Lakeville's Matt Little Racing in Mayor's Cup to Help Food Shelves

“I might do the last lap on foot just for sport.”

That was the sentiment of Lakeville City Council member talking the required smack in advance of The Race For Hunger Mayor’s Cup to be held Friday, August 19 at Raceway Park in Shakopee.

The event will feature 24 Dakota and Hennepin county mayors and representatives racing for bragging rights and to raise money for 360 Communities. The participants will strap into a fleet of blue stock cars and rumble around the track in a race to the finish. No word yet on whether bump-and-runs will be employed in their strategies.

And while the on-track victor will gain only bragging rights, everyone stands to be a winner by helping out a good cause.

When a scheduling conflict prohibited Lakeville Mayor Mark Bellows from participating in the event, organizers called on Little to step in. The first-term council member seemed like a natural tie-in due to his previous and ongoing work with the , the Lakeville food shelf that operates in conjunction with the Eagan Resource Center.  A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Lakeville Resource Center in addition to the food shelves operated by 360 Communities throughout Dakota County.

“Our food shelves are in bad shape,” said event organizer Denny Barlau. “Thirty percent of people in Scott and Dakota counties utilize the food shelves in some way.”

Food shelf networks typically experience a shortage during summer months and Barlau said organizing the race event is a fun way to help restock the shelves and ensure residents’ needs are met. Barlau organized a similar event for Scott County in June and the success of that event prompted him to expand into Dakota and Hennepin counties.

“It’s something I thought would be a good way to have some fun and do some good for the communities at the same time,” said Barlau.

The event will feature Mayors and representatives from Lakeville, Farmington, Apple Valley, Rosemount, Hastings, Inver Grove Heights, Burnsville, and other towns and communities in Dakota County.

In addition, Hennepin County mayor’s from Edina, Bloomington and other cities will also be revving it up on the oval.

Little was at the track last Tuesday for a practice run along with Farmington mayor Todd Larson. Both were confident in their chances and the friendly ribbing flew nearly as fast as the cars on the track.

“This isn’t going to be a contest whatsoever,” said a joking Little. “Mayor Todd Larson rode in on a horse, (Eagan) Mayor (Mark) Maguire thinks this is a golf tournament, and the last time (Inver Grove Heights Mayor) George Tourville went over forty miles per hour was on a bus to the senior center.”

Those mayors will get a chance to respond to Little’s taunts when they take practice runs on Thursday in advance of Friday’s event. And the barbs and jabs will surely heat up as race time approaches.

To add to the fun atmosphere, the Westside 1 Skydivers will be part of the opening ceremonies and attendees will have the chance to meet Minnesota North Star alumni players in addition to alumni from the Vikings, Twins and Timberwolves. Magicians and face-painters will be on hand to entertain the kids.

Gates for the event open at 5 p.m. with official ceremonies starting at 7:30 p.m. The mayors and race participants will conduct pre-race warm-ups at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $7.50 at the gate with the donation of two non-perishable food items, or a $1 cash donation.