Code 3 Associates is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization specializing in animal rescue and recovery in disaster areas, and it has gained notoriety among the NASCAR community for its association with three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and his NASCAR team, Stewart-Haas Racing.
The successful partnership has led Code 3 Associates to deepen its motorsports involvement by partnering with Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Its blue-and-white colors will adorn Leah Pruett’s 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster in the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals April 1-3 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“We’re honored to have Code 3 Associates join TSR,” said Stewart, whose Tony Stewart Foundation is dedicated to the protection of various animal species. “Whenever there’s a disaster, everyone wants to help, and it’s nice to know there’s an organization out there that takes care of a sometimes overlooked but very important family member – your pet. Taking care of animals has always been important to me, and when we started our Foundation, we made animal welfare a priority. To be able to promote the work of Code 3 Associates so that it can do even more work for people and their pets is very satisfying.”
Formed in 1985, Colorado-based Code 3 Associates is a national response team that at the request of local government officials provides animal rescue and recovery during any kind of disaster. The organization has evolved from one unpaid volunteer to at least 75 professional responders around the country, which includes animal welfare, law enforcement, fire, EMS and veterinary specialists from the United States and Canada. While its focus is animals and their owners, Code 3 Associates trains its responders to the standards of human rescue, and Code 3 Associates also provides training to conduct thorough investigations into animal welfare, all of which is accredited by Colorado State University (CSU) and the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
“Code 3 Associates has championed animal welfare for more than 30 years, and for the last 10 years Tony Stewart and his race teams have been involved in our efforts,” said Nan Stuart, founder, Code 3 Associates. “Tony and Leah have been recognized for their leadership and performance on and off the track. This initiative with Tony Stewart Racing will continue to raise the profile of our collective mission, which is to provide animal rescue and recovery in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.”
Pruett is a nine-time event winner in Top Fuel who has made 18 final-round appearances, including at Las Vegas in October 2018. She made her Top Fuel debut in 2013 and has been a mainstay in NHRA’s premier division ever since. Pruett has also earned an impressive presence off the track, as Drag Illustrated named her the 2021 Social Media Influencer of the Year.
“I’m an NHRA lifer because I love this sport, but I also love its sense of community, and the NHRA paddock has always been a place where competitors pitch in to help whenever help is needed,” said Pruett, whose dog, an Australian Shepherd named Fendi, has been a part of her career since her rookie season in Top Fuel. “It’s impressive to see how Code 3 Associates steps up on a moment’s notice, and I’ve learned a lot about what they do ever since I met Tony. I’m definitely looking forward to promoting Code 3 and all that it does because it’s a cause our fans and our industry can rally around.”
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