The 4th annual AutoTrader.com Eric Medlen Nitro Night Charity Dinner, which took place on Thursday night, raised a record amount of $27,500 for Speedway Children’s Charities.

The gala, which was held at Stone Tree Golf Club in Novato, was held in honor of Medlen, a native of Oakdale in the San Joaquin Valley. He succumbed in March, 2007, to injuries sustained from a testing accident. Medlen, who was a member of John Force Racing, considered Infineon Raceway his home track and won the Funny Car title there in 2006.

The 4th annual AutoTrader.com Eric Medlen Nitro Night Charity Dinner, which took place on Thursday night, raised a record amount of $27,500 for Speedway Children’s Charities.

The gala, which was held at Stone Tree Golf Club in Novato, was held in honor of Medlen, a native of Oakdale in the San Joaquin Valley. He succumbed in March, 2007, to injuries sustained from a testing accident. Medlen, who was a member of John Force Racing, considered Infineon Raceway his home track and won the Funny Car title there in 2006.

More than 140 people attended the gala, including top NHRA racers Ashley Force Hood (Castrol GTX® Mustang); Melanie Troxel (In-N-Out Dodge); Jack Beckman (Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge); Brandon Bernstein (Copart/Lucas Oil dragster); Morgan Lucas (GEICO Powersports/Lucas Oil dragster); Shawn Langdon (Lucas Oil/Speedco); and Karen Stoffer (GEICO Suzuki).

The total raised included $2,500 from a Texas Hold ‘Em Charity Poker Tournament held prior to dinner. River Rock Casino, a partner of the raceway’s and located in Geyserville, presented the check to Speedway Children’s Charities in the name of Morgan Lucas, who won the charity poker tournament.