By: Werner Communications
PHILADELPHIA (April 16, 2025) — Pro Stock Motorcycle championship contender Richard Gadson, rider of the RevZilla Vance & Hines Suzuki, will be hosting representatives from the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization along with their “Littles” at six NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national events beginning with next weekend’s NHRA American Rebel Light Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. As a young man being raised by a single parent Big Brothers Big Sisters was an integral part of Gadson’s early support system. The native of the Philadelphia area brought a group from Big Brothers Big Sisters to the NHRA Reading Nationals in 2024 and this season he wants to expand the program.
“My father passed away when I was just 6 years old,” said Gadson. “My mom did everything she could to provide for me and my siblings, which took a lot of sacrifice. Being an inner-city Philadelphia youth, it posed challenges for a single parent. To help her by giving us a better shot at life, my mom signed my sister and I up for mentors through BBBS of America.”
“Last year I didn’t tell anyone what I was doing, not even my Vance & Hines teammates,” said Gadson, who was a finalist for NHRA Rookie of the Year in 2024. “I arranged for the tickets and gave about 10 people a tour of our pits and talked about how Big Brothers changed my life. It was cool to give back and during the offseason Elon Werner (president of Werner Communications) reached out about helping me make this a bigger deal. I am excited to share something I love, NHRA drag racing, with some kids who maybe wouldn’t otherwise get this experience.”
In addition to the race in Charlotte, Gadson, with help from Werner Communications, will be hosting “Bigs and Littles” at the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 Nationals outside Chicago (May 15-18), the Cornwell Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis (August 27-September 1), the Reading NHRA Nationals (September 11-14), the NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis (September 26-28) and finally the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals in Ennis (October 9-12).
The goal is to bring eight to ten “Bigs and Littles” to the races and provide them a behind the scenes look at NHRA drag racing and Gadson’s Pro Stock Motorcycle team. In addition to pit tours the guests will tour the suite tower, the NHRA midway and the staging lanes getting an up-close look at the sights and sounds of NHRA.
“My Big Brother took me to various events and venues that I likely would’ve never had the opportunity to experience considering my cultural background,” said Gadson. “Subsequently, the relationships and bonds formed through Big Brothers Big Sisters helped change my life. That effect, precisely, is what I hope to pay forward to the youth today through my involvement with NHRA. To end up where I am now, I just had to reach back to my roots and do something for the kids. There are all sorts of opportunities in drag racing not just racing. I dreamed about racing motorcycles professionally growing up and I want to open as many doors as possible for kids to follow their dreams too. I am looking forward to getting to know these Bigs and Littles throughout the season.”
Gadson and Werner Communications have already secured the tickets for all six races and will be working with Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations in each of the host cities to make this a memorable experience for everyone involved.
For additional information on Richard Gadson follow him on Instagram (rg5_racing) and Facebook (Richard Gadson).
