MAC to host health and wellness fair

Jacob Smith Racing will host a Drive to Live Community Health & Wellness Fair on Wednesday at Madera Auto Center. The collaborative event with the Madera County Behavioral Health Services will include 16 booths with information on mental health resources for Madera-area youth.

The event will take place from 4-7 p.m. and includes free food, games and raffle prizes, and Madera Speedway driver Jacob Smith with his No. 11 Chevrolet Late Model on display.

“I am really looking forward to the opportunity to engage with members of the Madera community to share my passion and the available resources for mental health,” Smith said. “It has been amazing to see the engagement from local businesses on bringing the community together through racing and mental health.”

The event is being supported by several area businesses, along with Anthem Blue Cross and Madera Together Suicide Prevention Collaborative.

Smith has a personal connection to the mental health issues that are spreading among the youth in America. Smith’s race cars carry the hashtag #TakeGWithMe in honor of his inspiration into mental health, Garrison Zimmer and the Garrison Zimmer Foundation, raising awareness of suicide prevention.

Smith will be competing in a nationally-televised NASCAR race in Las Vegas on Friday following the event. He returns to Madera Speedway on Saturday for the speedway’s largest event of the year, the $10,000-to-win Short Track Shootout.