Make wishtv.com your home page

Give back, help others with the ‘Hinchcliffe Hundred Blood Drive’

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) – Happening Monday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a chance to get some free gate passes, free parking at IMS and free garage passes by signing up to give blood.

The Red Cross says their goal is to reach 105 units of blood by the end of the drive. Driver James Hinchcliffe sustained a severe injury after a practice crash back in 2015.  He needed more than 20 pints of blood to survive. Through that experience Hinchcliffe realized just how important it is to donate blood. 

Blood is important all the time but especially during holiday weekends like Memorial Day because there aren’t as many blood drives, so it can really have an impact on the blood supply. The goal is 105 units representing Hinchcliffe’s number. 

According to Meg Ahlering from the Red Cross of Indiana, that blood could help upwards of 315 people, at hospitals like IU Methodist or Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital. 

“That’s why it’s so important and why he’s so passionate about it because blood helped save his life,” said Ahlering. “In fact, he used quite a few units in flight, life-lined to Methodist Hospital. Since then, the Red Cross has been providing IMS and the track hospital over there with o-negative units in house for the month of May.” 

The blood drive called “Hinchcliffe Hundred” which is backed by the Indycar, IMS and the IU Health Foundation is scheduled from noon to 6 p.m. in Legends Row at the speedway.

The first 100 people to give blood at the event will get a free access pass into the driver’s garage and free parking in Turn 3 for the day. If you register for an appointment online the red cross will email you a free gate ticket.  

 Go to redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code hinchcliffehundred.