THOUSAND OAKS : Stock Cars to Race for a Good Cause

Three times, Thousand Oaks stock car driver Lee Ladd pushed his car to the limit in an annual race for a Westlake Village charity, and three times, he crashed.

But the bad breaks of the past are not enough to keep Ladd away.

This weekend, he and 18 other drivers will again circle the track at Saugus Speedway, driving not for the checkered flag but for the United Cerebral Palsy Homes in Westlake Village.

“This race is a lot of fun and it’s for a great cause,” Ladd said. “I’m going back in there at full speed.”

Ladd, along with fellow members of the four Rotary Clubs in the Conejo Valley, first organized the “Night at the Races” at Saugus Speedway in the Santa Clarita Valley three years ago when he learned that the United Cerebral Palsy Homes were in need of funds.

Since the first race, the event has raised more than $40,000 for the homes, and Ladd hopes to add $10,000 more this year.

The race’s sponsor, United Cerebral Palsy Support Group, operates two homes on Westlake Boulevard and has more than 50 paid staff members and volunteers devoted to the care of 15 men and women with cerebral palsy.

This year’s race will raise money for a new covered patio at one of the homes. It also will be a chance for residents to get out and enjoy the thrills at the track.

“I go every year,” said Donald Geagan, a 31-year-old Moorpark College student who lives at one of the houses. “It’s noisy, but it’s a lot of fun.”

This year, in addition to watching the race, those who attend will meet many of the drivers, who will head into the stands to talk to fans and collect additional donations for the homes.

The race will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $10 and all proceeds go to the United Cerebral Palsy Homes. For tickets or more information, call Ladd at 373-1910, Ext. 222.