A Champion On and Off the Track
For champion INDYCAR driver Josef Newgarden, the pinnacle of his career, the one he strived toward, was winning the Indy 500. That is until Josef discovered a passion for philanthropy that introduced him to SeriousFun Children’s Network. It all began when Josef won the inaugural PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge, in which Newgarden won on all three types of tracks that comprise the INDYCAR series and with that, the opportunity to donate part of his winnings to SeriousFun.
Since then, Josef has become an additional kind of champion as a SeriousFun supporter. Josef’s support was personally impactful on Flying Horse Farms camper Evan Blum, whom Josef not only met but invited to witness his historic consecutive Indy 500 victory this year. Evan (who was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis) and his parents credit Flying Horse Farms with empowering Evan with a newfound independence and confidence that has positively changed his outlook. Inspired by stories like Evan’s and by seeing firsthand how his wins translate to lasting impacts on children like Evan who live with serious illness, Josef is creating a world of good, just as SeriousFun founder Paul Newman intended when he opened the very first camp.
Recently, Josef was profiled on Inspired Lives with Tony Fama, a program that showcases the personal side of beloved celebrities whose personal passions lift up people and communities in need. As you can see in the video, Evan and Josef’s remarkable meeting is a sweet note on a journey that continues to enrich Josef’s achievements while furthering SeriousFun’s mission. We’re incredibly grateful to have the Newgarden team’s ongoing support and we’re rooting for him to achieve his next goal: winning the Indy 500 for the third year in a row!