Queenslanders and Bridgestone hit the road to help cure blood cancer

Cars that have become the stuff of legends cruised through Queensland in August, as the Sunshine State hosted the Leukaemia Foundation’s Aussie Muscle Car Run for the
first time.

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Setting out from Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast, eight entrants travelled 2,125 kilometres through stunning scenery, passing through Warwick, Roma, Emerald, Rockhampton, Bundaberg and Tewantin on their odyssey.

Bridgestone Australia is the Principal Partner of the popular event, which started in 2012 and will this year include four runs across the country. Since it began, the event has raised $1.7 million dollars, which helps support the Leukaemia Foundation in its quest to improve treatments and find cures for blood cancer.

So far, the Queensland run has raised $25,000.

Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Andrew Moffatt said the Company was proud to support the Aussie Muscle Car Run for the fifth consecutive year – and that staff from Bridgestone stores in Emerald, Bundaberg and Noosa had the opportunity to become involved in this year’s Queensland event.

“Blood cancer is a disease which strikes 35 Australians every day and we take our support of the Leukaemia Foundation and the vital work they do seriously,” Mr Moffatt said.

“This is a great event for aficionados to showcase their Fords, Holdens and Chryslers that hail from the glory days of Bathurst during the ‘60s and ‘70s.

“More importantly, along the way participants are helping to raise awareness in Australia’s rural and regional areas about blood cancers – and the support needed from the community to fund critical on-going research by the Leukaemia Foundation.”

Bridgestone Australia is a proud partner of the Leukaemia Foundation and this year celebrates 30 years of support for the organisation – providing patient transport vehicles, assisting with patient accommodation and more.

The Company’s support for the Aussie Muscle Car Run as Principal Partner is one of many Leukaemia Foundation initiatives that Bridgestone gets behind to help drive fundraising efforts.

One of the event’s most dedicated participants is Jeff Gilbert – who has taken part in all six Aussie Muscle Car Runs since 2012.

Jeff joined the inaugural Queensland run as a tribute to his wife Beverly, who passed away from leukaemia just three months after the first run in South Australia. His co-driver Pam Frith also has a special reason for joining the run, after losing her mother to leukaemia.

Jeff and Pam hit the road in his silver 1967 XR GT Ford Falcon. Only eight were built as advertising models for Bathurst in 1966 and 1967. This particular model heralded the start of the legendary Australian muscle car era and set the stage for the intense rivalry, both on and off the track, in the years ahead.

IMAGE CAPTION DETAILS: Jeff Gilbert and Pam Frith in front of the 1967 Ford XR GT Ford Falcon. Credit: Mark Wilson.

Media inquiries: Annie Gant, Michels Warren PR, agant@micwar.com.au or 08 8267 6888