They Are Missed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kym Pasqualini (602) 399-0630
Veronica Abeyta (602) 334-3789
Nation’s Missing Children Organization/National Center for Missing Adults
LOCAL NASCAR DRIVER RETIRES FROM TRACK BUT NOT HIS MISSION
November 9, 2006 (PHOENIX, AZ) – Local NASCAR driver, Darrell LaMoure will be driving in Thursday’s AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series race at Phoenix International Raceway during Konica Minolta 125 at 7:00pm. This race will mark the end of twenty years in competitive racing but not the mission to help families of missing persons.
LaMoure has worked with the Phoenix-based Nation’s Missing Children Organization, Inc. & National Center for Missing Adults, since the disappearance of eleven year old Mikelle Biggs who vanished in Mesa on January 2, 1999. Shortly after Mikelle’s disappearance, LaMoure contacted Kym Pasqualini, founder of the missing person agency and offered to place a larger than life photograph of Mikelle on the hood of his car during a race at Phoenix International Raceway. Since 1999, LaMoure has enlisted the help of other NASCAR drivers and has profiled over 200 missing adults and children at NASCAR races throughout the country. Over the years LaMoure has featured even high profile cases like Chandra Levy and Laci Peterson.
During the Konica Minolta 125, LaMoure will be driving Car #94 with a full hood photograph of Randy Charles Spring, who mysteriously vanished while hitchhiking on October 10, 1988 from White Water, CA. Randy Spring’s family will be traveling from California to attend the race. In addition, another Racing for the Missing driver, M.K Kanke, also competing in the Konica Minolta 125, will be driving Car #33 with a full hood photograph of George Milan who vanished on April 19, 2004, from Oilve Branch, MS.
A local missing child’s family especially affected by LaMoure’s retirement is the Florez family. Jesse Florez vanished at the age of fourteen, September 14, 2001 from the vicinity of 55th Avenue and Indian School Rd., in Phoenix. LaMoure initially met the Florez family in 2003 when he profiled Jesse on the hood of his car. Veronica Abeyta, Jesse’s older sister and her husband, Manny have become close friends with LaMoure. After meeting LaMoure Manny Abeyta became a member of LaMoure’s pit crew. Veronica and her mother will be in the stands during the last race of LaMoure’s career.
Currently, Jesse Forez is included in a national effort to raise awareness for missing persons who have received little media attention. Joe Mammana, a Philadelphia businessman and victim’s rights advocate has offered $2 million in rewards for 20 missing persons. A $100,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Jesse and/or information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for his disappearance is available until November 24, 2006.
LaMoure intends to continue working with families of missing persons and expand the Racing for the Missing program. “LaMoure will be missed on the track but we look forward to continuing to work with him,” said Kym Pasqualini. “Darrell LaMoure has made such an astounding impact in the lives of families of missing persons and those of us who are fortunate enough to work with him. At a time of such loss and trauma in the lives of families of missing persons, Darrell gives them Hope when everything seems lost.”