Keegan loses house in fire; rallies to help other victims

Continental Tire Series racer Matt Keegan is one of thousands to lose a house in the North Bay Area fires, but it didn't stop him from taking action to help others.

After learning his home in Santa Rosa was destroyed, Keegan – a pilot – banded together with other pilots to provide direct aid through the formation of www.sonomacountyfirerelief.com. Using their planes to gather clothes, water, and food, Keegan and a group of volunteers have created a program to make stops at California airports, load the supplies, and return to Santa Rosa where local friends and business will take the goods and deliver them directly to those in need.

"Matt and his family lost their house; it was one of the first to go and he's going to have to rebuild," said Compass Racing owner Karl Thomson, whose team runs Keegan and Nico Rondet in No. 77 McLaren 570S GT4.

"It's incredible how many people we know in racing who've lost something in this fire. In the midst of this personal tragedy you could sit and wallow, or you can do like Matt's doing to ask how he can help others, even though he's in the same boat. That's just the kind of guy he is. And that's what makes him a great racer – thinking on his feet. He's got a huge heart and is doing what he can to make things better for others."

Sonoma County Fire Relief team member Scott Adams has also created a donation platform through PayPal where $25 gift cards will be purchased and given to those affected by the fire to buy items that aren't found among the supplies delivered by the charity.

Adding to the racing-related stories to come from the ongoing fires, Visit Florida Racing engineer Ricky Cameron and Murillo Racing team owner Ken Murillo also lost their homes, and although it wasn't a total loss, significant damage was done to major structures at the V12 Vinyards winery owned by 1996 CART IndyCar champion Jimmy Vasser.