Remembering Brienne: Scholarship Fund for Block Grad Increases

The Brienne Davis Scholarship Fund has increased to provide three $10,000 scholarships annually for qualified female students who wish to attend any Universal Technical Institute campus as a result of the success of the second Jail & Bail supported by Best Buy and Insignia.

The Jail & Bail was created by NASCAR officials to raise money for the Brienne Davis Scholarship Fund, in partnership with The NASCAR Foundation and the UTI Foundation to honor Davis, a NASCAR official and UTI alumnus who died in a car wreck in 2008. Davis grew up in Jonesville and graduated from Block High School.

"Brienne was a very enthusiastic, ambitious young lady who was taken away much before her time. She loved motorsports and was determined to succeed at NASCAR’s top level," said NASCAR official Pam Ford. "This scholarship is our way of remembering her tenacious spirit by helping other focused young women obtain their goals through providing an opportunity for education."

NASCAR drivers Aric Almirola, Marcos Ambrose, Trevor Bayne, Kurt Busch, Paulie Harraka, Kevin Harvick, Jason Leffler, Juan Pablo Montoya, Reed Sorenson, Scott Speed, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., David Stremme and Brian Vickers, as well as NASCAR executives and celebrities John Darby, Wendy Venturini and Rutledge Wood all were locked up for the event, which was held at Brickhouse Tavern in Davidson, N.C., and helped raise more than $100,000 in pledges in one night.

The Brienne Davis Scholarship Fund is intended to provide an opportunity for a qualified female student who wishes to attend one of nine Universal Technical Institute campuses across the U.S., including UTI’s NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C.

"The funds raised at the Jail & Bail event will help three deserving woman pursue their dreams of a successful technical career in the motorsports industry," said Veronica Meury, vice president and executive director of the UTI Foundation. "We are grateful to the NASCAR family for making these scholarships possible."

Last year, the inaugural Brienne Davis Scholarship was awarded to Kenna Primm, who is currently enrolled at NTI in Mooresville.

"Thanks to the Brienne Davis scholarship from the UTI Foundation, I was able to come to North Carolina and fulfill my goal of attending NASCAR Technical Institute," said Primm. "I’m very excited to see other females receive this scholarship opportunity and live out their dreams."

For information on how to apply, visit www.utifoundation.net, or to learn how you can contribute to the Brienne Davis Scholarship Fund and help provide an opportunity to a deserving female student, visit www.NASCAR.com/foundation.

THE TOWN TALK