After placing 13th at the Xfinity Series Mid-Ohio Challenge on August 13th, Alon Day will drive the #13 FLWaterfront.com Dodge on Saturday August 27th. Alon Day is a 24 year old native of Israel who has been featured in NASCAR’s NEXT Series of young drivers and was Israel’s Sportsman of the Year.

This will be Alon’s 2nd race in the United States this year. Day, who is NASCAR’s 1st Jewish driver & Israeli, is scheduled to race four races more this season.

After this week’s race at Road America, Alon will be racing at Richmond, Virginia on September 9, Kansas City, Kansas on October 15, Fort Worth, Texas on November 5 and Homestead-Miami on November 19.  All these races are subject to Alon getting sufficient sponsorships. After Richmond, Alon will be returning briefly to Europe to contend for the NASCAR Euro Championship.

The #13 has a special significance in the Jewish faith. A Jewish boy comes of age at 13 years old he has become a Bar Mitzvah and he is obligated to observe the commandments. The Maimonides states that the number 13 represents the number of principles of Jewish faith. The foundations of Judaism are based on the original 13 Tribes of Israel: the 11 sons of Jacob and the 2 sons of Joseph. Alon hopes to continue the proud tradition by racing well at Road America in the #13 car.

Lawyer David Levin of FLWaterfront.com is personally sponsoring Alon’s races in the states. Using $60,000 of his own savings, David and his wife Lori have sponsored Alon to make sure Jewish NASCAR fans can support one of their own.

David Levin: “While other televised sports may have a few Jewish athletes, at its elite levels, Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series, NASCAR has never had a Jewish driver.  Since its rise in popularity in the 1980’s, countless Jewish kids (and their parents) have watched the sport without a role model.”

It takes a lot of money to field a competitive race car and support crew. In NASCAR, unlike most other professional sports teams, it is primarily the driver’s responsibility to raise the funds necessary to compete. Alon is hoping to secure other sponsorships that will allow his to return to race in the US next year.

Alon Day’s #13 FLWaterfront.com car will also be promoting support for the Jewish Federation and the Anti-Defamation League.

Road America takes place in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Saturday August 27th on NBCSN.

Facebook Page for Road America.

The GoFundMe Page for Alon Day

USA Today Article on Alon Day’s Journey

Nascar’s Summary of Alon Day’s 1st Race

David M. Levin is a Shareholder of the Icard/Merrill law firm. His practice is concentrated in the area of environmental and waterfront property law.