With the 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona rapidly approaching, the Anglo American Oil Company (AAOC) is celebrating two key milestones with its successful Sunoco Whelen Challenge.

This year is not only the tenth in which the winner of the Challenge will receive a drive in the prestigious 24-Hour contest around Daytona International Speedway, but also the fifth in partnership with Whelen Engineering, which funds the seat thanks to the generosity of owner Sonny Whelen.

Derek Johnston was the first Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner, taking part in the 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona

In recognition of the generosity of Sonny, AAOC makes annual donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, though its Team Fox fundraising platform. The Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson’s today.

“Parkinson’s is an incurable degenerative brain disease,” said Sonny Whelen. “When you have Parkinson’s, the cells in your brain that create dopamine start to die off. That dopamine is basically like a grease for your car. Without it the wheels, the hinges, are going to get tight, and not move as well. You end up a bit like the tin-man in The Wizard of Oz.

“The good news is, you die with it not from it. It’s something you can continue to live with, and still do a lot of the things you want to do. I became involved with the Michael J. Fox Foundation, because it’s devoted to finding a cure, seeking better therapies and funding the research that needs to be done.”

Felipe Nasr races past the Sunoco sign in the 2012 Rolex 24 At Daytona, en route to third place.

For 2019, AAOC has produced a very limited number of desktop calendars celebrating ten years of the Sunoco Whelen Challenge, which are available to anyone who kindly donates at least $10 to its fundraising page. If you would like to contribute, please visit the following link:

https://fundraise.michaeljfox.org/tf-2019/SunocoWhelenChallenge