IndyCar Series driver Sting Ray Robb, who is returning to the Indianapolis 500 for the third time this weekend, told Newsmax on Friday that he's not only racing for a win, but to benefit veterans.
"My team and I, we are running the We the People car, and we love the stars and stripes," Robb told Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "But we wanted to go something more foundational to show that it's our job to steward this freedom that we've been given well, and there's no better time than on Memorial Day weekend to show that off."
Robb, driving the No. 77 Dallara-Chevrolet for Juncos Hollinger Racing, is seeking to raise $77,000 to benefit Freedom Service Dogs, which provides service dogs to veterans and first responders.
"Freedom Service Dogs is a great organization for us to join up with because it's time for our heroes to get help from other heroes," he told Newsmax. "Those dogs are their heroes. It's giving them an opportunity to have a part of their life back, and they can have any, any kind of impact, whether it's for somebody that needs to help pick up a credit card, somebody needs help to go turn all the lights on in the house, I mean, you name it, these dogs are capable of doing that."
And that help gives vets and first responders their freedom back, said Robb.
"That's why they're called Freedom Service dogs," he said. "We're trying to raise $77,000 this weekend. My car number is 77, so $77,000 goes to pay for just two dogs to go to heroes in need, so it can help them fill those disabilities that they have at home… it's our time to serve those who have served us."
People who wish to donate can do so on the agency's website, said Robb.
"Follow along on the IndyCar circuit with us, and hopefully, you can get a chance to donate," he added.
Robb said the best message he can give veterans and Gold Star families this weekend is a "thank you.
"Our job as race car drivers is pretty cool, and I love what I get to do, but it doesn't amount to what their impact has been," he said. "I get to race in one of the coolest races in the world, but the one thing that impacts me the most is when they do the playing of the taps, the national anthem, and the flyover. It makes you realize that what we're doing is cool, but it's not everything."
As an aside, Robb told Newsmax that the name of Sting Ray is his given name, not one he's adopted for racing.
"The story goes that my parents were big Corvette fans, so they decided to name me after the Stingray Corvette," he said. "But the longer side of the story is that my dad's side of the family's heritage is from Stirling, Scotland, so Sting is actually short for Stirling, and then both my grandfathers had Ray in their name. I think it was just a logical excuse to name their kid after a Corvette, but it worked out well in the end."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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