Golf Tournament raises $17,500 for Brian's Wish.

Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever Jr. and Indy Racing League Senior Technical Director Phil Casey presented a $17,500 contribution to The Brian's Wish Fund and The ALS Association of Indiana this week, part of the record $40,000 raised by the 12th annual Phil Casey Indy Racing Charity Golf Tournament in September 2002.

Besides the $17,500 contribution to Brian's Wish and The ALS Association, another $17,500 was donated to the Paediatric Diabetes Centre at Valley Children's Hospital in Fresno, Calif., in honour of Casey's granddaughter, Jennifer, who received successful treatment at the hospital. Another $5,000 was donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Fresno.

The Brian's Wish Fund was created in memory of Brian Hall, an avid race fan and courageous ALS patient. Hall was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - ALS, also commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease - in 1997 and passed away on Indianapolis 500 Carburetion Day, May 23, 2002. The Brian's Wish Fund and members of Hall's family chose to donate the proceeds to The ALS Association of Indiana.

"The Indiana chapter of The ALS Association is deeply touched by the generosity and thoughtfulness of Phil Casey, Eddie Cheever and Brian Hall's family," said Joe Bill Wiley, board chairman of The ALS Association of Indiana. "These funds will go a long way in supporting our efforts to help Indiana ALS patients and families in the coming year.

Established in 1997, the mission of The ALS Association of Indiana is to increase public awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and to enhance the lives of ALS patients through providing direct services to patients, families and caregivers, while supporting national research efforts to find a cure.

All of the funds were raised at the 2002 golf tournament staged by Casey, which took place Sept. 16 at the Tour 18 course in Fort Worth, Texas. Co-sponsors of the tournament included Spot-On Cable, Frank Weiss Machines, Infiniti and William D. Ward Wachovia Securities.

Indy Racing League drivers and personalities who participated in the tournament included two-time defending IRL IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr., 2002 IRL Infiniti Pro Series champion A.J. Foyt IV, Cheever, 2000 IRL IndyCar Series champion and 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., IndyCar Series standout Robbie Buhl, IRL President and CEO Tony George, IRL Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Brian Barnhart, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford.

The 13th annual tournament is scheduled for Oct. 13, 2003 - the day after the season-ending Chevy 500 at Texas Motor Speedway - at Tour 18.