2015 Industry Racing Season to Open With Inaugural "Connor Penhall Memorial Cup"

NORCO, CA--(Marketwired - May 18, 2015) - Connor Concrete Cutting & Coring, a Norco, Calif. family-owned business founded in 2012 by Bruce and Laurie Penhall, is pleased to announce Industry Racing will open its 2015 Speedway Motorcycle Racing Season with the inaugural Connor Penhall Memorial Cup, on Wednesday, May 27, 7:30 p.m. at the Grand Arena, Industry Hills Expo Center. This special event in remembrance of the Penhall's son, Connor McDermott Penhall, aims to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk driving and the increasingly compromised safety of road construction workers. Greg Hancock, three-time and current Speedway World Champion, will serve as Grand Marshall of the opening night event, with other notable celebrities and athletes, which to date include Bruce Penhall's CHiPs co-stars, Larry Wilcox and Robert Pine; star of A&E's Storage Wars, Barry Weiss; legendary race announcer and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee, Larry "Supermouth" Huffman; in attendance to show support for the Penhall family.

Connor was a rising 21-year-old star in the motocross and desert racing world when he was struck and killed in April 2012 by a drunk driver while working as part of a contract crew for Caltrans on the 10 (San Bernardino) Freeway in Baldwin Park, Calif. In addition to his love for racing, Connor had his sights set on a career in law enforcement long before he was of age to apply. He took on odd jobs to get work experience and built a tremendous work ethic, working his way up through the ranks to become a full-fledged concrete cutter.

"Connor had a promising future ahead of him," says Bruce Penhall, vice president of Connor Concrete Cutting & Coring and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame speedway racer who also starred in the 80's TV show CHiPs. "His loss has become the inspiration for the annual Connor Penhall Memorial Cup and also a way to bring attention to important issues related to drunk driving and general highway safety."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every day almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. Roadway work zones are particularly hazardous for workers who build, repair, and maintain our nation's streets, bridges, and highways. In road construction and maintenance work zones, California ranks among the top ten states with the most motor vehicle crash fatalities.

"Through the years motorsports have brought our family together and now drunk driving has left an indelible impact on each of us," adds Bruce, the two-time World Speedway Champion who will award the $8,500 purse and a custom helmet painted by Troy Lee Designs to the winner of the First Division race. "The Connor Penhall Memorial Cup is an avenue to show our support of the sport and its rising athletes, remember our son, and bring awareness to these critical issues through what we intend to make an annual event. It is a fine way to let countless friends who knew and loved Connor remember him as we do: a vibrant young man devoted to his family, with an unbridled passion for riding, racing and living."

The event will follow a Grand Prix format, featuring exciting races in Junior Speedway, Mini and Pee Wee divisions. Key sponsors include Connor Concrete Cutting & Coring, Industry Racing, Red Bull USA, Quinn Caterpillar, Hilti power tools, Toyota of Escondido, Wahoo's Fish Taco, Blue C and Troy Lee Designs.

For more information, please visit http://www.industryracing.com and follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/connorpenhallmemorialcup.

ABOUT CONNOR CONCRETE CUTTING & CORING: Connor Concrete Cutting & Coring was established in Norco, California in 2012. The company was inspired by and bears its namesake as a tribute to Connor Penhall, the son of company founders, Bruce and Laurie Penhall. The aim as a minority owned and operated business is to deliver the best quality product and service with passion, pride and enthusiasm for great work at a fair price. For more information, visit www.connorconcretecutting.com.

Editor's Note: VIP passes are available for media and can be obtained by calling Stephanie Olesen, Beyond Fifteen Communications: 949.733.8679 ext. 103, or emailing stephanie@beyondfifteen.com.