Vampt Header
Press ReleaseNovember 13, 2011

Governor Proclaims 'Scott Bates Day' for Oklahoma Veteran
 
Disabled Artist Saw Dream Come True at NASCAR Race

Phoenix, Ariz. (November 13, 2011) - The State of Arizona officially proclaimed Sunday, November 13, 2011, "Scott Bates Day" in honor of the disabled veteran who realized his dream of designing a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series paint scheme.

A representative of Gov. Jan Brewer's office presented the proclamation to Bates before Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway.
 
 

Front Row Motorsports, J.J. Yeley, and Vampt Beverage Corp. helped make the former U.S. Marine's dream come true when they invited the disabled veteran to create Yeley's No. 38 Ford Fusion paint scheme for the event and hosted Bates and his family at the race.  As the event got closer, the state government heard about Bates' story and wanted to make the Veterans' Day weekend even more special for him.

 

Bates, of Muskogee, Okla., took up graphic design when multiple sclerosis left him confined to a wheelchair and unable to use his arms. A head-controlled mouse allows him to operate the program in which he creates his designs. A sensor atop his computer screen picks up his head movements, allowing him to choose colors, shapes, shades and strokes.
 

>>> SEE "MEDIA TOOLS" AT RIGHT: Photos of Bates at race and Governor's proclamation, video of Scott Bates creating paint scheme at home, video of car being wrapped, audio from Yeley on Bates

 

"God took away one of my abilities to show me a new way," Bates said about learning graphic design. "I never would have taken the time to learn what I've learned if I hadn't been sitting in this chair and had to retrain myself to do something to occupy my time. I couldn't bear just sitting and watching TV or surfing the Internet. I wanted to do something."

 

After years of designing racecar templates for video games, Bates finally got to see one of his designs on a real racecar when he did a paint scheme for an ARCA car. But that car wrecked in practice and never made it to race day.

 

The 48-year-old artist still had one wish: to see one of his designs on an actual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car. He told his story to motorsports writer Becca Gladden, who wrote about his dream. When malt beverage maker and Front Row sponsor Vampt read about Bates, they found it only fitting to help him realize his dream on Veterans Day weekend when the company was sponsoring Yeley's No. 38 in Phoenix.

 

Bates is active on Twitter (@ernhrtfan) and looks forward to recapping his big weekend for his followers and also possibly gaining some new ones. 

Related story:  Disabled Veteran Designs NASCAR Paint Scheme in 'Dream Come True' 

 
About Front Row Motorsports:

Front Row Motorsports is a Statesville, N.C.-based race team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.  Formed in 2005 by restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, the team has competed in NASCAR racing in each year since its inception, expanding full-time to the premier Sprint Cup Series in 2009.  The team partners with Ford Racing and Roush-Yates Racing Engines to field the No. 34 Taco Bell Ford driven by David Gilliland, the No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford driven by Travis Kvapil and the No. 55 Front Row Motorsports Ford driven by J.J. Yeley.
 

- 30 -

Yeley and Bates at Phoenix
Yeley and Bates
MEDIA TOOLS: 

VIDEO: Scott Bates graphic design demo, No. 38 Ford getting wrapped

MP3 AUDIO: Yeley comments on Scott Bates and racing at home

HI-RES PHOTOS: Scott Bates-designed No. 38 Vampt Ford Fusion, Yeley and Bates, Governor's proclamation

PRESS KIT: Bios, team history, Vampt paint scheme by Scott Bates
FOLLOW US! 

Find us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

QUICK LINKS 

 

KEEP UP WITH ALL NEWS FROM

Breaking Limits logo
Join Our Mailing List

Contact:

Shari Spiewak
Breaking Limits
403 Gilead Road, Suite A
Huntersville, NC  28078
Office: 704-766-9063

Cell:  704-200-1779
[email protected]