For more than 30 years, Kevin Rudeen has been a dedicated team owner in the 26 Sprint Car racing community. When Kevin lost his eldest son, Rayce, the racing community rallied around him and his family. The outpouring of love, compassion, and support was overwhelming and demonstrated the strength of this close-knit community.
Inspired by the gratitude he felt for the community that stood beside him during his darkest time, Kevin founded an annual race in honor of his son, Rayce Rudeen. With the passion dedicated to helping prevent other families from experiencing the devastating loss of a loved one.
The Rayce Rudeen Foundation is dedicated to addressing substance misuse and addiction through education, awareness, and prevention. We collaborate with organizations, community members, and partners to provide resources and programs that empower individuals with knowledge and help create safer, healthier communities.
Through these efforts, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation honors Rayce’s memory by turning loss into action, hope, and an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.
TOGETHER WE CAN FIGHT ADDICTION AND BUILD A MORE INFORMED, COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY.
When Kevin’s car and driver roll out onto the track, the fans hear this from the announcer:
“Many of you may know of the Rudeen name, represented by the 26 car—but you may not know about the Rayce Rudeen Foundation. In 2016, Kevin Rudeen tragically lost his son Rayce to an overdose.
In order to honor his life and keep his memory alive, his family started a private foundation to help others. Today, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation is a certified nonprofit that gives grant money to the organizations and programs that encourage a healthy productive life, free from addiction. It is their goal to help fill the gaps in a broken system of addiction, treatment, and recovery.
100% of all donations the foundation receives go directly to our grants and programs— which means every penny donated goes straight to those who need it the most. The Rudeen family is passionate about preventing others from suffering the same loss they have.”
In 2021, we added a very special award to the race: the Rayce Rudeen Award. This award is given to someone who exemplifies Rayce’s humble heart and selflessness. The recipient of this award demonstrated kindness to those around him/her, made sure others were cared for, and showed a compassionate heart. We could not be prouder of those who have won this award.
141 Speedway | Francis Creek, WI
Winner of 2024 | I-70 Motorsports Park | Odessa, MO
Copyright © 2026 The Rayce Rudeen Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
