Lorri Shealy Unumb Captures 2nd Annual
Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award

Lexington, S.C. Native Wins $100,000 For Charity,
2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (December 1, 2012) – During Friday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards at the Wynn Las Vegas – the official coronation of 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski – Lesa France Kennedy, daughter of Betty Jane France and vice chair and executive vice president of NASCAR, named Lorri Shealy Unumb, creator of “Ryan’s Law”, the official winner of the second annual, Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award.

As a mother of three, Unumb was deeply impacted when her oldest son, Ryan, was diagnosed with severe autism at a young age; she then learned that insurance would not cover the cost of treatment for children with autism. As a result, the 44-year-old drafted a bill – now known as “Ryan’s Law” that has been enacted in 31 other states – to require insurance companies to cover treatments for autism. Unumb also founded the Autism Academy of South Carolina, a non-profit organization that protects the interests of children with the disability and helps families affected by autism. The NASCAR Foundation’s donation of $100,000 will be used to create a scholarship fund to assist children who would otherwise not be able to attend the Autism Academy. Full Story