Brushstrokes of Hope: Survivors Turn Las Vegas Motor Speedway Pink Ahead of the South Point 400
By Debbie Hall with Jake Conlee
Photos by Jake Conlee
On most race weeks, the soundtrack at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is torque and tire. This week, it started with the soft scrape of brushes on concrete.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month—and just days before the South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race (Oct. 10–12)—a group of breast cancer survivors gathered with LVMS staff, volunteers, and partners to paint two large pink ribbons on the front-stretch apron. The symbols are impossible to miss from the grandstands. So is the message.
“It’s a great outing for us survivors, it’s great to be a part of something that celebrates you,” said Maria Hornsby, a two-time breast cancer survivor. “When you can come to something like this, it means everything.”
A Visible Promise in Pink
The day began with a team lunch and quickly became something more than a pre-race photo op. Survivors shared stories and traded tips on screenings and support groups as the ribbons took shape under the desert sun. Each stroke honored a journey—some ongoing, some triumphantly in the rearview—and underscored a truth motorsports knows well: winning takes a team.
“Welcoming our breast cancer survivors from our community to paint ribbons on our track was extremely rewarding and a great way to start our race weekend,” said Patrick Lindsey, Senior Vice President & General Manager at LVMS. “Our partners, Focused Health and South Point Hotel & Casino, recognize the importance of continuing to raise awareness for this great cause. And we’re grateful to the American Cancer Society for bringing out countless volunteers to help us paint these pink ribbons.”
Where Racing and Real Life Meet
Saturday’s Focused Health 302 and Sunday’s South Point 400 will decide playoff fortunes. But before lap times and stage points, LVMS made space for a different kind of resilience—the kind measured in months of treatment, in support networks, in the relief of clear scans.
“Ending breast cancer is very near and dear to our hearts,” said Shawn Holt, CEO and Co-Founder of Focused Health. “We wanted to put on an event that would allow survivors to memorialize what they’ve overcome as individuals and bring more awareness to breast cancer.”
Beyond the Ribbons: Why It Matters
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about more than a color; it’s about action. Awareness leads to early detection, which saves lives. LVMS used its most visible canvas to amplify that message and to spotlight the people living it—survivors who have become advocates, families who’ve become caregivers, and fans who can become allies.
As the weekend approaches, those ribbons will sit in the corner of every driver’s eye line, a reminder that some victories happen off the track.
How Fans Can Join the Effort This Weekend
- Wear pink at the track and in your photos.
- Honor loved ones with messages of support on social media.
- Champion early detection: remind a friend to schedule a screening; share resources.
- Support the cause through donations to research, patient services, and local advocacy groups.
Event Fast Facts
- What: Survivor ribbon-painting and Breast Cancer Awareness Month activation
- Where: Front-stretch apron, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
- When: Leading into South Point 400 weekend, Oct. 10–12
- Partners: Focused Health, South Point Hotel & Casino, American Cancer Society
For schedules, tickets, and venue information, visit lvms.com.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway is part of Speedway Motorsports, a leading marketer, promoter, and sponsor of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The company owns and operates premier facilities including Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway, and Kentucky Speedway.
Debbie Hall is a writer, editor, content provider and broadcaster. She has called Southern Nevada home since 1978 and has been honored to attend and report on the changes in Las Vegas and surrounding areas. She continues to tell the story of Southern Nevada for generations to come.
