Minnesota USF2000 Rookie Ties with Starkey Hearing Foundation Mission
SPEEDWAY, Ind. – Figuratively speaking, rookie racer Max Peichel, from Edina, Minn., is looking to make a lot of noise during his debut this weekend in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. At the same time, the California-born youngster is promoting Better Hearing Month as part of his association with Starkey Hearing Technologies and its Starkey Hearing Foundation.
“Starkey Hearing Foundation gives the gift of hearing to people in need in the U.S. and around the world,” says Brady Forseth, Starkey Hearing Foundation executive director of philanthropy. “Built on founder Bill Austin’s vision, ‘So the World May Hear,’ the foundation builds sustainable systems of hearing care around the world. People with hearing loss receive care, education and support through the foundation’s worldwide missions. Starkey Hearing Foundation collaborates with local and national government, nonprofits and health leaders to identify patients and fit them with hearing devices.
“Max Peichel is a 17-year-old racecar driver who has been exposed to loud noise often while at the race track, which makes his commitment to protecting his hearing so important since one in six teens has permanent hearing loss due to high-volume sounds. Protecting one’s hearing is crucial, as hearing loss has potentially devastating consequences for a person’s physical and mental health, education and employment. It impedes cognitive growth, social integration and quality of life.
“On a global scale, disabling hearing loss affects more than 360 million people, including 32 million children worldwide, yet many do not have access to the hearing devices that can help them. Starkey Hearing Foundation, a key player in helping those in need gain access to hearing devices, believes giving a person the ability to hear has an immediate positive impact on the individual’s quality of life and a compounding effect on the world.”
Peichel (pronounced “PIE-kull”), who celebrated his 17th birthday just last week, is stepping up to the first rung on the internationally acclaimed Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires open-wheel racing development ladder after a background in karting followed by a partial season last year in the F4 US Championship. Peichel will drive for Wisconsin-based ArmsUp Motorsports in this week’s Royal Purple Synthetic Motor Oil Grand Prix of Indianapolis supporting the Lupus Foundation of America.
“Racing in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda gives me the chance to race against some of the best young drivers in the world and allows me to develop my skills among very talented teams and drivers,” says Peichel. “The Starkey Hearing Foundation is significant to me because of the overlooked importance of hearing and the impacts it can have on peoples lives. May is also Better Hearing month at Starkey which fits perfectly with the Month of May for IndyCar.”