographic of race fans, the women. The pairing of the series with the charities was a natural fit and at most tracks the chosen charity is a local breast cancer charity. Many of the racetracks decorate their grandstands in pink and have welcoming fundraising ideas.
The new fundraiser for the finals is "racehorse temporary tattoos". The tattoos have been sponsored by one of the seasons female drivers Dr. Karyn Malinowski. A temporary tattoo will be given to each person who makes a donation to the chosen charities at the three tracks.
The Finalists are:
1. Ann Karin Larsen, Norwood, Ontario, Canada
2. Elisabeth Jansen, Brownsburg-Chatham, Quebec, Canada
3. Kelly Case, Pompano Beach, Florida, USA
4. Anne Marie Turenne, Greely, Ontario, Canada
5. Stacy Chiodo, Jackson, New Jersey, USA
6. Carol Dumont, Trois Rivieres, Quebec, Canada
7. Tammy MacKay, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
8. Gro Formia, Delray Beach, Florida, USA
(With files from Mildred Williams)