Dwight, Berlin highlight celebrity race for charity

CEDAR RAPIDS - Tim Dwight and Eddie Berlin have proven they are fast on the football field.

Now, the former college and National Football League wide receivers will get to show their speed on the race track.

Dwight and Berlin will participate in a celebrity Legends car race, highlighting Van Meter Night at Hawkeye Downs Speedway on Friday. Regular admission fees are being waived for a minimum of a $1 donation that will go to Children's Miracle Network to benefit the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. Gates open at 6 p.m. with weekly points races beginning at 7:30.

Dwight, a standout football and track athlete at Iowa City High and the University of Iowa, played 10 seasons, breaking in with the Atlanta Falcons before playing four season with the Chargers. he also played for the New york Jets, New England Patriots and Raiders, amassing almost 3,000 yards receiving on 194 catches and 19 touchdowns. Dwight's pro career was highlighted by his performance in Super Bowl XXXIII. The Atlanta Falcons return specialist and wideout ranks among return leaders in a Super Bowl, running back five kicks for 210 yards, including a 94-yard TD. He became just the fifth NFL player to do that in a Super Bowl and is one of eight to ever accomplish the feat.

Berlin, a former University of Northern Iowa wide receiver, was a fifth-round draft pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2001. He played five seasons, including one with the Chicago Bears.

The pair will be available for autographs and four autographed footballs will be raffled off to winners 17 years old and younger.

Dwight, who works in solar energy development in California, was working with van Meter on a project and then the relationship led to his involvement in the celebrity event.

"We got hooked up from a business perspective and got to be tied in on the personal side of it," Van Meter Regional Vice President Todd Ettleman told SourceMedia Group. "It's been a good thing."

Joining Dwight and Berlin are joined by Van Meter Executive Mike Gassman and Jared Aarons. It's believed to be Dwights first auto racing experience and Ettleman said Berlin had never driven a manual transmission before practicing in the Legends car. Although they have respect for the power of a race car, fear doesn't seem to be a factor when they both have had 250-pound linebackers chasing them down.

"They're all competitive," Ettleman said. "I've watched them practice. All four of them like to run fast.

"They're ready to put opn a show. I think that's what its all about."

And the charity as well. it will be the third straight year Van Meter has raised funds on its sponsored night at the track. In 2009, the company raised $5,000 to assist with flood recovery in Cedar Rapids and last year $6,000 was raised for the Aiming for a Cure Foundation.

Friday night's event will be used to help families with expenses like gas, hotels and parking while undergoing treatment in at the UI Children's Hospital.

"When you look at it, having the families close to you is an important piece and there's a certain financial burden," said Ettleman, noting that one of van Meter's key principles is giving back to the community. "So what we're trying to do is, the money that we're raising this night, 100% of that is going to be going toward those types of costs."

Hawkeye Downs enjoys Van meter's contribution to its weekly series and the fundraising aspect makes it an even better situation.

"It's an honor for us to have a company like van Meter come in and do what they're doing and working with charities," Hawkeye Downs Race Promoter Mike Becker said.