Fireball Run raises awareness for missing children

The Fireball Run drove into Cedar Rapids Friday. The Fireball Run is a cross-country road rally to raise awareness for missing children nationwide.

The rally brought specialty cars of all sorts to Greene Square Park Friday night, including a 1909 T-Model Ford and the car from “Back to the Future”, for a finish-line welcome celebration.

“The Fireball Run is part Amazing Race, part road rally, and all heart,” said Randy Kuehl owner of Randy Kuehl Honda, the presenting sponsor of the Cedar Rapids leg of the race.

The rally started on Sept. 23 in Henderson, Nev., and Cedar Rapids was the final stop before the participants reach the finish line in Galena, Ill. Saturday.

Teams score points during the 10-day rally by solving clues and accomplishing missions across the country.

Of the 75 teams participating, Team Cedar Rapids is listed in first place on Fireball Run's website.

Team Cedar Rapids is led by Bart Woods of Primus Construction and Pete Lammers of European Motors. They represent Erin Pospisil, a Cedar Rapids teen who has been missing since 2001.

“We can't let the missing children of our nation fade from our attention once the headlines are gone. This event will help return the focus on Erin, as well as on every missing child across the country,” Kuehl said.

The Fireball Run distributes nearly 75,000 posters annually, and to date has aided in the recovery of 32 missing children.

St. Luke's Child Protection Center and Four Oaks, a nonprofit child welfare agency, are the local benefiting charities in Cedar Rapids.