AUBURN, Calif. — “I used to race for points, Now I’m racing for people," said professional drift racer, Garret Therriault.
Therriault is talking about his new mission, driving a One Pill Can Kill-themed car racing and touring around America bringing awareness to fentanyl poisoning.
"This is something that's near and dear to my heart. Addiction is a very sad story. If you've only known somebody on drugs, you never really knew them," said Therriault.
There was a line of people in Anaheim who have lost a loved one to fentanyl poisoning waiting to sign the car in honor of people who have lost a loved one to fentanyl poisoning. The car is owned and created by Custom FN Customs of Auburn and wrapped in messaging from the Placer County campaign of the same name.
It's the passion project of co-owner Rick Wallen.
“This is a very important mission to me because I’m a recovering addict myself. And so, we wanted to look for something we could have a direct impact on something that's affected our lives," Wallen said. "In our industry, if you think about it, we're really impacting the demographic that is affected by fentanyl poisoning — 14 to 45. Those kids and those men like to see things that go fast, make smoke and have fun, right? So having that message behind something that the people that are viewing it are going to listen to — that's what's important to us."
About 70% of the nation's fentanyl-related deaths are young males, which crosses over with the demographics of racing. The car will be in races and events coast to coast, kicking off in Anaheim and ending this summer in New York City with a demonstration in Times Square timed out with fentanyl awareness messaging on the famous Times Square multi-walled LED.
If you see the One Pill Can Kill race car, you’ll notice the passenger seat is always empty. Wallen said it's a symbol of a life lost.
"The seat will either be empty or occupied by a monitor with the name of someone lost, both to signify someone tragically taken by this epidemic," Wallen said.
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