Give blood at New Jersey Motorsports Park, get free race tickets

Blood at a race track is usually not a good thing, but it will mean free tickets to the July 22-24 “New Jersey 250 Presented by American Red Cross” GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series event weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

A limited number of free tickets are available for those who give blood in a special blood drive--pun intended--by the Red Cross and New Jersey Motorsports Park. The blood drive will run from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Saturday, July 9, 2011, at the Officers Club at New Jersey Motorsports Park’s Thunderbolt Raceway (8000 Dividing Creek Road, Millville, NJ 08332). All presenting blood donors will receive a special race day pack that includes ear plugs and a lanyard, as well as admission tickets to the track.

The catch is that registration in advance is required and there are a limited number of appointments available. Registration online is available (www.redcrossblood.org/NJMP) but the blood must be given at New Jersey Motorsports Park on July 9.

Requirements for blood donation are as they are elsewhere. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in PA and NJ), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. Donors will need to bring a Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID.