The charity bass tournament-sponsored by Ranger Boats and facilitated by FLW Outdoors-and VIP Reception-sponsored by Huckleberry's BBQ-raised over $40,000 for the Ryan Newman Foundation Endowment, which will be a source for grants to nonprofit organizations that fulfill the foundation's mission.
NASCAR's 2005 Nextel Cup Champion Tony Stewart fished on Lake Norman during the tournament and signed autographs during the VIP Reception to support his fellow driver's charity. Newman fished Lake Norman with FLW Angler of the Year Anthony Gagliardi in his Alltel-wrapped Ranger Boat.
Newman and Stewart were joined on the FLW Outdoors stage by Ranger Boats Founder Forrest Wood during the Awards Ceremony, sponsored by Alltel. Fisherman Brian Morgan and Michael Fox of Newton, NC won the grand prize, a 519VX Ranger Boat with a VZ200TLR HPDI Yamaha motor, valued at $35,000.
Ryan Newman and his wife, Krissie, established the Ryan Newman Foundation in January 2005. The mission of the foundation is to educate and encourage people to spay/neuter their pets and to adopt dogs and cats from animal shelters; to educate children and adults about the importance of conservation so the beauty of the great outdoors can be appreciated by future generations; and to provide college scholarship funding through the Rich Vogler Scholarship program to students interested in auto racing careers.
For more information about the Ryan Newman Foundation, visit www.ryannewmanfoundation.org.
Ryan Newman Foundation Inaugural Celebrity Charity Bass Tournament Winners
Huntersville, NC ~ Saturday, December 16, 2006
1st Place: Brian Morgan and Michael Fox of Newton, NC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 13-7)
Big Bass: Shaun Honea of Winder, GA and Randy Cantrell of Hendersonville, NC (Big Bass Wt: 7-3, Total Wt: 10-11)
2nd Place: Mark Svendsen of Atlanta, GA and and Ryan Bowman of Seneca, SC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 12-11)
3rd Place: Bryan Thrift of Shelby, NC and Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, SC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 12-9)
4th Place: Dale Evans and James Doster of Ridgeville, SC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 12-6)
5th Place: Doug Easton and David Lynch of Mooresville, NC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 12-2)
6th Place: John Strempke of Monroe, NC and Chris Bumgarner of Gastonia, NC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 12-0)
7th Place: Jody Wright of Ellenboro, NC and Lester Elton of Forest City, NC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 11-13)
8th Place: Daniel DuVall of Charlotte, NC and Dennis Jenkins of Denver, NC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 11-11)
9th Place: Danny McCall of Denver, NC and Hank Cherry of Maiden, NC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 11-9)
10th Place: Jason Jones of Dallas, NC and John Sharpe of York, SC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 11-5)
11th Place - 3 Way Tie: Steve Addington and Eddie Kirby of Dallas, NC; Randy Childers and Eric Gregg of Anderson, SC; Jerry Goble of Sherrills Ford, NC and Jim Witherspoon of Claremont, NC (Total Bass: 5, # Bass Alive: 5, Total Wt: 11-3)