(Radio Iowa) – The champion of last year’s NASCAR Cup Series will be in Iowa for Sunday’s race at the Iowa Speedway, but also to raise money for the Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association on Saturday night. Ryan Blaney (BLAY-nee), who drives the number-12 Mustang, will host “Dinner with the Champions” at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in Knoxville. Association spokeswoman Lauren Livingston says Blaney is bringing his dad and his uncle, both of whom were top drivers as well.

Established in 2018, the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to supporting brain health causes, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease and concussion — so she says donations for the event are tax deductible.

The Blaney Family has many ties to not only dirt racing, but to Knoxville and Iowa. Ryan Blaney’s mother, Lisa, is a Chariton native, and Ryan’s father, Dave, won the Knoxville Nationals in 1997. Ryan’s uncle, Dale, competed in the Knoxville Nationals several times, and his grandfather, Lou, finished 4th in the Knoxville Nationals in 1974. Speaking of Lou, Livingston says the Blaney family has a personal connection to Alzheimer’s.

Those resources include the Alzheimer’s Association’s free 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900. Some seven-million Americans have Alzheimer’s dementia, including more than 62-thousand Iowans, while nearly 100-thousand Iowans provide unpaid care to loved ones living with the disease.

On the web:

Tickets: iowa.cbo.io
Alzheimer’s Association: alz.org